Get Fired Up!

When you get up each day are you Fired Up?  Do you bring that same passion to the workplace?

Jon Gordon wrote in his book "Soup", that the reason that Grandma's soup tasted better than anything purchased or canned is because of the extra ingredient that Grandma always put in, "Love".  Grandma's soup had purpose and she wanted to make sure that each ladle of her soup was just as good as the ladle before.

In organizations large and small, each leader has their own special ingredient to add to the organization, but at the end of the day it is the love, passion, and vision for achieving results which is a leaders special ingredient.  What happens when plans go awry?  Are leaders willing to mix others ideas into their own organizational soup to change for the better?  Are their obstacles to success that the leader is not seeing that are causing performance shortfalls?

There are leaders in every organization who are considered subject matter experts.  Those experts have demonstrated job knowledge and have experiences that others in the organization may not have.  It is important that leaders recognize these SME's.  Also within organizations are individuals with perspectives and experiences that may lend insight to project and organizational growth.  These individuals should never be discounted.  It is the careful mixing of perspectives and experiences with documented expertise (ingredients) that make the organization as a whole special.

It is important for leaders to take time out of each day to learn of these different perspectives within the organization.  In doing so, the organization becomes stronger.  How does the organization become stronger?  Employees at all levels believe they are connected to decision makers.  By having that connection, the individual does not want to disappoint someone that they feel a connection with.  They feel their perspectives are truly being heard.  The caveat here, leaders must be genuine about their connection building and individuals who have shared with you, also should be followed up with.

If the "Soup" within your organization is not how it should be, as a leader at any level take the time over the next week to reconnect with your team, department, organization.  Start small, but be genuine about this and make sure you understand what has made your organization so appealing to others.  Stir in your passion for excellence and your love for what you do and you will see improvements in areas that you had not seen before.

Ignite the passion in others that you have within yourself for success!