A Matter of Attitude
by Neil I. Clark
There is an elusive "something" which every manager yearns
for in each of their employees — attitude!
"Get me someone with attitude. I’m sick of these people
who just don’t have what it takes."
Have you ever heard that before? It’s usually said with a
modicum of frustration (or even anger) in the voice. But what is
this mystical thing called "attitude"? More importantly,
is it something which can be manufactured — called forth, as
a genie from the lamp?
The Basic Elements
Everyone knows what "attitude" means in its literal sense.
But when used in this context, there is a much broader scope to the
meaning. It can mean different things to different people, but here
are some of the elements:-
- Interested in the job.
- Does not need constant supervision.
- Can think ahead of the game.
- Takes a positive view of things.
- Wants to contribute.
There are probably many more items you could list, but this will
suffice to set the scene. And there is a way in which you can view
these things which is useful. Consider each element within the framework
of the basic production formula:-
IDEAS + ACTION = RESULTS
How do the basic elements of attitude stack up against each of these
production factors?
Interest in the Job
A person with a good attitude has lots of ideas about their job.
They are constantly seeking new ways to improve things. They also
get a kick out of producing the results of their work and quite easily
show a degree of pride in what they create. Their interest is high
because they are good at what they do.
No Supervision
Don’t you hate it when you have this constant feeling that
you can’t turn your back on a particular employee for too long.
If you do, the wheels tend to fall off, right?.
By contrast, a person with a good attitude just gets on with it.
You find you have time to look after your
own job because you know
that their area is under control. The actions performed by a person
with a good attitude can be relied upon. You know they will get the
required results without your needing to constantly check up on them
or direct their actions.
Can Think Ahead
What’s "thinking ahead" really mean? It means that
the person not only has a good grasp of the basic concepts of the
job, they can also envisage the end results. The good ones can even
see things in their area which you have overlooked!
A person with the wrong attitude often cannot see where they are
going or what they are supposed to achieve. You have to keep pointing
the way for them — a painful chore!
Takes a Positive View of Things
This one can drive a manager right up the wall. If you only get
negative comments and excuses from someone, you’re looking
at a person who is unable to handle the action. They run into barriers
and simply stop and complain.
A person with the right attitude looks at barriers as the fun
part of the job. They can’t wait to get stuck into them — to
find some new ideas on how to over come them and to go over, under,
around or through the barriers to get their result.
Wants to Contribute
When an employee has a "good attitude", they just naturally
want to contribute to the forward progress of things. They jump at
the chance to help out when they can. They offer to do things which
are not in their area, but which will definitely contribute to the
overall results.
Why do they do this? Why is it apparently so hard for others to
assume this attitude? It all comes down to understanding the ideas
which underpin the operation and recognising the correct actions which will bring about the end results.
A Performer's Attitude
It’s clear from the above that the definition of attitude
closely aligns with that of a top performer.
Attitude has to do with getting results — taking responsibility
for their achievement.
Can "Attitude" be Manufactured?
In some cases, the answer is yes. If you can help an employee to
improve their performance, you will see an improvement in their attitude.
For those employees who do not have a natural ability to operate
effectively with their ideas, actions and results, (i.e. who are
not top performers), there is still some hope.
- Make the basic ideas which support their function very clear
to them. Take time to spell it out so they really do see where
their
job fits in with the rest, and where it comes from.
- Help them remove the barriers to their ability to act. But try
to do it in such a way that they learn from it. In particular,
try to
engineer this so they get a personal win out of the exercise.
In this way, next time they are confronted with similar barriers,
they
will have the confidence to be able to act alone.
- Make sure they know precisely what the results of their job are.
Make the results more important than the actions they perform.
And acknowledge them for their achievements.
Of course, the most effective way of ensuring you have people with
good attitudes is to hire top performers.
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