The convergence.

“Career best” experiences happen at the convergence of your competencies (skills), passions and organizational needs. I read this from The Extraordinary Leader, Zenger and Folkman’s book, and it’s layered on an important aspect to my theory about values, talents, and environment — you have to find a place where what you have to offer is valued and needed.

The theory, they suggest, is that people are at their best in career when they find something they are passionate about, that they have actual skill in, and that is needed by the organization they work for or the audience they serve.

Passion is what you love to do, regardless of skill. Competence is what you are skilled in. Organizational need is, quite literally, what is needed by the organization. Find the convergence between these three and you’ve found your sweet spot.
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I couldn’t agree more.

The challenge is that we often have either competency or passion (or both) but may be in a place that doesn’t need (or doesn’t think they need) what we have to offer. We spend our time trying to convince them that what we have is valuable.

Alternately, we don’t actually have as much competency in our passions as we think we might. Hence, the value of feedback and self-reflection to determine our true “genius.”
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I was listening to a podcast yesterday that interviewed Mike Rowe and heard this profound statement: Vocation is where your greatest strength meets your greatest passion. I would add, based on this book I’m reading, in an area of greatest need.