Picture two fast food hamburger restaurants on opposite corners. Their products are virtually identical, except their unique branding for the special burgers. Their prices are the same. They’re both fast–you’ll get your food in the same amount of time. The service is courteous in each. Yet, there is a difference. In one restaurant, employees, though courteous, are not smiling. They ask for orders and deliver their food with rote actions, moving from one to the next, almost as if they are not “there”. Their bodies and voices are responding, but their eyes are empty.
In the other restaurant, as employees take and deliver your orders, they are animated and smiling. They engage with you with their eyes and perhaps adding more to their conversation than the requisite order questions. They look at you with caring when they say “Enjoy your meal.” They don’t say it, but you get a feeling they actually have pride in the food they’re serving and in their restaurant.
Which restaurant would you choose for lunch?
Passion is the differentiator between two equivalent companies. How do you know if employees have passion? How are you when you are doing something you have passion for? You are feeling good. You are enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious. You also take more care with your result, just because you care about it. You’re also likely to be somewhat of an expert at what you’re doing. You enjoy sharing the nuances of the activity or thing that you love.
According to Jim Collins in “Good to Great”, greatness requires passion. Think of any great leader you admire–or even ones you don’t! Great leaders exhibit passion. It is their passion that inspires people.
In successful companies known for a great company culture, passion is always a factor. Think of Southwest, Ben and Jerry’s, and Zappos.com. How did these companies birth passion? How can employees throughout a company share and exhibit an enthusiastic passion?
First, it has to come from the top. Most companies have mission statements and values. Do these statements contain the company founders’ or leaders’ passions for creating and leading the company, and what is different about how they deliver their product or service?
Does the company’s mission statement and values help employees feel connected to the company? Or are they just words, posted on the website or wall posters? Of course the words are just a starting point. Are the values exemplified in services given by employees, or the design of the products? For example, Zappos.com’s value of “Giving WOW service” is exemplified by their policy of giving each customer a WOW experience and give them more than they expected, such as an unexpected shipping upgrade. Or Southwest’s exemplification of fun through attendants’ liberal use of humor during plane announcements. In other words, are your values LIVING values that have come alive in your company?
Are employees in your company passionate? Increasing your company’s passion level not only ignites engagement — it will set your company apart from competitors who don’t have it! The Passion Test for Business program is a proven approach that increases the connection between a company’s mission and vision and employees’ personal passions. This program consists of three phases: identifying the company’s core passions, identify employees’ personal career passions, and creating a Culture Action Plan to weave the company’s passions into the activities of all departments. Listen Up Espanol, a Spanish-speaking call center, reported higher retention, higher energy, more aligned hiring, and higher profits after implementing this program. Employee comments from the program include:
“I felt very proud of where I work and I’m motivated every day to be a part of my work.”
“I felt filled with energy to keep going at 100% and very privileged to be part of this company.
“I feel identified with the company. It makes me feel like family.”
“I got to get very clear on my passions; I sort of knew them, but not like now. I know the priorities and what is most important. I feel motivated. It is valuable to know the interest the company has in us and will know us better.”
Passion is the competitive advantage that an organization can’t buy. To learn more about the Passion Test for Business, click here.