In this issue:

• The Master Craftsman by Michael Kroth and Patricia Boverie
• Bring Passion To Presentations by Charlie Hawkins

This is our regular e-message to people who are interested in leading their lives with passion. We will send you a short note with information, stories, examples, and practical things you can do to lead your life, work, and organizations with passion. You are receiving this message because you have attended one of our presentations, expressed an interest in our work, asked to be put on our mailing list, purchased one of our books, or are one of our friends, colleagues, or associates! If you would like us to take you off our mailing list just reply to this e-mail and type 'unsubscribe’ in the subject field and we would be happy to do so. Leading With Passion We like the term 'leading with passion,’ because it has two very significant, but related meanings. The first suggests leading off with passion. That is, making the very first priority in your life to live, work, and play passionately, and to fully embrace every possible moment. Second, it means that we can lead our organizations, teams, and projects with passion - creating passionate work environments by transferring our own enthusiasm for the organization to all others who come into contact with it.

Nicky Coady has worked 38 years for Waterford Crystal. He started at the age of 16 as an apprentice wedge cutter, was named a qualified cutter five years later, and eventually earned the title of master glass cutter. After almost four decades he is still passionate about his work.

Opportunities for Appreciation
We asked him why, after all of these years, he still loves to come to work in the morning. "I still love it," he says, "because I am creating all of the time, and I love meeting people who give you good feedback on the product."

Waterford Crystal, located in Waterford Ireland, gives its master cutters, some 300-400 of the best crystal craftspeople in the world, opportunities to get recognition. Factory tours give master craftspeople "a chance for a little showmanship, as they display the talents they have developed over an eight year apprenticeship," as a company brochure says. Master craftspeople also have opportunities to get positive feedback in the Waterford showroom, where we found Nicky engraving crystal that customers had purchased, and on tours abroad where Waterford sends them to meet the public and to demonstrate their craft. As Nicky says, "This gives the master glass cutters a feel for the people, and a sense that their craft is appreciated." He also likes this ‘ambassador' work, supporting the company's sales and marketing program, because it's different.

Being the Best
Being the best is another factor that keeps Nicky passionate about his work. It is important to him that he works for the best crystal company in the world. As we were talking to him a woman came up with a crystal candy dish and asked him to inscribe "Ireland, 2004." He does it perfectly, casually talking to the woman. Within seconds, her crystal piece – which could be a present for a loved one, or a lifelong memory of her trip to Ireland - is finished, beautifully engraved by one of the best craftsmen in the world.

Being the best, working for the best, being creative, getting lots of opportunities for recognition, and variety are among the reasons Nicky Coady is still passionate about his work.

It's almost impossible to be passionate about work you can't be proud of doing. Are you proud of your work? Are you doing a great job – something you can talk to others about with pride? Are you a ‘master craftsperson' in your own field? Or are you just getting by? If you are a manager, are you creating opportunities for your employees to be recognized for the great work they are doing? Can you say with pride that you are the best of the best in your field? Are you giving your employees opportunities to contribute to the organization in a variety of ways?

If you want to make your work environment more passionate, think about what it would mean to be the best in the world, and to make your employees feel like they are the best.

It's time for your big presentation. Whether it is at a staff meeting, a client presentation or perhaps a larger arena, the pressure is on. You get busy preparing, making sure your facts are right, the logic is sound and a persuasive argument is made. You might also compose and tweak PowerPoint slides. You're ready.

The big day arrives. About three minutes into the presentation, you realize that a few of your audience members are drifting. Some are doodling, others have blank stares. You speak a little louder to try and bring them in, pointing out the graph that illustrates your most compelling point. It doesn't work, and even more people seem to be tuning out. What could be wrong?

It could be that you left your passion behind. When you show up with passion for a presentation, people pay attention. Showing how you care about your subject has the potential for elevating it to a new level of effectiveness. Being passionate means putting your personal imprint on a presentation, such that no one else could deliver it exactly the same way.

Even the most analytical (read: dry, boring) subjects can benefit from an injection of passion. What's the impact of the numbers? Why do they trend up or down? How will a decision impact internal people or customers? Why should anyone care? (Hint: they certainly won't care any more than you do, so show them how much you care.)

While coaching hundreds of MBA candidates at the University of Chicago over an 11-year period, I observed that the one element separating the great presenters from the merely good ones is passion. Of course, no self-respecting MBA would show up without spreadsheets, graphs and a ton of logical arguments to prove his or her case. Yet, those who dared to express their passionate feelings about their subject were consistently the most effective. Why? By revealing their passion, they made connections with people that simply did not happen in straight-forward analytical presentations.

Being passionate in presentations is risky. It means putting yourself on the line, and perhaps being less than perfect. Most people prefer real to right. Take the risk. People will begin to pay attention.

About the Author: Charlie Hawkins is an executive coach and facilitator, working with people and organizations who want to improve their effectiveness. In Albuquerque, he runs a think tank for CEO's, as a chair for TEC (The Executive Committee). He also conducts seminars on effective presentations, and is the author of First Aid for Meetings. Contact: .

Leading with Passion is a regular communication from Michael Kroth and Patricia Boverie. Michael and Patricia have been researching passionate work since 1999, and their book, Transforming Work: The Five Keys to Achieving Trust, Commitment, and Passion in the Workplace, is about the indispensable necessity of passion for personal and organizational success in the workplace.

© Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved Patricia Boverie and Michael Kroth