Put your best foot forward
Having a positive attitude gives you an edge because everyone appreciates someone with a good ‘spirit’. But positive attitudes have to be developed and worked on. Here are some good traits to focus on:
Be positive: Decide daily to focus on the positive and do not let frustrating moments spoil your day. Resist the tendency to amplify the negative. Go out of your way to enjoy what’s working. If you do that long enough, you’ll be surprised how quickly any negative feelings will pale.
Give discretionary effort: When you give more than is required, you increase your contribution and potential. Simple but important contributions like being more creative, taking a bit more care with that piece of work, supporting colleagues, helps to increase your overall productivity.
Take ownership: Don’t only ‘brighten the corner where you are’. Make the success of the whole organisation your business. Take ownership for your job performance, your attitude, your level of engagement and responsibility for making a difference.
Be objective: Separate issues from personalities and emotions from fact. Take a step back and try to see things from a new lens. Use the benefit of hindsight to make wiser decisions. Focus on improving the present and tomorrow. Use your knowledge of previous events to improve the chances of new ideas succeeding.
Show goodwill: This is a great gift you can bring to the workplace. Will things happen to make you mad? Sure. Will you sometimes feel treated unfairly? Quite likely; but don’t respond by holding a grudge. Learning to let things go is good for your wellbeing and for your career.
Act fairly: A sense of fairness is a great asset especially if you are in a position of authority. Being fair is about not showing favouritism. It’s treating people as adults and not being afraid to openly recognise those who go out of their way to do excellent work.
Now take action: What strength of yours can you bless your workplace with?
