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| | Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - 09:41 am: |    |
110420
PASSION AMONG THE PASSIONLESS
by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Cincinnati, OH
Why did you come to work today? Simply because there is a pay check due you in the near future? Or is there an underlying drive that you really never realized or analyzed? Or simply, that’s what you do every day?
Doubtless among specifications writers, whether they choose to acknowledge it or not, there is a deep passion for what they are doing. This has grown [and may still be growing] out of personality formed by inborn graces and outside values learned at the knee of various parties—family, friends, and others interacted with and observed. It comes to have meaning when an injured person gamely struggles to recover and become whole again; when a ball player plays through obvious pain and impairment; and when one-- any one-- functions rather well in the face of fairly formidable odds!
Passion is the continual drive to do better, fully recognizing that perfection is not the goal in its unachievable state, but rather, that the drive inside is solely to do better-- without any thought toward being paid more, or receiving accolades of any kind. It is a secretive urge that continues perhaps by perpetual motion, even in a very dry subject, unfamiliar to most, with little glitz, low esteem and miniscule reward!
Why did you just re-read the last Section you wrote? Why did you change that word-- to be clearer? to be more direct? to enhance the meaning? or? Here is something that may well need not be done-- yet you did it! Why? Perhaps it emanates from the “hands-on” syndrome, i.e., the simple feeling that in doing that extra work you have personally achieved something of a higher order.
But look around you. Do you see equal passion in all of your colleagues? How many do you see who are willing just to “get there” and forget it? – indicating a lack of either understanding or caring about what could be with just a little more effort, Or the very abrupt stop when the task is barely accomplished-- why go further? Why expend extra effort and time [money]?
Let us suggest that passion is a figment [or fragment] of professionalism-- part of the indefinable attributes alluded to by R.E Onstad in his definition—
“Professionalism is a personal attribute that one acquires; it cannot be inherited
or bequeathed; Only they having made the acquisition, who put to use that
knowledge, that skill, and with all their ability, and complete dedication of purpose,
can truly be called a Professional.”
What chapter is that in the PRM? What webinar can possibly address or teach that? How can you instill this in every professional student and wannabe? How can……………….
Maybe the one illustration that can be seen as a parallel, are those who acted and earned medals for bravery, from the Bronze Star, to the Medal of Honor, who are honored all too often posthumously. Were not their acts, raw passion? They sought to do something not uncommon, but something that needed doing at THAT moment!
Not to be morbid, but in our run-of-the-mill work day, it seems like a good idea to expend some passion, openly, in hopes that others who observe us will see and gain something-- and perhaps learn and adopt something. Then again, maybe they’re too professionally numb already.
We may only get a good feeling, a little puffed up inside, a snappier step, or a feeling of greater satisfaction, something done, continually -- with passion-- almost always seems to produce better results in many ways, to the good fortune of all involved. It is not fervor or trying harder. Passion drives effort expended and pride-in-work-- it comes with knowledge, adaptability, flexibility, creative problem solving and making right or better-- a true relishing of what you do! I really think Mr. Onstad would have done well to include it in his definition! |
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