Good Attitude is so important. It is not just an abstract concept or feeling. It is a concrete action that results in major positive progress. Winston Churchill said,
“Attitude is a small thing that makes a big difference”
I agree, it does make a big difference, however I’m not so sure how small it is. Attitude can be a hard thing to change and usually requires a mindset shift. Our experiences, natural disposition, and upbringing can all impact the way we view things and respond to them, which is attitude. Some people have to work on their attitude every day, others are more naturally optimistic, but in order to be intentional and truly have a winning attitude we all have to work on it.
I love listening to coaches this time of year. They are shaping attitudes as much as skills, because they know they are equally important. Coaches need to remember that our attitude as the leader is the most important attitude on the team. We will not be able to lead others to have a winning attitude if we ourselves have a bad attitude. The truth about attitude is that it is caught as much as taught.
Which just means our team will act based on what is being modeled for them, regardless of what is being said to them. If your attitude is bad, telling your team to have a good attitude will mean nothing.
So here are 3 ways to help your team have a winning attitude.
- Show them and tell them.
Leaders, we can fall into the trap, that everything is about instruction or information. These things are very important, but it also takes inspiration and instigation to change hearts and minds.
HOW?
Have a good attitude, express it, show it, model it. Brian Houston, Lead Pastor of the Global Hillsong Church says,
“You can not create culture, you can only be culture.”
I agree with this. You can tell everyone to have a winning attitude. You can teach them about it. You can train them in the principles of it. However the only way you will have a culture of winning attitude, is if you have a winning attitude.
2. Get them around other teams or organizations who have a winning attitude.
Your team can tell you that they get it. They see your vision, they hear your passion, they know what you are looking for, and still you find yourself frustrated because they don’t behave like they get it.
Sometimes all we can do is put them in the atmosphere of what we are talking about, and then all the things we have said and explained will have context and in a moment they will understand what you have spent months trying to get them to understand.
Context matters. The reason for this is we are all subjective. You can be saying be excellent, and they never rise to the occasion, but the moment you show them what excellence means to you, the moment they see it, it is no longer subjective, it is real, and attainable, and desired by your team. Many times our vision is not clear because there is no context.
3. Confront a bad or a defeatist attitude.
Culture is developed as we consistently model what we want. Part of that process is to confront the wrong mindsets or behaviors every time they happen.
This may sound negative but it’s really not. All this is, is helping people become self aware. It is all about asking the right questions, more than it is about telling people what they are doing wrong.
Learning how to ask great questions that cause people to become aware of ineffective behaviors, attitudes, and actions that are holding them back is the essence of coaching.
Someone may say something like “it’s too hard” or “We have never been able to achieve this, and I don’t see us being able to in the future.”
We might ask, “What would make this easier?” “What are some of the difficulties with this idea? How do you see us resolving them?”
“If we could accomplish this, what would that look like to you?”
This is the essence of coaching and it helps with two things. 1. It makes a person aware of bad attitudes and 2. It leads them to good attitudes. It helps them to think for solutions. Opportunities not obstacles.
Attitude is important. A bad one can sink you, and a good one can sustain you.
Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. I would love to discuss.
