Entrepreneurs are lucky people. They have a passion, and their work provides such fulfilment, that they can somehow carry on following their dream when the odds are really against them.
In my previous life, I had a retail business offering bespoke design services in jewellery, accessories and home interiors. We often held events in our Creative Sanctuary with participants from some of the largest companies in the FTSE 100. I remember their looks of awe and, to a certain extent, envy at what I had achieved with the business. To say that they loved the Studio, was an understatement.
“I have no passions” were the commonest responses to my questioning why they would not consider doing something they loved. This was often followed by “I really would like to do something else, as I am not fulfilled in what I am doing now”…
Then the penny dropped. The reason I was the happiest I had ever been despite the personal risks I was taking (and for those who do not know, the business folded a year later, at a great financial loss to me), was that I was doing what truly made my heart sing.
UK and International Plc is risks of draining itself from its best people who are slowly exiting corporate life to entrepreneurship, purely because they are not engaged. In the 90s and 2000’s the fashionable personal development tools were based around “What do you want to achieve?” followed by “What are your strengths and what weaknesses do you need to develop?”.
This is where common HR/Talent Management falls over itself and counter-intuitively begins what I call Personal Destruction. If you want to tap into the best of what your employees can offer, focus on their strengths. If you, as an employee or professional, want to succeed, build on your strengths.
I have learnt the hard way – one of the reasons by previous business failed is because I was NOT doing what I am genuinely, wonderfully good at (excuse the brashness, but part of this exercise requires us to appreciate how good we are…). More details of that at a different blog….
So, how do you achieve engagement or find out what your passion is?
1.Tap into what makes your (or your employees’s) heart sing.
Think of something that you love doing.
It may be a hobby, it may be a learning course that you excelled at. These are the things that cause you least worry or concern. Go back, even as far back and school, and look at your favourite subject(s) and your extra-curricular activities. Remind yourself of the time you were fully immersed in that activity. What were you doing? What did you like about it? During what parts of the activity did time fly for you?
Consider something that really annoys you
Because some of us are not motivated by just goals, think about something that you would like to change. The wonderful Anita Roddick said “Frustration is a great source of motivation”. So, take the problem solving approach and think about what really niggles or even annoys you. In my case, I was annoyed I could not walk into a shop and design a piece of accessory that I wanted there and then. If I wanted a bespoke handbag or jewellery piece I would have to spend days researching and walking into dirty workshops in Hatton Garden or Islington.
Consider what it is you feel is missing and what you would do to make it better? What would you do to adapt the service or product to suit you or your needs?
2. Identify you Special Traits
I love the name the personal development guru, Jack Canfield, calls this: your Core Genius. List exactly what are the skills and character traits that you bring to the table that doing the thing you love tap into.
In my case, it was channelling creativity and strong empathy and guidance in helping others tap into their creative streak. I also enjoyed having an audience, as drama was my first passion. Today, this is manifested in public speaking and working with groups.
3. Correlate your Inner Inspiration table
Draw a table with the activities you enjoy (1) or things that frustrate you (2) on the left hand side, and the Special Traits on the right. Leave a final column to the right empty. As you do this, let your mind run wild with all the great Special Traits you can bring to the table. No one is looking at this other than you.
4. Superimpose your Job/Role Today on you Inner Inspiration table
In the final column that you should have free on the right, write down how far your current role takes advantage of your Special Traits. If you find it hard, then consider what you would have to do in order to design a role, or project, that utilises those strengths.
You could go one step further and design a business that would home-in on these strengths based on what you would really love to work on or even change.
These are the steps that entrepreneurs go through in a more intuitive way. However, there are times where, like all of us, they do get distracted by daily requirements and take their eye off focusing what they do best. Successful people don’t. Actively tap into your own strengths, and those of your people and you will see, feel and hear the difference.
Want to be Inspired further? Join me at the Inspire event in London, 19th March, More details here.
