Talent Shows – Passion and Incompetence
Have you watched a talent show on TV when an incompetent contestant auditioned? Just because they’re passionate to sing doesn’t mean they can sing on key.
The danger of passion is the illusion of competence.
Competence and passion:
Passion means you dream of glorious results. But passion doesn’t mean you’re able to accomplish glorious results.
Passion isn’t competence.
You might be passionate to manage projects and lead teams. That doesn’t mean you’re able to lead or manage.
You might be passionate to develop people, care for sick kids, or build an organization that makes the world a better place. Just because you’re excited about something doesn’t mean you’re good at it.
The danger of passion is the triumph of good intentions over self-awareness.
The danger of passion is a closed mind. You think you CAN when you CAN’T.
Passion and development:
Hard work, intentional practice, and time are the only things that develop competency. Passion is fuel in the tank, nothing more.
Intentional practice requires you to test new behaviors and techniques. Doing the same things over and over never develops new skills.
The danger of passionate consistency:
Repetition creates consistency.
If you suck at leadership, doing the same things over and over means you’ll suck with consistency.
Passion won’t make you good at managing teams, leading people, or delivering results. Intentional practice is the only path to competency.
Wanting:
I know many leaders with passion to succeed. That doesn’t mean they’re going to succeed.
Passion isn’t a guarantee of success because enthusiasm isn’t skill.
You may say, “Dan, I really want to be a successful leader.” That’s great! If WANTING made things happen, Santa would be real and world poverty would end.
Honor passion by developing skills.
The first development is self-development.
What are the dangers of passionate incompetence?
This really reminds me of what the Gallop organization says in StrengthsFinder. They give an example of passion over strengths with the story of Rudy, the man who had a dream to play football for Notre Dame but did not have the size nor talent to play. Yet, he worked hours upon hours to finally earn a few minutes and one big play. The question is, even though football was his passion, what could he have really accomplished if he had applied all that effort into something he was actually good at? I am a bit wavy on this, as passion helps give us purpose. I have seen many workers very good at what they do who seem to have the life sucked out of them. It seems it has to be a balance.
Thanks Kathy. Great story and question.
Passion is a wonderful – essential – component of success. Best wishes with your class.
Passion without skill blinds people to their incompetence. They lack the knowledge to judge themselves and be able to see their gap in competence.
Thanks Gerry. Thats why we need feedback, mentors, and coaches. 🙂
Hi Dan,
What does intentional practice look like, for a young leader?
Regards, Johan
Hey Johan, Intentional practice is trying new behaviors, evaluating results, and making adjustments. Then you start again.
If interested in this topic you might read Mastery by Robert Greene amzn.to/2MUWaWE
I’ll add that mentors and coaches are essential to the process.
Dear Dan,
An excellent post giving the best reason why not all passionate people really succeed in their endeavor! Development of the required competence by acquiring good skills and strengths is the key to success.
Good leaders always are eager to learn newer things once they reach a position to perform. They try to acquire new competence/skills wherever they are lacking. Knowing the work culture, people & their performing levels to form tasks teams, understanding domestic and international trends and competition help to become competent enough to deliver the planned success.
You have really given the secret of success by emphasizing on the two key essentials- Passion and Competence.
Hi Dan, It is amazing how many of your posts remind me of the idea of deliberate practise.
Awesone post Dan. Thanks!!!
For those who still aren’t clear how “passion is the illusion of competence”, here’s my very little story which will add that being good is not just one time effort – if it’s not continuous, it’s lost.
I am passionate about running and was once very good at it. Over the time, I stopped “intentional practice” and gained quite some weight and then was unable to run much let alone be competitive.
One of the dangers of passionate incompetence arises from one’s environment and surroundings. Working in an engineering firm I once had an intern who vehemently claimed and was adamant about his passion for technical knowledge while all his questions were based on and directed at business orientation and solutions. Perhaps because of a degree in engineering and an intern in an engineering organization, he was compelled to believe that being technical is the thing to be. I just asked basic questions about technology and he couldn’t answer.