Sunday, August 14, 2016

Passion IS Profitable!

During a recent trip to Charlotte, NC, I observed how powerful passion can be the “impact multiplier” that differentiates between an enterprise and an experience! Now nothing is as common place as the ubiquitous hot dog, however I had the opportunity to eat at a hot dog restaurant called "JJ's Red Hots" where we met one of the managers named Alonzo. His hospitality and positive attitude was so contagious, it turned a visit into a happening! It was therefore no accident the place is always packed which got me thinking out loud that such passion is profitable (among other things!).


You have often read the statistics offered by Gallup about employee disengagement. The flip side, however is that 15% of any given work place IS engaged with 5% of that group being actively engaged. This is the staffing zone where things get done and boundaries get pushed. You see, when we are truly passionate about what we do, incredible things start to happen.

Passion creates Innovation – at JJ’s they offer a unique combination of ingredients and toppings that elevate the hotdog to a gourmet staple! Passion is what inspired Steve Jobs to introduce the IPhone which completely transformed the telecommunications industry. Passion is what made Amazon one of the largest retailers in the world. PASSION SPARKS CREATIVITY.

Passion provides Experience – instead of just dropping by our table, Alonzo spent time with us. He asked where we were from, joked with us, and even took pictures for us. Who does that anymore? When passionate people are interacting with your customers or clients, the whole customer experience becomes elevated. Unfortunately, I think we have become used to perfunctory or minimal service so just think how powerful it can be when your clients experience something far more than they expected?!?!

Passion enables Brand Loyalty – it has often been said that the best form of advertising is word of mouth (either literally or now on social media!). Just how Alonzo’s passion was contagious, you better believe that most of their customers are repeaters. You can be sure that we will make it a point to go back next time we are in town. Even more important, I am not being paid one cent for highlighting JJ’s, it is just the food and experience was just that good that I have no problem being a Brand Ambassador for them! Think about other restaurants you have recommended or vendors you have passed along their contact information. I would wager there is something about the service you received (fueled by passion!) that made you a willing ambassador for their business or services.

Passion increases Profit – all of the above equals more customers, clients, etc. which creates more volume and revenue. To prove my point, our host that introduced us to JJ’s mentioned that the space had been several other restaurants prior but JJ’s has been there the longest in what is a very competitive restaurant market in Charlotte. I cannot imagine any enterprise that can flourish for very long without passion.

So now that I made the case for passion, you might want to ask yourself a few questions:
  • Are YOU still passionate about what you do?
  • Are ALL your team members just as passionate as you?
  • What would happen if everyone associated with your enterprise increased their passion just a little bit?
  • What value-added experience can you add to your enterprise that would demonstrate to others how passionate you are?

By the way, if you are even in Charlotte, go by JJ’s Red Hots! http://www.jjsredhots.com

As always if I can help you and the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! Also, as a bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical in order to add value to your organization!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Principal Consultant – Out Loud Strategies
Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM

Email = bill@outloudinc.com

Visit our website at: www.outloudinc.com

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