Page 137 - The extraordinary leader

114 • The Extraordinary Leader

Passion

Just because we have competence around a skill does not mean that we will
have passion. I might have a great voice but decide that there is no future in
singing, or I might detest getting up and performing in front of others. Com-
petence, yes, but passion (I love to do this, I want to do this, doing this gives
me a personal high), no. The result is an undeveloped competency. Passion
and competence can function independently of each other. People’s passions
may be in sports but physically they are uncoordinated, slow, and weak. Peo-
ple in general have an interesting attitude about passions. They feel that what
they love is naturally given to them. Some people seem to be controlled by
their passions and rarely attempt to broaden them. Other people see that the
things that we become passionate about can change over time. We can
develop passions for things that we did not really like at one point in our lives.
6
To help understand your passions, Dalton and Thompson suggest you
might ask yourself the following questions:

● What do I really enjoy doing?
● What events bring me a great deal of personal satisfaction?
● Which activities energize me in such a way that they hold my interest?
When do I lose all sense of time?
● What activities do I daydream about or imagine myself doing?

Research on People in the Sweet Spot

Contrasting people who are experiencing the sweet spot against others in the
organization reveals substantial differences in both performance and attitude.
Those who are in the sweet spot:

● Add more value than do their colleagues
● Are ranked as higher performers
● Generally work more hours per week
● Are not looking for another job
● Are more engaged and motivated
● Are learning and developing new skills
● Are having fun ... and are fun to work with