Leaders In Motion
September 2008 Issue
A periodic “ah hah!” for Executive Leaders & HR Professionals, compliments of Visioning In Action
An inside peak:
Attitude is everything. I don’t know about you, but I would rather hire and develop a leader who has less skills but a FANTASTIC attitude than a higher skilled person whose attitude begs to be put out of its misery.
So – the big question. Can attitude be changed? Against all odds, I say YES. Read this article and pick up some tips on how to turn around a negative attitude.
Next issue: "How to Conquer Uncertain Times with a Thrive Attitude"
How to Develop an Olympic Attitude in Your Team: Lessons Learned from Beijing
Attitude is everything. I don’t know about you, but I would rather hire and develop a leader who has less skills but a FANTASTIC attitude than a higher skilled person whose attitude begs to be put out of its misery.
So – the big question. Can attitude be changed?
Against all odds, I say YES. Based on over twenty years of experience as a trainer and coach, and a fundamental optimism and belief in human potential, I really think people can change IF THEY CHOOSE TO.
I think it can be shaped and sculpted over time. If you use Pareto’s 80-20 Rule, I would suggest to you that this will be successful at least 80% of the time.
Here’s how.
Encourage rampant Olympic attitudes
If you listened to any of the interviews of the athletes at the Olympics, one thing came out over and over again:
“I did my best.”
“I had a goal. I know what I wanted to achieve. I visualized myself running this race and winning it.”
“I salute my fellow competitors.”
“I’m going to work harder and harder and come back stronger.”
In short, they had VISION, GOALS, TEAM SPIRIT and an unflagging POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
Let your team become Olympic champions by encouraging these same attitudes. Ask them to pick their favourite Olympic champion and select a pulsing character trait that they believe made this athlete successful. Ask them to exemplify this positive attribute every day for one week. Praise them each time they say or do something that showcases this Olympic trait and review their attitude shift after 7 days.
Be a role model
Let your team envision possibility by demonstrating a champion attitude yourself. If they can see an Olympic attitude in action, they will know it can be done and imagine that maybe they can do it too. As you know, positive attitudes are infectious.
Dig to the root cause
WHY does someone have a negative attitude? Chances are that it is a lack of self-confidence. I have worked with individuals from the boardroom to the factory floor, and if there is one common denominator that I have found with people from all walks of life, it’s a lack of self-confidence. The next time someone on your team makes a disparaging remark or puts themselves down, have a private chat and ask them why they do this. Maybe there is a simple fix or a clear action plan you can create to help them develop confidence in their ability to succeed. Professional athletes often engage psychologists or coaches to encourage them and keep them mentally fit - maybe your “negative attitude” person is crying out for a mentor or work buddy to support them as they try out new skills.
Invoke positive peer pressure
Have a team meeting. Ask the group what a “positive attitude” looks like. If I were to videotape my team in action demonstrating a positive attitude, what kind of behaviours would I see? Come up with a list of positive behaviours. This is your goal. Discuss the impact on the team when one person is negative. Have the team come up with a set of strategies for dealing with unwanted behaviour from their peers.
Set people up for success
Tell people you believe in them and mean it. If you don’t really believe in someone’s potential, then they probably won’t believe in it either and you won’t get anywhere.
The pathetic truth is that some people have NEVER had a single person stand behind them their whole lives. You are changing the world one person at a time when you help even one person believe in his or her own potential. This can only make your team and organization more resilient, productive and masterful. (A quick story to illustrate my point – when I was teaching a management development program at a local college, on the first day I told everyone in the room that they had an A+ in the course. All they had to do was maintain it. One fellow in my course came up to me afterwards and told me he barely scraped by in high school with a steady stream of D’s. He was so motivated that anyone would think of him as an A+ student that he worked really hard and was awarded an A+.)
This philosophy of developing people is based on simple expectation theory – expect the best, and that’s what you’ll get. Expect the worst, and that’s what you’ll get. Expect mediocrity, and that’s what you’ll get.
Finally, have zero tolerance for garbage attitudes
The second you hear a negative attitude from anyone on your team, call the person on it. It is simply not acceptable.
Ultimately, each person is responsible for their own behaviour and the consequences of that behaviour. Once you have done everything in your power to help them become their best selves, it’s up to them.
That’s my two cents for this month. Thanks for your time. Talk to you in October!
As always, warmest regards,
Michele Gervais
Professional Speaker, Facilitator & Coach
Visioning In Action
Professional Member of Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS)
Expert Author, EzineArticles.com
Email: mgervais@visioninginaction.com
Tel: 204.899.4046
www.visioninginaction.com
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Olympic champions are cultivated,
not born
