We hear ourselves and others speak about how passionate we are about the work we do in an organization and how we have so much zeal to perform.

In thinking about the above and seeking to connect it with my experiences in corporate governance as an actor, I have come to the conclusion that the zeal that we have towards our work in a corporate should be in context… Again I will remind colleagues that corporate actors seek to conduct themselves in the best interest of the organization.

The organization pays a premium for professional services to it and the expectation is that the motivation and zeal with which the service will be rendered will be in its best interest.

Where zealousness by corporate actors is actuated by subjectivity and selfish goals, it is most likely that the actor is selling a decomposed service to the corporate due to insufficient information, lack of analysis and so on. It’s like selling a pocket of oranges to a customer  that only has a few wholesome ones and the rest have perished. That customer is not likely to trust you or come to your shop again.

Whereas you may have a natural dislike for someone or something which you are requested to deal with as a corporate actor, be professional and ethical. If you find that you cannot, declare your inability to act on grounds of conflict so that you are excused.

Sometimes, the cause of misplaced zeal is the urgency one places on him/herself to “please” other actors who are perceived to be in a position to secure an elevation or recognition of fellow actors as indispensable resources. This is dangerous in the sense that in your overzealousness, you may omit certain considerations that may affect the quality of your delivery. This is because your desire to please far exceeds that to act professionally. To this, my thoughts suggest that it is important to self monitor and always measure your behavior against the legitimate expectations of your profession and the organization.

I have spoken before about self discovery and developing a sense of confidence about your polished capabilities. This, in my view is the influences your behaviour. Being honest as to who we are and what is truly expected of us will act as our personal alarm when we go off course!

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