What Kills Employee Passion?

 September 3, 2009

Interview with Omar Kahn, author of Liberating Passion: How the World's Best Global Leaders Produce Winning Results  

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Mike Carruthers:
Passion in the workplace - a lot is written about that subject as if it was a rare commodity and yet…

Omar Kahn:
When people are hired they're pretty passionate - it's part of what gets them hired. And then companies would say to me, "Give them a few months with us we'll suck the passion right out of them." 

Management Consultant Omar Kahn, author of the book Liberating Passion says from his research the problem seems primarily to be poor leadership. Leaders and managers do not engage with their people to keep them challenged and motivated.

Imagine raising your kids on the theory that, "I brought you into this world and now I never need to encourage you to try anything again." And any of us who've ever dealt with kids know that doesn't work. Great parents have to challenge kids for sure but also to encourage them and that's the dual need of leadership as well.

So what does it take to be an effective leader?

There are three things. Iit's to give people clarity of what the bull's-eye is so they know what success looks like. Two, to give them some reason to believe the work they're being asked to do is both meaningful and they will be fairly assessed and rewarded for it. And third, to be able to be a credible coach, somebody who the person feels they can learn from, interact with but also back up and support, to deliver whatever that bull's-eye is that's been identified.

To hear the complete unedited interview, click here.