Forget passion. What all of us could use at work is more indifference.
I realize in many quarters such a notion is career blasphemy. Coaches, educators and pretty much everybody who likes to blog, post or pontificate about building a career says the key to professional happiness and success is finding work that ignites our passions.
Indifference is the absolute LAST thing anyone wants – whether from themselves or their colleagues.
But hold on, give me a chance to explain before you stop reading.
The Problem with Passion
Anyone who’s ever worked with me knows that I’m all for passion and enthusiasm at work. It’s a great source of motivation and energy for workers at any level. And for leaders in particular, projecting passion and commitment is a great way to inspire and engage people.
But for all its benefits, passion causes problems when it comes to doing the most important thing we do at work: make decisions.
As individuals every day we decide how to allocate time, how to respond to feedback, what task takes priority. If you’re a leader, the types of decisions you must make are more consequential: what strategy direction to pursue, how to allocate resources, prioritizing projects, who to hire, fire or promote.
Regardless of your level, the mindset to strive for when facing a decision is indifference. By that I mean, approaching decisions with an open mind. You don’t allow yourself to become emotionally invested in a choice at the start of the process. To the best of your ability, you put aside any biases or pre-conceived notions and are guided by the data and the wisdom of others.
I’m not suggesting we become robots and turn off our emotions or instincts. That’s impossible. However, successful professionals learn to be passionate about results, while staying indifferent to the specific paths that get them there.
Here’s a simple example:
Imagine you’re a guide leading a group of travelers through the a forest. You come to a fork in the road and are unsure which way to turn. At this point, a leader’s passion can help maintain confidence and enthusiasm among the group. But when it comes to the actual choice—left or right—you want to be indifferent.
Either option could be correct. Your role is to leverage all the knowledge and resources of the team to make the right decision. Letting passion steer you early in the process will bias your judgment, tipping the scales before you’ve even evaluated the options.
When that happens, there is no decision to be made, because you already made it.
Avoid Performative Decision-Making
For leaders, if you’re convinced you know the answer, don’t bother gathering your team to brainstorm. Tell them the choice and move on. And for individuals, there’s no need to go through the motions of evaluating options. You’ve already made up your mind so it would be a total waste of time.
We see this every day. An executive calls a meeting to discuss potential paths forward but it’s clear from the get-go what the choice will be. In the worst examples, these types of meetings become cynical and performative, an opportunity for executives to project open-mindedness and collaboration that doesn’t exist. Eventually people see through the act. When that occurs, passion and enthusiasm are replaced by cynicism and disillusionment.
Even the most well-intentioned leaders at times bring too much passion and enthusiasm into the room. Their goal may be to inspire and motivate, but in reality they are stifling the discussion because their teams know the decision is a done deal. I’ve been on both sides of this in my career.
Let’s be very clear, indifference is not the same as not caring. No one wants to work with people who don’t give a shit.
Ultimately, indifference is an expression of humility. It’s an acknowledgement that we don’t have all the answers. Sadly, humility is not a trait that seems to be valued much in our culture these days, but that’s a topic for another day.
Many of us face big decisions in our careers at this moment. A lot is riding on these choices: our businesses, careers, and the well-being of our families. If that doesn’t fire your passion, you aren’t alive. But if we allow those same passions to drive our decision-making, we are no longer really choosing. That’s fine if you’re 100% certain you know the answer. But ask yourself honestly, how often is that truly the case, especially with big decisions?
In the long run your career will be better served if you learn when to set aside passion and choose indifference. You’ll find the best choices emerge when you remain humble and open to possibilities. It’s a habit worth cultivating. And one your future self will surely thank you for.
Peak Years – A Weekly Free Blog About Growing Older and Getting Better
Burning Ambitions – A Thriller Sports Fans Will Love
Two Arch Rivals Face Off In A Fast-Paced Thriller That Will Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat
On the verge of making history as the first woman to lead the country’s biggest professional sports league, a hyper ambitious executive finds herself entangled in a murderous global conspiracy that stretches from the oil fields of Saudi Arabia to the Oval Office, and must confront the forces out to destroy her before it’s too late.