Great Leadership Advice - “Don’t be Boring”

I recently spent the weekend with my 4 year old twin nephews, and let me say, you do not rest with them around! From swimming to ice cream sundaes to Little Einsteins videos to musical parades around the house, they were non-stop excitement. And as our exhausting summer weekend came to an end, one of these little tots best summed it up, proudly exclaiming, “Bye now! Thanks for Christmas!”

It got me thinking about how our own energy/passion levels evolve over the years. As children, we’re not afraid to make our emotions known, but as we grow older, we’re trained to bottle up any excitement in fear that people might “read our hand”, and potentially even use this knowledge to their advantage. We’ve also experienced the enormous disappointment when our “Christmas” never comes.

Granted, the ability to temper our emotions has its merit, but we often mistake controlled emotion with hiding our excitement and passion altogether.

Take the act of haggling prices at a car dealership, for example. We’ve been trained to remain stoic and militant during “negotiations”, for any passion exhibited over those several hours might represent weakness … and thus, a higher price.

Is it possible, however, that your complete lack of enthusiasm in the process could work against you? Consider for a moment the alternative. What would happen if you walked up to the salesman and said,

“I’ve been passionately saving up for this beautiful car for nine months, and know everything there is to know about it, including the dealer’s cost. I am committed to driving out of here today in this new car, but I need your help in assuring that I spend no more than $XX,XXX, and that I can be out on the road in one hour. Can I have your commitment that you’ll do everything you can to make this a win-win for both of us?”

Would you at least have his attention?

I’m not necessarily recommending this for your next car purchase, rather I am only offering a challenge to consider areas of life where we conceal our emotions at our own expense. Do my co-workers only know me as rational, sensible, and … boring? What’s the last thing they can remember me truly getting excited over? When was the last time I did something fun and unpredictable for a family member?

“Don’t be boring. Don’t ever be predictable.” - Harvey Mackay

Remember, people don’t want to follow robots. So, while it’s often proper to control your behavior, don’t be afraid to show a little emotion. Not only will your passion breed more passion, it will also breed loyalty … and those you lead will appreciate you for it.

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