The “P” Word

It’s hard for me to fathom someone being successful in the automobile business without being passionate about it.

I can’t think of any business where being passionate is as important as in the automobile business.I see a number of people in the business that aren’t passionate, yet they appear to be having some element of success.

Their success has nothing to do with being passionate; it’s a result of being in a good set of circumstances.

A good set of circumstances would be the right product, at the right time, in the right market. I have to wonder how much more successful they would be if somewhere along the way a rocket of passion had been lit under them?

Organizations like Zappos, Starbucks, and Apple will point to the passion of their employees as a driving force in the culture, which contributes greatly to their success.

People and organizations don’t necessarily fail because they are stupid or don’t know what to do. They fail because of the lack of passion. Passion is not something that can actually be taught.

I’d love to hold a workshop on passion, but I doubt it can be done. Besides, most people wouldn’t feel they need a workshop on passion. They think they already have it. The reality is that many don’t.

I can show you what passion looks like. I do my workshops with great passion. You won’t agree with everything I say, but you will agree that I do it with great passion.

Passion is created when you’re doing something you love to do. The problem is some people are doing what they do for a check.

Passion is multiplied in any organization by finding like-minded people. Passionate leadership will establish standards that are of the Ritz Carlton/Disney type.

These standards have to be fed to the masses every day by the passionate ones to the extent that people either eat it or move on. If passion scares non-believers away, how can that be a bad thing? You should expect people to become believers and if they can’t, then it’s time to make a change.

If you’re not passionate about this business, maybe you’re in the wrong business. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs