Unleash Your Inner Leader by Discovering the Power of a Passion Project

Unleash Your Inner Leader by Discovering the
Power of a Passion Project.

Having a passion project is a game-changer for leaders! It fuels motivation, sparks creativity, and brings personal fulfillment. With a passion project, you become a true leader, empowered to make a difference, no matter your formal authority or position. It’s the catalyst that ignites your inner drive, pushes boundaries, and inspires greatness. Embracing your passion project can unlock your full potential. Read on to find out why and how.

A passion project, whether related to a hobby, a community initiative, or a novel business idea, is a task that leaders pursue because they find it intrinsically rewarding rather than for any external rewards. Engaging in such projects can help leaders foster ingenuity, resilience, and tenacity, traits that can permeate into their professional lives and positively influence their leadership approach.

What are the potential impacts of a passion project?

Passion projects significantly contribute to building self-confidence in leaders. By engaging in activities they are passionate about, leaders often push their boundaries, explore new ideas, and take risks, leading to the development of new skills. This process of exploration and learning increases their confidence in their abilities.

Success in these projects can boost self-efficacy: the belief in one’s capacity to accomplish tasks and achieve goals. This newfound confidence is not restricted to the realm of their passion projects but can also spill over into their professional lives, improving their decision-making abilities and leadership performance.

How might a leader’s passion project have a ripple effect?

A leader’s passion project can be a powerful source of inspiration and motivation for their team. When team members observe their leader’s enthusiasm and commitment to a project they care deeply about, it can ignite a similar spark in them. It serves as a vivid example that every task, no matter how challenging, can be approached with vigor and passion.

A passion project provides a great forum for leaders to share their learning experiences and growth stories from these projects, further encouraging team members to undertake their own ventures. Importantly, these passion projects also humanize leaders, allowing team members to see a side of them that extends beyond the workplace, thereby fostering a deeper connection and mutual respect.

How do we find a “passion” project?

Leaders feeling uninspired about where to start with a passion project can begin by reflecting on their interests, hobbies, and issues they care about. They might find it helpful to write down what makes them feel excited, fulfilled, or purposeful. This could include anything from photography or gardening to mentoring young professionals or working on environmental causes. Exploring online platforms, attending webinars and workshops, or joining relevant communities and forums can also provide inspiration and expose leaders to a variety of potential projects.

It’s important for them to remember that passion projects need not be grand or overly ambitious; they can start small and grow as their interest deepens. Ultimately, a passion project should be something that they enjoy and find meaningful, offering a space for creativity, exploration, and personal growth.

What if you aren’t feeling any “passion” about anything?

We get it. Many leaders we work with are drained and devoid of passion. If this is the case, burnout may be at play. It’s not uncommon for leaders to experience periods of exhaustion or lack of enthusiasm due to the immense pressures and responsibilities they face. If you feel this way – you’re in good company.

During such times, it’s imperative not to force passion but instead prioritize self-care and recovery. This could involve taking a break, focusing on physical wellbeing through nutrition and exercise, or seeking emotional support from a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional.

Activities such as meditation, mindfulness, or yoga can help reduce stress and promote a sense of calm and clarity. By taking time to recharge and regain balance, leaders might gradually rediscover their sense of passion or stumble upon new interests that ignite their enthusiasm. It’s worth remembering that passion isn’t constant; it ebbs and flows and sometimes needs space and patience to reignite.

If you’re feeling devoid of passion, it’s a cue to make YOU your passion project for now. Become passionate about restoring your own energy and resources first. See if you can bring some curiosity to yourself and experiment with what recharges you.

Certified Coaches are exceptional thought-partners who can help you discover your passion or realign your path if you’re experiencing burnout. Take the first step and get in touch with Precipice to embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth. You deserve to thrive!

Navigate the skies at your own altitude,
with Jess & Kerri

Kerri, Co-Founder & Strategic Lead at Precipice (she/her)

As Co-Founder and Strategic Leader of Precipice, Kerri drives innovation and growth. With an MBA and Certified Coach designation, she brings a strong academic foundation. Her forward-thinking vision has been instrumental in integrating design thinking into Precipice’s unique approach. Her career spans from precision machining to diverse sectors like Oil & Gas leadership and community health at Community Natural Foods and Alberta Health Services in both front line and corporate leadership roles. Noteworthy roles include leadership in medical equipment planning for facilities like Calgary’s Bridgeland Riverside Continuing Care and Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. Kerri’s versatility shines in collaborations with Precipice’s clients, from facilitating change management to creative strategic planning. A dedicated learner, her adventurous spirit extends to creative hobbies.

Jess, Co-Founder and Creative Experience Designer at Precipice (she/her)

Jess excels in crafting unique client experiences, collaborating with Kerri to develop transformative programs for leading organizations. Since 2019, Precipice has led diverse leadership initiatives, from steering leaders through acquisitions to creating year-long development experiences for departments in Alberta Health Services. Jess proudly created the Conflict Agility program and swiftly tackled pandemic challenges with the “Cultivating Resilience” webinar series. Precipice has also proudly collaborated with the University of Alberta on two multi-day leadership development programs and initiatives on creating a culture of care. Jess’s background in acting and theatre adds a unique touch to her work, leading to innovations like the Conflict Lab—a blend of theatrical practice and conflict resolution that has benefitted many clients, including a pilot with J5 Design. Jess’s passion extends beyond work; from previously being a yoga instructor to a Spinning and F45 enthusiast, she even started out as a Marilyn Monroe impersonator in her varied career!

Client Feedback

Testimonials

I cannot say enough about the people behind Precipice Development and the work they do. I have worked with Jess and Kerri to co-design two comprehensive leadership programs at the University of Alberta. The content they bring forward is thoughtful, context-aware and well researched; their facilitation, authentic and engaging yet humble. Jess and Kerri live the practices they teach and it shows. It has been such a pleasure to work with and learn from them.

Our organization was grateful for Jess & Kerri's ability to hold space for challenging and brave conversations - it really set us up for success for the next year and I'm excited to see how we can continue to engage them in this work.

“Jess & Kerri, thank you so much for taking the time to help me with my mindset and perspective on my peers. Your techniques started working within the first 10 minutes. Amazing! The meetings became productive and stress-free.”

"The work you do makes a difference not only in the productivity of employees but in the lives of individuals. There are many challenges around us but if we remain curious and open, we can see them as opportunities for growth and deeper understanding. Your energy, thoughtfulness, and amazing ability to stimulate others to ‘see’ is so valuable in this journey. Keep up the great work – although you may not see it, even if it changes one parent’s spirit when they come home to their spouse and children, just imagine what a difference that can make."

“I wanted to thank you for a very fun and interesting day yesterday at the course… I learned some things about myself. You were very entertaining in your delivery and made the day whiz by.”

“I just wanted to thank you sincerely for the coaching course. I thoroughly enjoyed this session as it was highly relatable to my future endeavors.”

“You are such a great coach and bring the best out of people. Working with you has been a great growth opportunity for me!”

In our Relationship Coaching sessions with Jess we feel like we enter a bright room, and everything hard, confusing and painful gets lit up in a higher way, bringing immediate clarity and lasting compassion, for ourselves and each other. She has a gift for asking potent questions that unravel inner wisdom. She is loaded up with tools to share, many of which have completely changed how we handle conflict, bringing us out of exhausting blame & shame cycles, into elevated conversations rich with vulnerable sharing and compassionate listening, that lead to lasting positive change. Investing in Jess as your coach is an investment in the joy, health and peace of your relationship, and therefore your entire life. If it's not already abundantly clear, we could not recommend her highly enough. Thank you Jess!

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