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Passion + Pride = Performance
 Interesting equation! Bet you are wondering
what it means? Bet you figured out I will share that idea
with you as you continue to read. Correct!I think all of us, regardless of
what role or roles we play in our lives, want to succeed.
I have met very few people who consciously decide
they want to live a life of failure or disappointment. Success
is one of the words we use to rate our performance. So is
failure. Both are subjective and all to often, used in comparison
to the performance, or lack thereof, of someone else.
Life is challenge
enough without setting ourselves up for grief
as we observe someone else's life or performance and use it
to criticize our own. During the recent 23rd Winter Olympics
hosted by Canada in British Columbia, there were 14 Gold medals
won by Canada. Now that is quite a feat (a record actually)
and one we can own. There were also Golds, Silvers, and Bronze
medals won by many athletes, including Canadians, from around
the world. While I applaud the accomplishments of those athletes
who earned medals (and I have to admit once in awhile I got
real patriotic when we did well), I wonder if we missed the
point somehow?
In so many ways each of the athletes
did well in representing their county by showing up ready
to compete and giving 'their' best as they competed. Many
finished their Olympic experience with a personal best. Too
many went home thinking they had failed or at worst, wishing
they had succeeded.
We do that in our personal and professional
lives all too often. Miss a sale or a deadline. Make a mistake
at work. Forget your spouse's special day. Every day we have
opportunities to celebrate our performance, learn from experience,
and to live our lives as an adventure.
Ok, so here is the rationale
behind the above equation.
Passion: When we
live our lives with passion we bring something more to each
day. When we live our lives with passion we enhance what we
bring to the table in our business dealings and how we treat
our clients. When we live our lives with passion we love those
we care about just a bit more vividly and 'passionately' too.
I tap into and focus my passion when I am on stage to challenge
my audiences to think, to act, to live, and to move outside
their comfort zone. I am, myself, challenged to do likewise.
Pride: When we
take pride in what we do, we stretch and create a higher standard
in our work and our interaction with our colleagues, our clients,
and our competitors. When we take pride in what we do, we
put that little something extra into our ordinary day to day
tasks and make every endeavour and activity count. I take
pride in being a professional and seek to deliver 'extra'
value to each client, into each article, and into each product
I produce.
Performance: When
we tap into our passion and express pride in a job well done
or a life well lived, we perform at our 'personal' best.
Wouldn't that be a life worth living? Live every day with
a goal of making it your 'personal best', so far. Wow!
I look forward to sharing more ideas
with you in May as we move into Year 6 of our Ideas @ Work.
Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey (Pictured above
during Detroit presentation)
Let me share this poem
with you. You might even recognize it as it has been shared around
the world. It was written by my long time friend, mentor, and fellow
speaker, Bill Clennan. Bill shared how it
came to be with us years ago when he gave us a personal copy. I have
mine mounted and framed in my bedroom out in our country home.
He was golfing in the US
a number of years ago (ok, quite awhile back) and was asked
if a couple of other gentlemen could join him. He said yes,
and enjoyed a wonderful round of golf. Bill loves to golf...that
is one of his passions... he tells me, "If I can golf and give
a speech, it's my greatest day."
One of the golfers was
former Olympic gold medalist, Jesse Owens who did so well in the
1936 Summer Berlin Olympics. He showed the world that Hitler was
totally wrong about the passion, pride, and performance of people of
color. Hitler left in a fit of anger when he won, again and
again.
Jesse told Bill the most
interesting thing about his performance was no one even remembers
who came in second, or third...
Here is what Bill
captured in thought following that impactful conversation.
Please keep its message to mind when you are talking with your
teams, your families, and especially your kids. It is about
Passion + Pride = Performance and doing your
'Personal Best' in life, not just about
winning.
"The
contest lasts for moments
Though
the training's taken years.
Was worth the work and the tears. "The
applause will be forgotten
The prize will be misplaced. "But the long hard hours of practice Will never be a waste. "For
in trying to win
You build a skill. "You learn that winning Depends on will. "You
never grow by how much you win
You'll only grow by how much you put in. "So any
new challenge
You've
just begun.
"Put
forth your best
And you've already won." (c) W.A. Clennan, All
rights reserved.
Thanks again Bill... you
continue to inspire me, my friend.
 Easter has just passed and I hope it was a time
to reflect and to spend time with those you love. Remember there is
more to this holiday than bunnies and Easter egg hunts.
I ran into Hester,
the Easter Bunny's wife, in Detroit and she wanted to say hello.
April looks to be a busy
month catching up after my exploration of Amsterdam. We
launched the Art Van Secret Selling Tips on April
5th. Also have an executive coaching client to work with,
working on a couple of programs coming up for clients, and getting
my travel and visa organized for my trip to Russia in
June.
April looks like a good
writing month as well. Have an article coming out in the
Spring Issue of Speaking for Impact and have just
been asked for articles for the Canadian Manager
and the HRIA Network Magazines (summer
issues).
April is a
birthday month for me. I take time on my birthday to pause
and reflect on the year gone by... and to refocus my intentions for
the year ahead. Who knows, we might go away like we did last year to
celebrate in Cuba. Update April 1st: Irene told me
she is almost out of 'real' Vanilla... so we are going to Puerto
Vallarta on the 15th. Will see if we can do some writing and
celebrate my birthday while we are there. Truth is, I want some
beach and sailing time too. Back on the 22nd.
May starts fast with a
presentation on 'In the Company of Leaders' at the
District 42 Spring convention on May 1st, and an afternoon session
for a client on 'The Power of One' on May 6th. May
will be marvelous... actually get to stay home, work close to home
and take breaks to work on the yard in Egremont. Perhaps do some
prep work for re-finishing the top deck and connecting it to the
ground level 'Mojito' one we built last year. We'll be
expanding the flower beds on the north side of the house and garage
this summer... which will drastically reduce the amount of grass
needed to be cut.
Late breaking news  Got back safely
from my trip to Amsterdam (March
27th) where I had the privilege of sharing the platform with
some amazing speakers from around the globe. My keynote was
well received and we had fun with the audience.
I had
my friend, Sandy Dumont,The Image Architect come on stage
during the first part of my
presentation to straighten my tie. We caught the audience's
attention. One of the points I was making was "We create
sustained success when we ask help or are open to allow people to
help us." My experience, "People are more willing to help
than we are to ask."
 We created a very captivating, audience
participation close where I acted out losing my place and forgetting
my 'prepared' close. I asked for help, looking embarrased and had
pre-arranged for a dozen speakers come on stage to premiere
a new theme song, "Speakers of The World" which had
been written by two of my fellow speakers.That closed my
presentation with the audience fully engaged. We closed the
convention with all of us coming back on stage to lead the audience
in singing it again.
I dropped in to
see my amazing friend, Kim Yost, who is now the CEO
for Art Van Furniture based in Detroit on the way
home. I had the privilege of being given a hour with all of their
leaders and managers at their bi-monthly managers meeting. I
outlined their new Secret Selling
Tips series which has now launched (April 5th). They are doing
well, in spite of the tough economic times in Michigan (think car
manufacturers and their suppliers and spin offs). They are forging
ahead and investing in their sales teams' skills. Kim and Donna
spoiled me with a quiet dinner at their new house on Thursday and
then took me and some of their Art Van management team out for
dinner on Friday evening. It was great to see them again. Have to
admit I've missed their friendship since they moved
south.  Here are some of the pics
(uploaded on Facebook) of my time in Amsterdam and my stop over in
Detroit. I still have to go through them and do some edits and add
comments, but thought you might want to see them.
Enjoy.
Pictures top to bottom:
1) I AMSTERDAM
sculpture; 2) just inside the Van Gogh Museum; 3) Blue Boat Canal
tours
 Bob 'Idea Man' Hooey would be
pleased to be a part of your success Pictured here along one
of the numerous canals in Amsterdam.
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