What Is Your Passion? Part 2

Fun Is Good : How To Create Joy & Passion in Your Workplace & Career
by Mike Veeck, Pete Williams

(Page 2 of 2)

College kids also spend a lot of time trying to impress on-campus recruiters, as if such visitors represent the only employment opportunities out there. They try to say the right things and convince these potential employers that, yes indeed, they've always longed to work in (whatever field or industry) and have a burning desire to do so.

It's tough to fake passion. Maybe you can put on an act long enough to get the job, but it's impossible to maintain it. Instead of trying to match someone else's demands, why not try and find something that fits your passions?

If you approach your career that way, whether you're just starting out or making a change, you'll have a greater chance at becoming successful. The early pioneers in computers and technology did not set out to become wealthy. They were the guys who had a passion for taking apart radios in their garages.

My friend Dave Dombrowski, whom you'll hear from later in this book, did not set out to become a highly paid sports executive. But he did identify a passion for sports at the age of 6 and knew he wanted to become a general manager of a Major League Baseball team, even though such work was not especially high paying when Dave set that goal.

Passion is the cornerstone of the Fun Is Good philosophy, and if you let it be your guide, you'll achieve success. Throughout this book, we'll hear firsthand from people like Dave who have benefited professionally and personally from the Fun Is Good philosophy and how they applied it specifically to their industries and careers.

Fun Is Good Vignette Tom Whaley, Vice President, St. Paul Saints
The thing I love about the Fun Is Good philosophy is that it embraces misfits like me.
In the early 1990s, I had my own private law practice in Minnesota and was miserable. Like a lot of young attorneys, I went into the law profession thinking that I could make a difference-that I could somehow change things for the better. In reality, being a lawyer is rarely about change; it's mostly mind-numbing briefs and arguments with disagreeable personalities. When my dad, a successful lawyer, had a debilitating stroke at age 51, I knew I had to do what I loved. He'd always say, "Have fun; you could get hit by a bus today." I've been running from the bus ever since. People find it hard to believe that I'm a lawyer, and I take that as a compliment. I'm more comfortable in jeans, T-shirts, and 3-day-old stubble. I play drums in a rock band, and I'd much rather argue about whether Rush belongs in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame than the Rule against Perpetuities. I knew I didn't fit in as a lawyer, at least not in the traditional sense. I had heard about Mike Veeck and the Northern League, and I figured there must be a place for me in his zany organization. When it was announced shortly before the Christmas holidays that the Goldklang Group would own the new St. Paul Saints in 1993, I wrote Mike a letter. I knew I had just one chance to make an impression, so I bought some frozen lutefisk, this nasty-tasting Scandinavian dish that consists of dried cod soaked in lye. I included a copy of my résumé with a note that said, "This is what people in Minnesota eat," wrapped it in dry ice, and sent it to Florida, where Mike was still working. Mike called the next afternoon from Pott's Place, a saloon near the ballpark; he was in the process of being moved by the holiday spirit. "Tom, what is this?" "It's fish, Mike, seafood." "Tom, I live in Florida and know a thing or two about seafood and this is not seafood. It's thawing on the bar. We're paying people 5 bucks if they have a taste. There's a guy over in the corner who tried it. He's either very drunk or dead." A few days later, I received a letter. "I hate attorneys," he wrote, "but you seem like a Renaissance lawyer, which intrigues me. We've got this thing going in the Northern League, so call me and I can show you how to ruin your life." Even though I had a wife and two young kids, I quit my law practice, took a massive pay cut, and joined the circus. Our first office consisted of two phones and a few folding chairs. In my new role, I still practiced law; like everyone else in minor league baseball, I also did a little bit of everything. At one point during our first season, I had to find a St. Bernard between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. that Bill Murray could use in an on-field skit. I learned to move fast, have little fear, and get things done. I learned from Mike how to promote concerts, a key side business in minor league baseball. Along the way, we started running a massive three-on-three basketball tournament. In 1999, I followed Mike to Florida when he joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. When Mike resigned after a short but controversial tenure, I didn't know what to do. Since I was viewed as one of "Mike's guys"—and made little secret of the fact—I figured it made no sense for me to stay. Before I could clean out my desk, the phone rang. It was Bill Murray, who was trying to find out what had happened to Mike. I explained my predicament. "Stay put for another year if you can," he said. I was incredulous. "Are you kidding me?" Murray explained that he had probably stayed one year too long at Saturday Night Live. His best friends had left, people were making mistakes, and he wasn't having nearly as much fun. But in that year, he said he learned more about the television business than at any other point in his career. "Stick around and pay attention to how things are done, even if they're being done the wrong way," he said. "You'll learn what not to do, which usually is more important." When Bill Murray is offering you career advice based on his tenure during the golden age of SNL, you know your life is on the right track. Bill was right, of course. I hung around for another year, learned a lot—good and bad—then returned to St. Paul and rejoined the circus. These days, I'm a part owner of several of our minor league baseball teams. Would I be a wealthier man if I had kept my law business? Probably, though it wouldn't be nearly as much fun. The stress and the pressure would have gotten to me. I haven't been to work in 13 years—at least it doesn't seem like work. I go to my office at the ballpark and have fun. I hear so many people say "if only." If only they could quit their jobs and do something else, they'd be happy. It's not easy to walk away. But the thing that clinched it for me was realizing that I might be the one who has the stroke. There is no tomorrow, and if you wait around to chase your dream, it's just not going to happen.

Like Tom Whaley (see the "Fun Is Good Vignette" above), you need to take a proactive approach to applying your passion to your career. Fun Is Good is not just for people who own or operate businesses. It's more applicable to those who work for them.

Search for those organizations where you can not only apply your talents but also have fun. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Tom took a risk by leaving the certainty and security of a traditional law practice, but he knew if he could find somewhere to best apply his passions and skills—all of his skills—he'd be happier and better off in the long run.

People shortchange themselves when it comes to marketing their skills and choosing a career. They think, "I have a degree in accounting; therefore I am an accountant or some sort of finance person." They forget about their other skills, talents, and experiences, things that on the surface might seem to have nothing to do with their work.

Tom plays in rock-and-roll bands. He has a passion for music. These days, he organizes and promotes concerts in all of our ballparks. His people skills are so good that he can perform (and has) most every role in our organization. He's still a lawyer, but the difference is that he's involved with legal work he thoroughly enjoys.

I know it's difficult, perhaps impossible in some cases, to leave a job. If that's the case, think of how you can revamp your current situation. Do your colleagues and managers know about other skills and experiences you have that might make you more valuable in another role, one you might enjoy more? Could you prove your worth in a different area by latching on to a different project, even if it's in addition to your current work?

Fun Is Good can work anywhere and for anyone. Regardless of whether the owners and managers subscribe to the philosophy, it's still up to the employees to take a proactive approach to injecting this concept into their careers and finding a way to pursue their passion within a career.

Throughout this book, we'll show how that's possible.

Fun Is Good
Interview

IF YOU WANT TO CREATE FUN IS GOOD at your company or go to work at a place where such an attitude exists, then it's time to overhaul the job interview process.

If you're the employer, get rid of the stilted, ambiguous questions about strengths and weaknesses. Instead ask candidates about the last book they read or movie they saw. Ask them what they do on a Saturday afternoon. Get them talking about their passions. This is how you find well-rounded, eclectic people that can help your business far beyond what's listed in the job description.

When sports teams draft kids out of high school or college, they talk about drafting for a specific need or position or just taking "the best player available." Companies should look for the best person available. If you're searching for an accountant and take a tunnel-vision approach to finding one, then that's what you're going to get. But if you find a Renaissance person who just happens to have accounting skills, you end up with a person who can help in many other areas and perhaps become a star.

If you're the prospective employee, turn the interview process on its head. You should be the one asking the questions. Too often the person wants the job—any job—so badly they take whatever is available, regardless of how unappetizing.

To find that Fun Is Good environment, you need to be selective and thorough in the job search process. Think of it as you interviewing prospective employers, not vice versa.

What does the office do as a group for fun? Are there any company-wide volunteering projects? Are there any people here with unconventional backgrounds? How does it celebrate success? Is mentoring common? Are they visible in the community? Are there women in positions of power?

The answers to those questions reveal how much of the "we're all in this together" attitude exists and the value, if any, the company places on community service. It speaks volumes if the employer knows little about their colleagues' outside interests.

Ask if the company has teams in sports leagues. Does it have a health club? You want to see what value the business places on teamwork, employee health, and social get-togethers.

Ask about meetings. How many are there? Are they all-inclusive? You don't want to join a place that's bogged down with meetings. At the same time, you want to know what value they place on ideas, no matter who presents them.

Don't ask about the annual review process; it makes you look like you're counting the days to your first raise. When the interviewer asks where you want to be in 3 or 5 years, turn the question around. Ask if employees typically develop mentoring relationships with those who can help them plot their course.

In our organization, we encourage people to draw up personal marketing plans and review them periodically with me. This might not always be possible with larger organizations, but it should be done at some level.

How do ideas flow? If you have a great idea for a promotion or to improve a part of the company, how should you present it? Does the company have contests for such things?

You can research much of this beforehand. Did the folks at the top start at the bottom? You want to know if the company hires from outside or nurtures its own.

Look around the office. How is it decorated? Do people have their kids' artwork posted? This not only speaks volumes about the emphasis on family but also shows that the people don't take themselves too seriously.

Ask to speak to people in different departments, especially customer service. Note the value given to this area. A company that ignores customer service won't be around for the long haul.

Schedule your interview around lunchtime or during off hours. Who is still around? Are they having fun? How much laughter do you hear while you're there?

Above all else, take an interest in the people you meet. Ask them about their hobbies and family. If you're in the same business, chances are you have mutual acquaintances. Look around their offices for topics of conversation, especially shared interests. Show that you're someone who takes a sincere interest in others.

Remember, the goal is for you to get to know these people better, not to talk about yourself. If you're inquisitive and show a genuine interest in people, not just the company, you'll make a positive first impression.

More important, you'll gather all the information you need to determine if this is a Fun Is Good place or not.

Chapter 1 Summary and Exercises
(What Is Your Passion?)

• Outside of family, name five things you're passionate about.

• Do those passions relate to your career?

• What would you like to do professionally? Are you doing it now?

• Can you turn a hobby into a career? How?

• If not, can the expertise and passion from that hobby be applied to your job? (Think of the sailing accountant.)

• Think back to the times in your life that you were happiest professionally. What about your career made you happy?

• What about your current job excites you? Does it make you more productive?

• If you enjoy nothing about your job, what would you like to do?

• When you go into a job interview, turn the process upside down and do most of the questioning yourself.

• If you're an employer, look for well-rounded people, not just the best fit for the position.

© 2005 by Mike Veeck and Pete Williams. All rights reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

About the Author

Mike Veeck is president and part owner of six wildly successful minor-league baseball teams. Son of the late Hall of Fame club owner Bill Veeck, he has followed his father's lead, with innovative promotions that have been profiled by 60 Minutes, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, People, and countless other media outlets.

Pete Williams is a contributing writer to USA Today Sports Weekly and Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal and has written about fitness and performance for many publications.