Politely Pushy: Home-Grown Lessons About Passion And Persistence

Sometimes it’s hard to be proud of being a native Texan when living in San Francisco.

You have to explain that, despite the stereotypes, many people aren't eschewing safety protocols when it comes to?wearing masks?during the pandemic. It's a domestic?tax haven, and there is also a homegrown pool of tech talent.

Fortunately, a student from my high school alma mater (Talented and Gifted Magnet High School, more commonly known as TAG) contacted me and tapped into my biggest insecurities to prove my point.

You see, for years, I have been compensating (ridiculously) for not attending an Ivy League school, thanks to U.S. News and World Report rating my high school as the?number-one high school in the country (paywall).?While so many of my peers could subtly brag about the Hasty Pudding Club (Harvard) or drinking at Mory’s Temple Bar (Yale), I could fall back on this little token of academic achievement.

But then TAG dropped to sixth place. Clearly, my scholastic bragging rights were at stake.

Enter Vedant Tapiavala, a student from TAG who pitched me the story about how he and a fellow student created an app that is designed to help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. They pitched me their story much like I would pitch the media about the tech clients who patronize my PR firm. In fact, I was utterly charmed by their persistence — which at our agency is a value we call being “politely pushy.” In other words, you get what you want without being slapped with a restraining order. I was sold on their story, and I promised to cover it.

The Plano Star Courier profiled Rithvik Ganesh, Vedant Tapiavala, Vinamra Adikehithilu, and Daniel Bennion's new app to help people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

When I talked to the students, I got the sense that they just wanted to do something for the greater good of their families and communities and allow the business concerns to come later. When I look back on the history of tech, I believe entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and a slew of others started in much the same way: creating modern-day empires rooted in passion and a common desire to solve problems.

Steve Jobs is widely reported to have said that “people with passion can change the world,” and the young entrepreneurs who reached out to me served as a useful reminder of that maxim. Ultimately, it's possible to do well by doing good. Passion is an essential element of being successful in business, and when we turn our focus on the profession of PR, we look for it — and practice it — every day. After all, PR professionals want their companies and their employees, as well as their clients, to drive positive change in the world.

First, when it comes to hiring, you should not only screen for relevant experience and technical skills but also screen for people who are passionate. That's because, in my experience, they’re far more likely to be better media storytellers and more engaged with clients.

In fact, Deloitte has?characterized?this trait as the “passion of the explorer.” The global consultancy describes this as “worker passion that leads to extreme sustained performance improvement.” These individuals share several characteristics, including “a long-term commitment to a domain;” “a questioning disposition" where they are always seeking new opportunities and skills; and “a connecting disposition," meaning a tendency to form "strong, trust-based relationships.”

I recommend bringing PR pros on board who have these qualities and who understand how they align with being politely pushy. Success at being politely pushy also revolves around being positive and direct and feeling valued. Some experts also?cite?personal awareness and group alignment as part of an overall performance culture. What’s more, I've found that the best employees — and standout high-school entrepreneurs — take action without being asked. And what works in PR and media relations also works in the larger world.

Whether they're building a multimillion-dollar company, a helpful app or both, entrepreneurs are wise to start with something they’re passionate about, to work hard and to remain persistent even in the face of multiple obstacles. Certainly, in my own realm — building a high-tech PR firm — I have felt (and still feel) the same passion and need to be persistent (or, frankly, politely pushy).?This is because I care about journalism, storytelling and sharing my clients’ great ideas and results with the world, and these guiding principles give me the energy and focus to keep doing it. As a result, my business has the tendency to build itself. Also, “doing good by doing well” is really a thing, and it will serve your career well.

This article first published in Forbes.