PASSION AS A PERFORMANCE STRATEGY
I once worked at an organization where executive leadership had a favorite challenge question for employees: “Are you all in?”
You were expected to say yes: It wasn’t really a discussion, it was more of a declaration. And heaven forbid if you hesitated…
When I was asked, I remember feeling a mix of pride and intense discomfort, along with a clear sense of professional manipulation. Pride, because I cared deeply about my work and wanted to do well, wanted to contribute. Discomfort, because “all in” is a boundary-less phrase. I’m sure it was meant to sound inspiring, but it was also very intentionally designed to test the employee. Are you willing to give it ALL?
I’ve thought about that question many times since, especially as conversations about performance and commitment have become more intense over the past few years, and as organizations look to build resilience and results in a world that feels far more demanding.
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that there’s a growing tension between what organizations want and what employees are willing, or able, to give.
In my 25+ years in corporate and years sharing my keynotes, I’ve spoken with thousands of leaders, and here’s what I see. High-performing organizations treat high performance as…table-stakes (obvious statement, but still fair to say.)
They have leadership competencies carefully crafted by HR, behaviors, metrics, and goals that every employee is expected to meet. It’s the way of the working world.
What differentiates the organizations that truly stand out is that they don’t stop there.
The organizations that make the biggest difference nurture team members and leaders who aren’t just checking boxes or performing professionalism in a prescribed way. They encourage people to bring something extra to their work, whether that’s their way of thinking, the care they show for others, or the individual strengths and passions that shape how they serve clients, colleagues, and teams. And that encouragement is matched with trained people leaders and programs to enable that passion to flourish.
This is why passion matters so much to performance in the workplace, not as a buzzword or a demand, but as a genuine source of motivation, engagement, and energy. When people are able to bring more of who they are into their work, performance doesn’t just improve in the short term, it becomes more resilient, more human, and more sustainable over time.
I’m Laura Best, a motivational keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help organisations activate passion to drive energy, engagement, and performance through my Practical Inspiration® approach. If you’re thinking about how this conversation could support your leaders or teams, you can learn more about my keynote work here.