From my own experience this comment on Peter Winick’s blog ‘Thought Leadership Leverage’ about the value of committed people (‘Do you have the right strategy and the right people?‘) – over suitably qualified but less committed professionals – makes good sense:

It’s interesting that you have identified the wrong people as those who are committed to the job at hand even over having the right skill-set and experience. This too has been what I have seen. People who are in positions that can make things happen and who pay lip-service to getting the job done don’t only hinder/stop implementation, they harm the organization by creating cynicism and making the next strategy that comes along even harder to implement.

Often organisations don’t even realise this is going on. All too often people are more adept at retaining their position, first and foremost, than delivering the goods. So if you find yourself out in the cold remember to stay positive – success is the best antidote.