I've been in Italy for the last week and I've noticed, once again, the exuberance and passion of the Italians.

Their exuberance and passion applies to just about everything they do, from eating marvelous food, to driving maniacally, to gesticulating when giving directions, to dressing with style, to arguing about politics, to enjoying time with friends and family, and to cheering on their favorite soccer teams.

Leaders could learn something from the Italians about passion. Why is that?

Several things have sucked the marrow out of leadership here in the U.S. in ways that contribute to a loss of passion among leaders. Among them are size, geographical dispersion, and a focus on the financials.

As organizations get larger and more geographically dispersed, something is lost. Leaders no longer know all of the people in the company by name, no longer know all their customers personally, no longer have close ties to the communities in which the business operates, and no longer share a common sense of history that is grounded in time and place.

As leaders are held accountable for financial results almost exclusively, the focus shifts. As the bottom line takes precedence, other factors take a back seat. Integrity, passion, and a sense of purpose greater than profit take a back seat.

That's not how it is in Italy.

Sit in the neighborhood coffee bar with a cup of cappuccino in the morning and you'll see the proprietor laughing, joking, and arguing with the regulars who stop by on their way to work. Walk by the green grocers in the local market and see the owners call out to people by name as they do their daily shopping. Eat dinner at a family-owned restaurant and notice how the clientele are treated more like relatives than customers. Stop at the local wine store and notice the pride as the owner regales you with stories of the region's wines.

In Italy, the passion is palpable - you can see it and feel it in how life is lived. What can leaders learn from the passion of Italians?

First, there's something to be said for engaging in each and every activity of the day as if it were inherently valuable in and of itself. Rather than treating individual activities as means to an end or as a step in the process, honor each activity by investing your full and complete attention, energy, and commitment in it.

How many times have you noticed people in meetings checking their Blackberries, or texting someone else in the room, or reviewing documents from another meeting? That's not focus.

Second, Italians understand the importance of passion that goes beyond merely being attentive. Their obvious interest in and excitement about whatever they are involved in demonstrates their passion. Rather than passing through the day unaffected by or distanced from the things that happen, they engage fully in the activity with enthusiasm, joy, and humor.

How often have you seen people skate through the day, as if they were on cruise control, with little or no enthusiasm or excitement?

Finally, Italians embrace fully their individuality and emotions. They don't try to be like everyone else and fit into a common mold - they dress distinctively and relish their individualistic personalities. They share their emotions openly and honestly.

How often have you observed people consciously straining to maintain control over their emotions or hold back from sharing a personal anecdote or acknowledging a personal quirk?

As the Italians have proved, life can be lived with passion and exuberance. What can you do to bring more of that into your life and your work?

Hugh Heclo, in his book, On Thinking Institutionally, comments on the extent to which our collective confidence in institutions has been undermined over the last several years by so many people in so many organizations acting for their personal self-interest.

Despite that erosion of confidence, we need organizations because they play such a major role in our lives. We need them because they can help us be better, more fulfilled people.

He writes, "The deeper satisfactions we crave come from strong bonds of mutual attachment to other people and to larger causes outside ourselves."

What can you do, as a leader in your organization, to help others benefit from their attachment to others and to a purpose greater than themselves?

Kathy Delaney-Smith, the women's basketball coach at Harvard for 27 years, tells her players to "act as if" they were already able to do what they want to do.

She believes that if you act the part, your mind will follow your body's lead.

Leaders, too, can benefit from her advice. Act as if you are confident, act as if you can get the job done, act as if you know how to overcome the obstacles, and eventually, you'll become what you aspire to.

In what areas are you not as confident or competent as you need to be? How can you "act as if" you already know how to do that?

email: archie@archietinelli.com archie@archietinelli.com