Dear Monsters, today, I want to challenge a prevailing notion in leadership: the glorification of passion above all else. While passion undoubtedly drives us and fuels our ambitions, we mustn’t forget that passion alone is not enough for effective leadership. My experience with the Bad Boss taught me a valuable lesson. How to have a plan. In this blog post, we will explore why passion without a plan can lead us astray and hinder our path to success. Fasten your seat belts and get ready to explore the boring side of leadership.
The Highway to Success
Before you monsters raise your voices in defense of passion as the ultimate driving force, allow me to clarify my stance. I firmly believe that passion is a vital aspect of leadership. It sparks innovation, fuels determination, and instills a sense of purpose. However, without a plan, passion can become a chaotic force, leading us aimlessly without reaching our intended destination. Thomas Edison’s words resonate profoundly here: “Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.” The Bad Boss’ endless traffic jams of complaints prevented him from achieving the success he envisioned.
The Role of Realism: Asking the Right Questions
Amidst the ocean of passion and emotion, what was missing was the element of success. To be effective leaders, we need to ground ourselves in realism. Planning requires us to ask the tough questions: Where do we start? Who will be involved? Is the idea sustainable? Does it align with our core values and add value to the client? Do we have the necessary resources to move forward? Most importantly, who will do what?
Yet, society tends to portray passion as romantic and planning as dull. Good leaders seem to be boring – their days are planed out, their priorities are mapped out and their plans are structured. Does this sound fun? Of course not! The truth is that planning is hard work, requiring meticulous analysis, probing questions, and objective evaluation of potential risks and benefits. But planning doesn’t mean you sacrifice agility; on the contrary, it allows for adjustments along the way, based on feedback and continuous improvement.
The Seduction of Passion and the Boredom of Planning
Let’s face it, dear Monsters, passion is seductive. It entices us to follow our gut, say yes without knowing how, and indulge in impulsive decisions. It’s the allure of spending money we don’t have for a product we know nothing about or jetting off for a meeting that could have been an email. But passion, when not complemented by a plan, can lead to missed deadlines, inefficiencies, and a lack of focus.
This is where the contrast between the Bad Boss and good bosses becomes evident. Good bosses are often labeled as boring because they spend a considerable amount of time planning, looking ahead, mitigating risks, and seizing opportunities. Their predictable routines might not seem exciting, but they provide stability and ensure that tasks are accomplished efficiently.
Embrace the Power of Planning
My dear Monsters, I encourage you to discover your passion and hold onto it tightly. Passion is the driving force behind innovation and progress. But to be effective leaders, we need to ground ourselves in realism. Planning requires us to ask the right questions: Where are we going? What do we want to achieve? Is the idea feasible? Who would be involved, and who should only be informed?
Passion + Plan = Empowered Leadership
In conclusion, my fellow Monsters, let’s break away from the notion that passion alone is sufficient for leadership. Passion fuels our drive, but it is planning that charts the path to success. Embrace the power of planning, ask the right questions, allocate your time wisely, and manage expectations effectively. Remember, passion and planning go hand in hand, empowering you to achieve greatness and make a lasting impact on the world.
