Passion and conviction

People want to follow a passionate leader. When we as leaders are passionate about a topic, it can be contagious. But, people need to follow a leader who also has conviction. So what is the difference between passion and conviction?

We can be passionate about something and not necessarily have lived it, or successfully experienced what it is we are passionate about. It’s primarily intellectual. An example could be in sports. A coach of a team, who has never played the sport, can be passionate about playing hard, preparing, winning, and has love for the game, but they haven’t felt the highs and lows of being a player, and their team feels the difference.

However, a coach who has played the game, prepared, practiced and can relate to how his/her players feel, will have a deeper understanding of what his/her players are experiencing. This coach has conviction, and his/her players will feel it.

Conviction breeds credibility. It is stronger than a belief. A conviction is a belief so strong that it governs your decision in such a way, that you are willing to put almost anything on the line for it.

Passion without the experience is just that — passion. When you add passion to conviction, you can inspire. And when you inspire, you can change behavior, and when you change behavior, you can change a life.