Brad on Passion

If you did a survey most people would respond that passion is great. But like most everything else, its only great in moderation. Excessive passion is not great. Positive swings of passion may be entertaining or attractive, the downside and more destructive aspect of passion, the unpredictibility and self centeredness of it, is extremely difficult for people to deal with. Showing passion in a controlled way I think is a fantastic skill, and one that I know has made me want to be around someone. I've seen leaders whose ability to use their passion to motivate others to action is incredible. People with passion can be downright entertaining if its being channeled the right way. However, not being able to control your passion to the point it becomes unpredictable is something I think most people have trouble dealing with.

Sports is a perfect place to illustrate. There are individuals considered great leaders and success stories of their sport, such as Payton Manning and Tom Brady. They have won at the highest level and are clear leaders of their team and their league. You will see them displaying their passion by yelling at a teammate or showing celebratory emotion. But it is usually in moderation and they are almost always in control. They are in control by displaying their passion or muting it. As leaders they make others better. Reggie Wayne reached his potential as a wide receiver in part due to having a quarterback showing how passion for winning means doing the film study, doing the extra reps, and giving that little bit more to be a champion.

By contrast you have troublemakers in the league, like Terrell Owens or Chad Ochocinco. These guys have had personal success in terms of individual statistics and big contracts. They have a similar passion for football and for winning, the difference is their passion is unbridled and unpredictable, and it is typically focused on their individual wants, not the overall needs of the team. Is it entertaining and attractive at times?..absolutely. Although there is a long list of ridiculous behavior from TO, I particularly liked Terrell Owens doing situps shirtless in his driveway while surrounded by reporters (see link here). That was funny. But eventually entertainment and attraction loses out to the understanding that those guys are self centered, me guys that don't give a crap about the other guys on the team, the league, or people in the stands that watch their every move.

Whether in business or in sports winning comes through being a cohesive group that work together towards a common goal. The Terrell Owens' of sport or business, while having incredible talent, will always be a distraction and ultimately a detriment to winning. It isn't a coincidence that teams these guys have played on, while having enormous talent, have never won a championship in the NFL.

Passion is good, but only in moderation and when focused on the betterment and goals of the team, not the individual. So for those of us with a bit too much passion for people to handle, let's be more like Payton Manning and less like Terrell Owens. Irony that the jersey numbers are the opposite?...I don't think so.