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Why One Client Is Hiring and Another Client Is Firing 

by Dov Gordon

Two clients.  Each runs a small company.  One is hiring and the other is firing. What’s the difference?

Both are in multi-billion dollar markets.  Neither can blame the recession because each only needs a fraction of a percent of an enormous market to double or triple in size.  So it’s not the economy.

As an outside executive coach and consultant to both these owners I see the difference and it’s simple: Passion.

The owner of the growing company is passionate about what he’s doing.  He loves it and loves helping his customers. 

The other owner wants to make money. He doesn’t have any special fondness for his products or customers and is guided by what he believes will earn the company more money.

Interesting, isn’t it, that he’s the one hurting and laying people off? 

Several years ago a client asked if I thought it was important that he have passion for what he was doing.  “Umm, yes.  Absolutely!” He confessed that although he enjoyed his job, he wasn’t particularly passionate about it.

The company wasn’t doing so well then and things haven’t improved since. They’ve continued along from one crises to the next, with just enough successes to keep them alive.  Market value is lower than ever. 

I once served as chairman of the board for a non-profit. When I joined I was enthusiastic and passionate.  But I soon discovered things I had not known before joining the board and this new awareness completely sapped my passion.  So I resigned.

If you lead a company that you aren’t passionate about, either get passionate about it fast (real, sustained passion) or get out - fast.  You owe it to the shareholders.  You owe it to the employees.  But most of all, you owe it to yourself.  Why spend your life in a role that doesn’t thrill you? 

Long before Ronald Reagan was president of the United States, when he was climbing the ladder of Hollywood celebrity, he wrote the following:  “Lots of kids write and ask my advice about how to make their mark in an indifferent world… So what I’d like to tell ‘em is this: Look, you must love what you are doing. You must think what you are doing is important because if it’s important to you, you can bet your last ducat that other people will think so, too…”

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DOV GORDON helps small company owners make better decisions and then quickly get things done.  He is sought after for his perspective and advice on formulating and implementing strategy, developing strong management at all levels and cultivating innovation.

If you lead a small and growing company, ask us about the Small Company Coaching Club. Dov can be reached via his http://www.GordonGroupEC.com or via email at dovgordon@gmail.com.

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Archives of The CEO Thought-Provoker™ are here:  http://www.gordongroupec.com/articles.html

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Dov Gordon helps senior executives at small and mid-sized companies around the world to earn the respect and admiration of their marketplace.  Clients benefit from clarifying their strategies, sharpening their focus, better decision making, improved teamwork and growing into great leaders.

Management and Strategy Consulting.

Executive Coaching.

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See our recommended reading list at:   www.GordonGroupEC.com/books.html         

Copyright 2009 © by Dov Gordon.  All rights reserved.