Answer: To lead and inspire takes a genuine passion for the organization and what it produces. Nathan had that passion for the transportation industry so despite lacking career goals, he took any job he could in the industry. That put him where he could be “discovered.” He was also fascinated by the media. His energy, focus and curiosity were impressive and obvious.

Here is the story of a VP who has held the titles of Chief Marketing Officer as well as Chief Communications Officer for two different companies in the same industry. Even before college he was focused on the transportation industry and the media. He never expected that his two passions would take him to where he is today.

Nathan was intensely curious about the world. He wanted to travel and even thought he would be a foreign correspondent. For some reason he was fascinated by the media and how news was communicated. At the same time he had a hobby, a passionate interest in the transportation industry. He loved the potential of trains, planes, boats and cars to free up adventurers to explore the world. He never thought that he would be able to convert his hobby to a career, but that happened.

Here are reasons for his success. He loved where he worked because he loved the products his company produced. He was genuinely curious about the industry, how the products were engineered, what performance they could deliver, and what other competitors were doing. He was invested in the company as much as his CEO and could hold his own with the engineers who designed the products. There is no way to “fake” that level of commitment. His focus was real and that inspired trust in his judgement to make the right decisions for company to grow.