Of the many things we can’t control in life and business, attitude is the one we have 100 percent power over, every single day.  The best leaders know this, and they work to prepare theirs before walking through the door or engaging in the workplace.

One of my favorite clients and a widely admired leader in her firm viewed every day as an opportunity to do something great for employees and customers.  She sought out the sticky problems and provided support, ideas and ample encouragement for everyone to tackle them creatively and expeditiously. And then she celebrated with people in simple ways. She bought lunch, or passed out gift cards or just walked around and personally thanked those who had contributed to the solution. Fault was never an issue, and problems were obstacles to be conquered. Needless to say, her team consistently performed at a high level.

A good friend recently described an event he attended for a representative at a customer who he had dealt with for many years. She had been tough but fair in their dealings, and unfortunately, an illness that was likely terminal was bringing her career to an end. My friend traveled several hours to attend her retirement party, not knowing what to expect or what to say. Imagine his positive surprise when he found her happy and reflective on a career and life well lived. While it might have been an act, this human had adjusted her attitude in dire circumstances to help herself and to help everyone else through a difficult moment.

How would you handle yourself in a similar situation?  Most of us would likely struggle.

5 Ideas to Help Keep Your Attitude Appropriately Adjusted:

1. Manage your framing! Frame problems and setbacks, as opportunities, just like the leader described above.  Problems are raw material for organizational heroes.

2. Reset every morning on your primary purpose. Walk in the door looking for opportunities to help your team members. Today.

3. Stifle your inner critic and teach your team members to be doers, not critics. The world has more than enough critics, and they are generally value destroyers.

4. Recognize that everyone is waging a great battle inside. The anger in their voices or the frustration on display is likely the result of an untold number of issues. Instead of responding in kind, respond with empathy. Ask questions, seek clarity on true needs and then propose solutions.

5. Recognize that treating others with kindness, respect and empathy is not a sign of weakness. To the contrary, those qualities display inner strength and the ever-important emotional intelligence.  When your approach is met with abusive behavior, fight back from the position of right and strength.

The Bottom-Line for Now:

Don’t let others or other issues control your attitude. Establish the right attitude before you engage and run an internal process check on managing your attitude when you are under fire.  It’s a great opportunity to lead by example. And hey, the world is a much better place when problems and challenges are framed as opportunities and met with excitement.

Additional Resources:

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About Art Petty:

Art Petty is a Leadership & Career Coach and Strategy Consultant, helping motivated professionals of all levels achieve their potential. In addition to working with highly motivated professionals, Art frequently works with project teams in pursuit of high performance. Art’s second book (an edited, annotated collection of the most popular leadership essays), Leadership Caffeine-Ideas to Energize Your Professional Development, was released at the end of September in 2011.

Contact Art via e-mail to discuss a coaching, workshop or speaking engagement.