Development Rule #8 - All About Attitude

The secret weapon in accelerated development and career progression is having a great attitude. It’s all about attitude if you ask me and it separates the highest achievers from the rest. Having a great attitude towards people and your work is a difference maker. Those who have put their all into their work and who work well with others, offering optimism and flexibility, overachieve compared to skills alone. Conversely a poor attitude in either area is a great way to stifle your potential or worse become such a distraction it leads to negative outcomes. In my time as a leader I have seen this principle play out consistently over and over again. 

Here’s the honest truth, people don’t want to work with someone who is difficult, negative, unable to please, always right, or unwilling to change. And people don’t want to work with someone who is lazy, unwilling to manage their share of work, or is taking advantage of others. Bad attitude is bad news in any team environment or where collaboration is required. I have seen my share of talented, smart, and experienced people lose their way, get stuck, or even regress to the point of career killing levels due to bad attitude. It’s a tragedy to see this happen and for people to never reach their potential because they are unwilling to improve their attitude.

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. Lou Holt

Thankfully for every one of those tragedies there is at least one triumph. There are incredible stories everywhere of those who choose to overcome, who choose to remain positive and optimistic despite negative circumstances, and who give whatever it takes. We all love these stories and we love when people apply this in the workplace. They are overachievers because they do more than their talent or IQ alone allows them to achieve. 

I love the story of Trenton Lewis, a single dad who didn’t let his circumstances or background hold him back, who walked 11 miles a day to work and was never late or missed a shift. His colleagues admired him so much, and cared about him, they bought him a car. 

The highest achievers often have humble beginnings but learn that having an amazing attitude in their work and with people leads to success. 

Here’s the best part about this rule and why I save it for last...you have complete control over this. You can’t always chose what happens to you but you can choose how you respond. 

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions“ Stephen Covey

When I mentor, coach, or manage team members I am relentless with them on attitude. Attitude is so important to me it forms a big part of my hiring decisions and usually sets the successful candidate apart from the rest. If I could teach a young worker anything it would be this rule because I believe it makes the biggest difference to performance and ultimately career development and growth. 

What attitude will you choose today?

Thanks for reading

Alan