Most founders start a business because they are passionate about something quite specific. Perhaps they fall in love with a particular product idea, or they want to impact others in a profound way. Maybe they have a unique talent that differentiates them from others. These skills and passions drive their energy and focus.

We can all make a living doing something. However, entrepreneurs are able to zero in on a particular business idea fueled by these particular qualities.

My burning passion was ignited during an organizational behavior class I took in college. In addition to satisfying a management minor requirement, the course enthralled me. I became fascinated with the idea that a business is a microcosm of society in which it exists. I couldn’t put down the text that accompanied the class. This initial fascination grew into a lifelong interest and passion for how corporate leadership both fuels business success and drives the overall health and well-being of employees, and therefore the communities where those employees live.

Organizations are their own unique communities, shaped by the people that lead them. Those leaders’ core beliefs, experiences, and skills drive each large and small decision, impacting the company’s bottom line and each employee’s daily experience. And not just those employees’ work experience but their self-esteem, bank account, and ultimately, their home life. These connections clicked for me, like how the design of a new AI-powered robot might click for an engineer.

To this day, I still find this dynamic fascinating. Optimizing the organization–employee experience for the betterment of both has become my calling. I care deeply about our clients’ employees, leaders, and overall businesses. There is nothing sweeter than being told the leadership and management program, team development initiative, or coaching engagement we provided to a critical leader profoundly impacted the company’s business results and the lives of the people in the program. To me, it feels like winning the Super Bowl.

So when I learned that Dion Leadership had won Inc. magazine’s Power Partner Award for the second year in a row, I was overjoyed. Of all the small and large businesses out there, Dion Leadership was chosen for an elite list of 359 companies that have a proven track record for providing stellar business services to their customers.

Inc. magazine describes the Power Partner program this way: “To arrive at this stellar group of companies, we crunch data and information from client surveys and testimonials using responses from a set of questions about performance and qualitative factors. Using our partner Meltwater, we can incorporate sentiment analysis from social listening and media monitoring. And as Inc. journalists, we do our own research and reporting as well as analysis of open-source data. Everything we collect is fed into our proprietary algorithm to determine the year’s exceptional companies in 33 categories that we can without reservation name as Inc. Power Partners.”

Reflecting on this recent achievement helped me bring clarity to the conditions I believe create a Power Partner. All of the businesses on Inc.’s list provide different products and services, yet they share some specific traits that enable them to positively impact their clients in a stellar, greater- than-average way. Whether you support other businesses, individual clients, or internal departments within your organization, consider implementing these tips that will help you power yourself and others to achieve greatness.

Tap Into Your Passion—If you are leading a piece of larger organization, you may find that the distractions of corporate activities have drawn your attention away from why you joined that organization in the first place. It is time to get recentered. For example, did you pursue a career in accounting because you love to create meaningful analysis from a treasure trove of data? Remember your why. Find enjoyment in it again. This will fuel your energy and help you think more creatively, engage with others in a meaningful way, and build momentum to be an overachiever.

Build a Caring and Committed Team—Once you know what drives you and how your passion contributes to your organization’s success, make sure you don’t settle for mediocracy around you. Ensure that everyone on your team, including your peers, employees, and vendors, are similarly wired to provide the products and services you believe in—and in the way you believe it needs to be done.

Listen to Your Customers—Things change. You need to change, too—especially in this post-pandemic, hybrid-working world. Listen to what your customers want and need, and not just what you think they want. Don’t assume what worked last year will meet their needs next year. Align their needs with your passion.

Execute on What Matters—Being a partner that helps power the results of others requires clarity and consistency in your delivery mechanisms. Being trusted to deliver what you promised, when you promised it is the price of admission. Build capabilities to deal with unforeseen issues in a way that doesn’t impact your internal or external customers’ needs.

These items have helped Dion Leadership win this award as well as three Brandon Hall HCM Excellence Awards.  They have also fueled our hyper-growth in a turbulent economy. I hope they help you find your next passion.

Founder & CEO Steve Dion happily points to Dion Leadership’s 2024 Power Partner listing in Inc. magazine.

I implore you to not just go through the 9-to-5 motions. Commit to being a Power Partner to others. You will bring incredible value to others by using your passions and skills in ways that help make others—whether it is an individual, business, or community—achieve their greatness. And it may just make you feel like you won the Super Bowl!

If your organization needs some powering up, please give us a call. We would love to share the secret sauce of our work that landed us in this month’s Inc. magazine as a Power Partner.

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