How passionate are you about your job?

“Passion” is taught to be an essential buzz word in compiling a CV, but actually just how relevant is it in considering how you approach your job of work? According to an article originally carried in the UK publication Financial Times, the passion fashion is “ just another tiresome example of language inf lation.” But, given that almost all you readers have been coached to stress the passion fashion in describing your work attributes, FTW decided to approach some of its regular cronies to ask them just how much passion they extended in their work environment. The results revealed a few interesting facets of the individual characters. Passion, as we have already noted, tends to be an essential part of human resources jargon. And, to test out people in that segment of commerce, we sounded out Kim Botti, director of the freight specialist recruitment consultancy, Lee Botti & Associates, and Colleen Ingram, a highly experienced life coach and business strategist. Botti accepted passion as a defining word in the recruitment trade, but with a logical reason for doing so. “We do notice that more often than not when people are awarded an opportunity that is not in line with their particular expertise, it has been based on ‘attitude’. “This would be closely tied to passion, as attitude and passion are positive attributes that result in individuals making things happen.” Ingram, though, is not too happy about the use of the word passion, and stressed that people often confuse ‘enthusiasm’ or ‘purpose’ with passion. “Along with our everimproving skills set, the most important aspect has to be attitude. “Attitude, though, in my opinion does not have to be at such a heightened level as passionate.” Peggy Drodskie, COO of the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, suggested that perhaps what was more important than passion – taking into account the definition – was dedication. “It is the willingness to go the extra mile when necessary, but not to the extent that ‘today’s favour becomes tomorrow’s expectation’. “These are some of the attributes that I would look for in a potential employee.” Our other contacts were less analytical in their comments on the passion fashion – even somewhat tongue-in-cheek in certain instances. Kevin Martin, MD of Freightliner Transport and chairman of the Durban Harbour Carriers’ Association (DHCA), said: “I’m going to take the middle road.” “I started working when I was 12 years old – initially for the money and later for the money and status. Today, at 60, I’m in the ‘harmonious’ stage. I work and play in balance – as 48 years is a long time to be in the throes of passion.” Now Mahesh Fakir, the new CEO of the SA Ports Regulator, was very in-depth and voluble in defining his attitude to passion. One thing he was quite positive about was that a lot of our perceived passions depend on the life circumstances/paradigm we start from, and the “game changers” that happen within our lives. “For example,” he asked, “if R100m would suddenly legitimately accrue to you right now, would you still continue to pursue this job that you think you’re passionate about?” Riad Khan, the former CEO of the SA Ports Regulator, expressed his own passion with a dose of his usual dry humour. “I am really passionate about my work,” he said, “and I wake every morning rushing to immerse myself in it. “I think that the author of the Financial Mail article is too cynical, and is a typical example of how our society has accumulated a bunch of underperforming visionless misfits that feed off the common good that us dedicated passionate people feel. They commodify then ridicule and pooh pooh our honest efforts to make the world a greater place through our efforts. “Those who fail to understand, criticise. Those who fail to notice the little things, have no real vision. “I am unemployed by the way.” Maritime lawyer Andrew Pike, a former board member of the SA Ports Regulator, pleaded guilty to having a passionate streak. “I’m passionate about doing the best I possibly can for my clients,” he said. But is he passionate about the actual day-to-day work he does? “No,” he said, “because it’s the wrong word. “I feel very satisfied when I know I’ve done a good job, but the way I describe my attitude to the actual doing of the job is engaged and (mostly) stimulated.” INSERT & CAPTION 1 When people are awarded an opportunity that is not in line with their particular expertise, it has been based on attitude. – Kim Botti INSERT & CAPTION 2 I started working when I was 12 years old — 48 years is a long time to be in the throes of passion. – Kevin Martin