better business blog

Tips and stories to add value to you and your organisation

The Secret Of Success

21 June 2010

What is the secret of success when you’re looking for a job? What is the secret of success when you’re running your own business? What is one thing you can’t buy, can’t steal and need to have? The answer is P-A-S-S-I-O-N. It’s the difference that makes a difference and if you’re selling yourself at a job interview, or selling your products or services then it’s important to let your passion show though. This is because ‘people buy people’ and although we often line up objective criteria to make our decisions, in practice our underlying emotions often have the whip hand and make the final selection.

This tends to happen out of our awareness, which means that it’s easy to overlook the value of projecting positive emotions when trying to clinch that deal, or land that job. And there is a second issue which is that if you talk about being passionate directly, it can sound false and pretentious, because the key to success is to convey the emotion without stating it directly.

How To Show Passion

Here are 5 Top Tips to help you convey your passion when you want someone to buy you:

1) Use lively words.This may sound simple, but salting your conversation with key words can really convey your passion because so few people do it well. If you’re using words such as like / enjoy / thrive / relish / enthusiastic / love …then people will hear your energy and enthusiasm. If you add in some ‘really like’ for added emphasis, then so much the better.

2) Explain what lies behind your passion. It’s easy to claim passion and harder to back it up with a coherent case, so telling people what parts of your work really enthuse you will help them to make sense of your emotion.

3) Smile. I have seen some people talk about their ‘passion’ for business with all the charisma of a dead cod. It doesn’t work. When you say your lively words, be sure to smile broadly as you recall the happy memories associated with them.

4) Be realistic. Talk about your enthusiasm for supporting people, meeting a challenge head on, solving complex problems or being creative, for example. These aspects of work can stir our emotions in a way that licking envelopes or carrying boxes can fail to do.

5) Be selective.  I have met people who are so enthusiastic about everything, it can start to sound a bit disbelieving. Unless they’re Mary Poppins of course and then that’s fair enough. Think about the things that really hook your interest, or your appetite for work and focus on these for maximum impact.

Enjoy Yourself

It’s OK to share your enthusiasm and to enjoy the effect you have on others when you talk about it. For example, I am the Director of a new programme starting at Cranfield in September (see below) and the delegates will benefit from working closely with myself and my colleagues. We love sharing our knowledge and supporting people in their development and it’s truly rewarding to see good people do well, and go on to secure new jobs.

Our Task For This Week

When you have to sell yourself at an interview, pitch an idea, or lead a team, then smile, drop in a few lively words and notice how people respond more warmly and with more energy.

FREE Sample Book

Do you know someone who is looking for work and needs a hand? Marshall Cavendish have put together a sample ebook of Job Hunting 3.0 which features the whole of the first section called ‘Getting Started’ and the whole of the final section called ‘Checklists’ containing (no surprises here) useful checklists full of interview questions, process tips and essential information for success. If you would like an exclusive copy; email me, subscribe to the blog, or use the contact box and I will zap a copy right back to you.

Pass It On

If you know someone who would be interested in this blog post please forward it to them, or ReTweet it, or let them know they can subscribe to regular emails via the box on the homepage.

By The Way… FREE CRANFIELD COURSE ANYONE?

At Cranfield University we’re running an Enhanced Personal Development Programme, starting 6th September and lasting for 4 weeks. If you know someone who is unemployed and who would like to learn about job hunting skills, management skills and have fun on a real consultancy project then contact me now. Places are limited and an opportunity to spend 4 weeks full-time at one of the best universities in the world is not to be missed. WARNING: This course can seriously improve your chances of getting a job and involves fun, new learning and will increase your confidence.

Thank you for reading to the end and enjoy being passionate!

Next week is all about how we limit ourselves by saying ‘Yes, but…’

Tags: Job Hunting, passion, tip