E-couragement: Passion

November 3, 2009 “The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.” Marshal Ferdinand Foch, WWI Supreme Commander of the Allied Armies

Reggie sang in church today. It was moving. It’s not that Reggie has a flawless voice or that he hits every note with perfect pitch. It’s something else that causes your spirit to stir and your body to sway when Reggie sings. It’s passion. Reggie sings with unbridled passion and it’s contagious. That’s what causes the entire congregation to stand and some to shout out, “Come on Reggie. Yes Reggie, sing it now!”

I’ve had similar experiences watching jazz bands play outside on the patio of Cheesecakes by Alex in downtown Greensboro. I love to watch the bass players in particular. There’s something about a bass player and their facial expressions. They are passionate. It’s as if they are all alone—no audience, just their bass and the music. Often their eyes are closed, head bobbing to the beat. It’s an intimate dance between them and their instrument. It feels like they are allowing me into a place that’s typically held private.

All this reminds me of the author’s notes in the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. He writes, “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.” Passion is powerful. Passion is moving. Passion is inspiring and can show us the way.

Engaging leaders bring passion to their work. Recently I was conducting a 2010 strategic planning session with my client, Kathie Johnson, who is president of Thomasville Medical Center. Kathie put together the event to recognize her team for all they had accomplished this year and to involve them in creating a vision for next year. When it came time to generate initiatives for 2010 that would help fulfill their vision, Kathie was the busiest person in the room. She was furiously writing down all of her ideas. She believes in her team and their purpose of helping patients heal, easing pain, offering hope, providing comfort, and supporting families. Kathie’s passion was contagious. You could feel the energy spread throughout the room allowing her followers the freedom to dream and think big. The result was several flip chart pages full of meaningful ideas, plans, and initiatives. Kathie’s passion made you love strategic planning. She was showing the way.

What about you? What passion do you bring to work? How do you demonstrate your love of life and work? In what ways does your passion “show the way” for those who follow you? If Reggie can do it, bass players can do it, Kathie can do it, so can you. Give yourself permission to bring passion to the workplace. Be the spark that ignites the souls of others.