Cindy

Droog

Read Cindy's bio and previous columns

January 8, 2009

Love the Passionista, But Guard Your Snowblower

There’s no business like snow business. At least not to my brother.

He works for a grounds maintenance firm with one of those high-end outdoor malls as a client. In Northern Ohio. This involves endless hours during sleepless, stormy nights, and he remains on call even when he does get to enjoy a few moments of sitting on the couch with his basset hound.

One snowflake falls? He jumps up. A freezing rain drizzles down? He’s on it.

It sounds awful to me. But he is very passionate about snow and ice removal. He truly doesn’t want any shopper to meet a twisted-ankle fate, and for that, I applaud him. When he talks about his job, he’s animated. It’s very inspiring.

At this job, he feels needed, and frankly, that’s a work perk that can be a little hard to come by.

Someone in our neighborhood is very passionate about snow removal as well. Besides our mailman.

This person has managed to rob more than one garage – ours included – of our beloved snowblowers. Our violation happened just six sad nights ago. We’d had a beat-up old model in our garage for years that was never touched. But four days after we bought a new one, it was gone.

This person stalks new snowmobile buyers. Perhaps hanging out at the local Lowe’s to follow them home. Perhaps driving by on cold mornings when the home-owning heroes of humanity are all outside toiling with one mission – get the cars out of the driveway in time to make it to that first meeting.

Clearly, this person is every bit as talented and fervent about his job as my brother. And while I’m particularly angry at this person right now, his skills at moving undetected are to be admired. It’s just unfortunate that he uses his passion for evil rather than good.

This person – and my brother – are passionistas. Someone who cares so much that it’s evident in their words and actions. It’s not a word I invented, but it’s one I’ve embraced. After all, I needed something to describe myself when I get a little bent out of shape at meetings.

“It’s only because I care so much,” I say. And it’s true.

I guess passionistas are a little obsessed with their affinities. Be it their shoe brand, their alma mater, their children’s safety or ensuring that others have a pleasant winter shopping experience. I love these people. I count myself among them.

According to a recent study about shopping passionistas, they’re 52 percent more likely than typical purchasers to recommend brands to others. In the workplace, these are the people who are consistently telling other, talented folks who don’t work for you – at least not yet – that they should. “Just check our online job board a few times a month,” I always say. Or, “I’ll keep my eyes open for you.” And then, I really do.

Passionistas seek relevant and timely information. Seek it. They don’t wait for someone to come to them with it. They’re not sitting around watching Boston Legal waiting for your TV ad to appear. Instead, they’re on your web site, or their web site, listening and sharing advice.

In the workplace, they’re going around talking to others. “What are you working on? What can I help with? Where are the opportunities for collaboration?” Passionistas never say things like, “That’s not my job.”

So, it only makes sense that just like brand passionistas, who hold their favorite brands to very high standards of quality, intelligent approaches to advertising, and transparency and ethics as a company, workplace ones do the same.

They’ll challenge you. You’ll have to work a little harder because they’re there. You might have to put up with a little bit of drama. Just like in relationships, there’s an element of risk whenever there’s passion. It’s up to you to turn passion – which can be temporary – into love. For the last thing you want is for the passionistas in your workplace to turn into a scorned lover – to turn to a life of crime against you.

Because then you might find yourself standing around in your garage wondering where your new snowmobile went.

© 2009 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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