Leading (and Managing) With Passion

One of my all time favorite song is the Beatles’ Let it Be.


When I find my self in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be

And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper the words of wisdom

And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be

For though they maybe departed
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
There will be an answer
Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be

And when the night is clouded
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow
Let it be

I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary whispers to me
Words of wisdom

There will be an answer
Let it be

I also love the Scorpions, Queen, Air Supply, Michael Jackson; I have a whole set of his albums…or at least I think I still do. No problem even if I don't as every time he comes out with a new one, I go out and buy all his past albums. I listen to them all. That's the way I enjoy MJ. Oh yes… I love Santana, Dixie Chicks, Maroon 5, Depeche Mode (who? you say…..go and find their albums at places where they sell 80s British pop…you will love them). Nirvana, Prince, Run DMC, Eminem, Louis Armstrong, Bonnie Tyler are all still my favorites. John Lennon is also somewhere at the top my list. So is Nora Jones, Kitaro, Sade and George Michael. They have all left a mark in my life. I remember some of their greatest songs while I was going through the ups and downs in my life. I distinctly relate Air Supply to my varsity days. Enya’s hauntingly beautiful Orinoco Flow and her other Irish/Scotish infleunced songs were a lullaby that helped me to sleep during the dark weeks and months when my beloved uncle lay on his death bed. Eminem was introduced to me by the love of my life, my girl friend Alcie. His words and anger were almost like a catharsis for my own. I remember, a rare tear running down my cheek listening to Elton John’s England Rose during Princess D’s funeral.

This is the first time I have actually given any serious thoughts to this. It was prompted by a participant in my program recently when he shared his experience at a street corner in Jakarta where a street performer rendered a beautiful song. And this participant said that he could see the passion in that guy’s singing (we were talking about the element of passion that differentiates the peak performer from the rest).

So there it is, the answer to why among all the hundreds and hundreds of singers and bands that I have heard in my life, only a handful remains in memory is because their work was infused with a passion that ignites something within you….. a realization, a memory, a sparkle of new knowledge or even a tear. That street performer probably could not be bothered whether anybody is paying any serious attention to his ‘work’ but sing he did…with all his heart. Then, somewhere in that crowded and dusty place another soul caught his words and melody and they made a difference. Amazing isn’t it this thing called Passion?

This has a deeper meaning for me actually. In my job as a consultant/trainer/coach, there is only one thing in my control : My passion for my work. Whether the receiver of my delivery receives it as I intended it will depend on their preparedness; their timing. Out of the many people who are in a session with me, each will learn and reflect on many things. Some may not at all. But, its my passion for what I do that helps me to do my thing as somewhere deep within me, I know…I know like I know the sun will rise….that something I say or do is making a difference in somebody’s thinking and feeling right there. It was true for last week's session too.

I guess Passion is what differentiates the truly great men and women from the rest. Bill Gates build an empire on passion. Oprah Winfrey built one too on passion. Where will GE be if not for Jack Welch’s passion for performance. Closer to home, Lee Kuan Yew built Singapore on his sheer passion for that tiny dot of land down south. Tony Fernandes made Air Asia a market leader by his untamable passion for success. Without passion, I doubt Carlos Ghossn could keep with such a crazy schedule : half a week in Europe and half a week in Japan and everywhere else in between.

The ultimate living man and woman of passion : Deigo Maradona, Tiger Woods & Nicol David . If you have watched Maradona during his peak, you will know what passion is. His passion for his game will be clearly etched on his face for every goal he scores, every goal he assists, every pass he misses, every little mistakes he and his team made make. And, with that passion, his team went on to win a World Cup. Need I say more.

I suppose any business leader needs passion in his life. He or she needs passion for the business and for the people. I met an amazing lady from the hospitality industry recently and her passion for her work practically enveloped me and my colleague. She spoke with such an energy that one can practically feel her love for her job radiating from her very being. Over the Deepavali holidays, I watched an interview of Kamal Hassan, the consumate Tamil film actor. He spoke with such passion for his work and it was not difficult to see why the great late Sivaji Ganesan acted alongside him.

Show me a poor manager and I will show you a manager without passion for her people and business. Show me a a succesful company and I will show you passionate people.

So, Let It Be is a great song. It was a song by a band of Liverpoorlians (yes, there is more to Liverpoll than football)who had passion in their belly to make a difference. A difference they made....for an entire generation.