Professional web design, Cumbria, North LancashireSome years ago I was prompted to do better by a line manager with a phrase that has stuck in my mind ever since. The phrase was
Its attitude that determines Altitude
The more I think about it the more it rings true.
When we look around at all the well known names who have made it in business, Alan Sugar, Richard Branson, Martha lane Fox, Wayne Hemmingway, Marconi, Edison, Colonel Sanders to name but a few are all examples of their altitude being determined by their attitude.
Every day we see individuals who could simply lie down and let life throw them aside because of an illness, sheer bad luck or perhaps a disability; Simon Weston and Bobby Robson are two who spring to mind, Simon has become famous for the horrific injuries he suffered in the Falklands Campaign and Bobby has overcome a disfiguring cancer; something inside them makes them triumph over their own adversity whatever that may be. That something I would suggest is defined or ably assisted by their ATTITUDE.
Personal attitude can be uplifting or destructive and all too often we have a tendency to give in to the negative aspects of attitude, (ours or someone elses) rollover and metaphorically if not physically die.
Is having the right attitude something that can be instantly picked up by a prospective employer?
Is attitude an emotion that can be tapped into to boost sales, production, quality, learning, contribution, well being etc?
If the answers are yes, to the above questions and I believe it is, then how can employers take advantage of this emotion, tap into it, harness it and do good things with it for the business, the individual or team. I believe the answer lies in training or more precisely adopting a learning attitude.
Some people are born with a highly positive attitude, others focus automatically or by direction on the negative aspects of attitude. This might sometimes be to gain an attraction, to become the centre of attention, or as a cry for help. Other times it could be found to be as a result of some negative aspect or impact in their lives and they simply react instinctively to protect or reduce harm in some way. Whatever the cause I maintain that both negative and positive attitudes can be used to drive change and improve many aspects of personal and business life.
In our travels and dealings with many organisations large and small we see examples where attitude either drives the business to the wall or creates an Artemis. In both cases stress is generated for those involved, the difference is that in the latter case the stress is positive and beneficial for the firm and the individuals. In the former it is destructive and the negative stress generated causes all kinds of problems, including health problems for the owners, managers and workers.
I have yet to meet a manager who wants his or her staff to turn up for work feeling that they wish they were not there, did not have to turn in, would much rather be doing something else.
But the biggest cause of stress in employees is quite probably the impact of poor management and lack of empowerment.
The inability of adequately trained personnel to make decisions when necessary without going back up the line-management ladder; the constant overseeing or brow-beating and bullying that still goes on all contribute to stress; it drives up negative attitudes and in the long term if not the sort drives profits down.
The biggest cause of business failure is not cash flow but poor management
Cash flow does run a close third, but way out in front is poor management and ineffective working practices. So how do we overcome these negative aspects and foster positive vibes in the firm to make us more wealthy, happier, more flexible, more competitive leaner and quicker, in short more sustainable?
