Passion: A Key Ingredient of Leadership

The word passion, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a strong feeling of enthusiasm, of excitement for something or about doing something. It is my bias that when any great leader or leadership strategy is examined, positive passion and energy will be found.

Passion that is channeled in such a positive direction is an incredibly powerful thing. Many of the greatest visionaries (Walt Disney, FDR, Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King, etc.) also possessed great passion as part of their leadership strategy. This is why people were so eager and willing to follow them. Think about the amount of change such individuals brought about in their day. Why? Many reasons but a large one was their abundant amount of passion.

Leaders with such passion gladly work countless hours, against all odds and obstacles and successfully use their passion to achieve their overall objectives. Such leaders see a solution behind every problem and an opportunity for every obstacle. Have you seen such leadership in action?

I have and it is powerful to watch. This type of passion is exciting. This type of passion is contagious. This type of passion is fun.

People want to feel it, live it and as Nike says, Just Do It! People want to be part of something bigger than themselves (a group, a cause, a belief).

Do you have this type of passion? Do you have this type of vision and dreams? Are you willing to lay it all on the line and “put your money where your mouth is?” I cannot imagine following any leader who does not have such passion as a key characteristic of his/her leadership style.

If you don’t have such passion or are part of an organization that lacks such passion, ask yourself why you/they don’t have it and how it might be obtained? There is no better time than now to become passionate in all that you say and do. It will make you a better leader in all that you do.