What drives motivation – Passion vs. Ambition
What is the difference between a passionate employee and an ambitious one? Is one better than the other? While ambition and drive are sufficient in a world that is predictable, it is not enough in a world of constant change and disruption.
Ambitious workers tend to be motivated by external rewards and recognition. Often, they focus more on the metric itself or on enhancing a resume in order to get to the next opportunity than on the actual work. Because of this orientation, they are less likely to identify new possibilities of how things might be done or to see new opportunities for the organization in response to emerging trends or disruptions.
Passionate workers, are internally motivated through their desire to quest, connect, and make an impact. They often challenge conventions and offer new perspectives. They take on new challenges that may not advance (or may even be detrimental to) their careers, and as a result, pull their teams along with them to new levels of performance and to attempt promising, though possibly risky, ventures.
In the world of the Big Shift, where the need for continual change is becoming more apparent, passionate workers are the ones who can help companies build resilience and navigate the world of constant disruption.