What is it about the popular reality show The “X” Factor that has so many of us glued enthusiastically to our television sets every week? For one thing, we like success stories. It feels good to see talented, engaging and passionate people reach their goals. As I was watching, it occurred to me that there are some strong parallels between the “X” Factor and management. And as every one of us knows, when you’re “on,” and that feeling in your gut says you’re doing something right, it’s about as close to experiencing the “X” factor as you can get.

When Passion and Capabilities Converge

The premise of the show is to seek out talent by discovering people who happen to have something special – the “X” factor – that makes them superstars. During the audition phase, people from all walks of life try out: children, parents, even grandparents. But in every case, when candidates are chosen, it is because they have a combination of passion, skills and talent. Having one or even two of the three is not sufficient.

The audition process ushers in thousands of people eager to make it big. If you’ve ever seen the show, you know it’s painfully obvious which folks are never going to make it through. Admittedly, these are the auditions many of us enjoy. However, there are many, many others who are not successful despite being surprisingly talented. The “aha” moment for me came when I realized that a beautiful voice lacking emotion, or a passionate vocal debut that is off-key, or even a highly talented voice with a poor song selection is not enough to differentiate oneself as having the “X” factor. It takes a combination of raw talent, skilled craft and passion working together to showcase the “X” factor.
Read More