P to the J

Ben and I had this long debate not too many days ago on the subject matter of "passion" IN THE CONTEXT of the work-environment, of course. "I hate it when people use this word," he ranted. And off we went down the rabbit-hole of me putting forth the definition and him, dissecting it as would be his job as an analyst. 

pas·sion  ~ noun

1. A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger.
2. Boundless enthusiasm
3. An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger

I have to state, here and now, that I am a great fan of Passion. I firmly believe that if one does something with passion, you're really doing it with both your best feet forward. Ben, on the other hand, thinks that emotions have no place in the work-environment. Hence, passion should not exist at all, particularly in carrying out a task, a job, a role, a position. 

I do see the rationale and logic behind his stand ~ after all, you can't be a boss and a friend in the same instance. But I do beg to differ when it comes down to the its place in carrying out a task or a job ~ there really is not much point in doing anything at all, if you're going to be putting in less than.

Perhaps its cos he deals with facts, figures and papers while I deal with people, their thought process and their emotions. And if you don't put your heart into it, treating each part of the job process as important and executing it with enthusiasm - then you really have to sit and re-think if you should be in this type of position after all.

Of course, I have to qualify that passion does not need to equate to an abundant display of rah-rah-ness. But certainly, some form of initiative and enthusiasm would be present. 

in⋅i⋅ti⋅a⋅tive ~ noun

1. The power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and determination.
2. A beginning or introductory step; an opening move

If you are passionate about your role, your job(s), dawdling would not come into play. You would be a contributor and not a worker. Tasks would be carried out without delay, ideas offered at the first opportunity and solutions shared at the first bump. 

en·thu·si·asm ~ noun

1. Great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause.
2. A source or cause of great excitement or interest.

If you are passionate about your role, your job(s), what's going on in your client's head (if you are in the field of service that I am in) would be of great interest to you. Each encounter would be treated with some form of reverence and joy - transmitting the feeling of "How great it is to see you again!" and not "Sigh, not you again!" Sure, sometimes it may be hard to evoke these sentiments, particularly if the client is a terribly naggy one, but that said - the lacklustre feeling should be an exception, not the norm.

Passion has, and would remain to be, a key driver in determining if someone is worth having on my side of the court, my team. And I don't have a rocket science formula in measuring that - all I need to do is weigh your initiatives and your enthusiasm towards your job, your role on your good days. Sure, it wouldn't hinder your execution of the tasks at hand, but it sure would not mean jack to the growth of the team, the organisation. 

In conclusion, it's a team-sport, this emotion. You can't teach it. You can't learn it. You may try to inspire it. But you most certainly can't cover up someone else's shortfall of it. And if it ain't there when your sun is shinning - it just tells me loud and clear that you're not passionate about your place on the team, and would unlikely ever be.