Wednesday, September 30, 2009

GrowSmartBiz Conference: Takeaway #1

So yesterday I attended Network Solutions' GrowSmartBiz conference. And now I have the hard task of figuring out where to start as I blog about it. The fact is, despite not being a "small business," I left with a lot of "takeaways." So here goes with my first one...

"I'd rather work with a passionate amateur vs. a bored professional." -- Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired magazine and author of The Long Tail and Free

OK, that quote may not be word-for-word what he said, but it's pretty dang close.

And I think his point has a lot of merit. It reminds us that when we're going to work with someone -- be it forging a business partnership, hiring a new employee, or creating an event -- we need to look beyond resumes. Why?

Because even someone is the smartest person in the world (or the room), if they're not passionate about what they're doing, they may very well be ineffective... or, at least, less effective.

And just because a resume or a person's experience may not match every criteria you're seeking doesn't meant they aren't the perfect person for the job. Because someone who's passionate -- and eager to learn -- will easily outperform the person who's become complacent.

(Just a few reasons why I so enjoy working on projects with Shashi Bellamkonda from NetSol; Mayra Ruiz; and Bob London of London Ink.)

What do you think? Can passion overcome experience?

-- Robin

1 comment:

Elizabeth J. Neal said...

Stopping off at the local takeaway (that's "take out" for you non-Brits) is customary at the end of a long night to indulge in a variety of gastronomic treats, chief among them the infamous kebab- a recipe for a heart attack, but what else is hidden in the takeaway that the British love so much? Takeaway4Less