You want passion? Are you sure?

The little noted downside of the world’s most overrated trait.

[It’s an idea that appears in at least half of all job ads.]

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about romance. Big fan. But passion? That’s romanticism turned up to a boil. Yes, it drives people to achieve great things, but it also drives them to turn over police cars and burn buildings.

The passionate personality fits less and less well with our modern creative ethic that values collaboration above all. If you have a brilliant idea that’s so sure to win big awards that you stay up all night polishing. How do you respond the next morning when some assistant marketing manager calls it “too thinky” and “too multidimensional”?

Smiling assent? Grudging acquiescence?

Passion is a double-edged sword. When we hire passionate people we accept the good with the bad. It is, fundamentally, an expression of vanity. You might love wine, but me? I’m passionate about wine. Presumably because I exist on a higher plane than you.

Please. Enough with the passion. I’ll take modest intelligence and a pure heart any day.