The box above this one includes a job description for the position of President and CEO of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council. I am confident that the board of directors of the GNEMSDC will find an outstanding new leader for this organization. The new leader must have experience in leading an organization. They must know their way around a spreadsheet. They must have a certain amount of savvy and poise. They must know how to sell to both corporate leaders and MBEs. But if there was one thing - one trait that I would look for in the future GNEMSDC leader, it would be passion.
Passion, or my grandfather liked to say "fire in the belly". Passion in my view is not as intangible and unmeasurable as the term suggest. I believe that passion is manifest in the behavior, specifically the zest for accomplishing a goal or mission. Passion in leadership is critical, because it is contagious to all who support the leader and more importantly the mission of the organization. Passion also is key to focus. Passionate leaders do not get distracted by the noise all around.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
Passion allows you to lead and not be caught up in the leadership.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'
Whether it is leading this organization or any organization, passion is necessary for success.
I know there are many passionate people in our network and those who are currently outside of our network. If you have that fire in the belly to develop minority entrepreneurs, this job might be for you.
