Attitude – def. – a settled way of thinking or feeling, a habit of thought.
A critical component of a car is the steering wheel. Within organizations, an effective leader is much like the wheel of a car. No amount of power or performance will get you out of the garage if the wheel isn’t in the correct position.
In the Adept Personal Transformation Model, attitude is one of the factors we emphasize for leaders. Like a steering wheel, the right attitude will direct you toward the right decisions, which result in positive actions, and inevitably produces successful outcomes for your organization.
attitude ⇒ choices ⇒ actions ⇒ outcomes
The impact of Attitude doesn’t stop with thought. Attitude has the capability of determining the actions we choose to take, and the direct result of those actions in our business and personal lives on a daily basis. Within an organization leadership attitude not only affects the outcomes of decisions made, but a leader’s attitude can also determine the attitude of the team they are leading, and the atmosphere of that team.
Some helpful steps you can take towards improving the attitude and overall environment of your organization are:
1. Identify the feeling or attitude you want to change and how that attitude has affected you, or your team’s behavior (actions), and may have resulted in a negative outcome in the past.
2. Understand your “why” and “how” of the attitude – consider where this attitude comes from. If it is ongoing consider how or why it continues to exist.
3. Identify the desired change and a “model” of what it could look like (model = person, principles, future desired state, feeling, thinking…).
4. Design a plan for change and the support network that will help you steer towards a progressive mindset. Being able to identify a situation or feeling that typically would result in a negative attitude, and utilizing the power of thought will enable you to take that negative thought and shift the way you perceive the situation into something positive.
5. Recognize and celebrate incremental progress and adjust your plan as you learn more about the tactics that work best for you personally. Believe you can change, and you will continue your journey towards more success!
