PASSION SECRETS

A secret is something that is not generally known by most people. Those who love their work and do it well all have certain characteristics. Check to see which of the following passion secrets is true about you.

Your answers can pinpoint what you need to work on if you are to find your passion.

• You know what you think as well as what you feel.
• You understand the past so you don’t have to repeat it.
• You know your strengths and values as well as your address.
• You keep in mind that getting there is all the fun.
• You work with and for people who have your values.
• You choose the niche that matches your temperament and strengths.
• You enjoy doing research, but you act when you have enough information.
• You speak and write clearly.
• You trust your instincts.
• You know that freedom is the result of self-discipline.
• You take time to savor success, then you adjust to the increased responsibility.

“Only that day dawns to which we are awake.” - Henry David Thoreau

Jim

TALENT MAGNET

One of the most difficult transitions in anyone’s career is the switch from individual performer to manager or supervisor. Most people struggle with this change until they realise a simple truth; it’s not their job to get things done, but to get things done through others. Getting things done through others is a lot easier when you have talent on your team.

Whether you call them A-players, stars or high-potentials, the most talented people in an industry are not just 10% more valuable than
their average colleagues they are often two, five or ten times more valuable. Because of this talented people have more choice in who they work with and for. This means that you need a strategy for finding, keeping and liberating talent. Here are some guidelines for creating a talent strategy that gets results for your team and grows HOT Leaders for your organisation.

Finding Talent

Know What You Want: Not every role on your team requires an A-player. What skills or talents will make the difference for your division? One air transport company realized that they had no problem finding pilots but really needed negotiators to work with airports to get landing rights. Once they found the right negotiators their growth more than doubled. Maybe you need a graphic designer instead of a programmer, a caring customer service rep instead of a sales person or an architect instead of an engineer. And once you find that person don’t let their resume or appearance get in the way.

Always be looking: You can’t expect an A-player to be available when you have an opening. Keep an eye out for the skills and attitude you need all the time. If necessary, find a role for a talented person that becomes available.

Look Everywhere: Talented people usually aren’t looking for work so you may not find them on job boards. Yes, check out resumes, however, look at competitors, suppliers and your network for the people you need. One financial planning company regularly hires teachers to sell their products because of their ability to educate clients. What skills do you need that might be in other industries? When you get beyond the need for specific experience you open up a universe of possibilities.

Keeping Talent

Challenge Them: Beyond a certain point (usually a bit higher than average) pay ceases to motivate people. What really engages talented people is challenging work. Allow them to prove themselves. Give them challenging, important projects that make a difference. You’ll be amazed by their performance.

Talent Loves Company: High performers love working with other high performers. Instead of putting your A players on different projects put them all on one important project. They’ll thrive on each other’s energy and skills.

Get Out of the Way: The more talented people often require less help than most other people. Once you have given them clear goals and honest performance feedback your job is to give them tools and remove barriers. Learn to get comfortable with people who are probably far better than you at what they do.

Liberating Talent

Expose them to Senior Leadership: Don’t be afraid to show your people off to your boss and their boss. Talented people thrive on that kind of challenge and it shows the organisation that you are a star magnet.

Become the Pipeline: Nothing will make you more valuable to your
organization than becoming the go to person for talent. Give your
people the opportunity to work elsewhere in the organisation. Put them on cross-functional teams, loan them to other managers or even promote them into completely new roles.

Networking
HOT Leaders support their people as they move on and in so doing create a powerful network that brings in more business and more talent. You won’t have A-players forever. Make sure that when they move on they think of you first.

Jim

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and help them become what they are capable of being.”

Goethe

VICTORY

At SAO PAULO-Lewis Hamilton redefined sporting drama on Sunday to become, at 23, the youngest world champion in Formula One history.

Nothing comes easy for Hamilton who was seconds from heartbreak on the circuit where a year ago he lost the world championship by a point in his rookie year.

The random intervention of rain looked to have wrecked his dream again when Felipe Massa crossed the line first in the Brazilian Grand Prix believing he was Formula One’s 30th world champion.

The celebrating mechanics in the Ferrari garage shared that view. But that did not take account of Hamilton’s incredible late surge to reclaim the fifth place he needed with just two corners of the final lap to go.

When asked - “what was going throught your mind?” he replied: “I had self-belief - my heart was in my mouth. I was almost exploding. I don’t know how I kept my cool. It was the toughest race of my life.”

This elevates his achievement among the most incredible in British sport. In 1959 Sir Jack Brabham pushed his car up the hill at Sebring to win his first world championship. Hamilton comfortably trumped that, and arguably any other sporting finale.

Hamilton’s victory also saw elite sport’s most stubborn stereotype bite the dust. Formula One has a black champion at last, a detail of enormous importance which carries greater weight than the other historic component blitzed - the lowering of the age barrier.

This was a tremendous team effort on and off the race track with dedication to meticulous planning. However, at the end of the day it came down the person behind the driving wheel, on the day, on the moment - courage and self-belief led to VICTORY.

Do YOU have self-belief to see you through all challenges?

Have YOU done the homework, the preparation and planing? It took 15 years for Lewis to reach VICTORY. That is dedication and self-belief in ACTION.

Jim.