The attitudes we have towards life, people and work permeates through everything. It comes out of our mouths, our pores and actions affecting all the choices we make. At a concert last night while watching one of the all time great English bands of the 70s at a local club, it dawned on me that this band had an amazing talent that wasn’t going to waste. These chaps had aged, however their passion and enthusiasm for what they have always done hadn’t suffered at all. If anything they’ve improved over time.
Professional, successful and enthusiastic, this group worked very much like a well oiled machine. A team showing great business ethics as they politely and respectfully signed memorabilia for their fans at the end of their concert. Their attitude matched their talent. Brilliant! They not only had a great product, but loved what they were doing and the passion flowed through everything they touched that night.
Have you ever been served at a supermarket by someone with attitude? How did that make you feel? What did you think about that service and the business that person represents?
I find that people are usually very observant and quick to notice and judge everything. I’m conviced people generalise faster than they do anything else. When it comes to leaving lasting impressions on your clients, your attitude, and the attitude of those who work with you and for you will speak the loudest about your business. Obviously if you have a lousy product no amount of good attitude will keep people coming back for more.
The late Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Her statement is true because it’s all about the experience!
Attitudes rub off on others within the team. Attitudes can become culture within the company thus affecting the reputation of the business. That’s exactly why supermarkets push for excellent customer service with a smile. After all, the customer is always right. It’s all about attitude. The word ‘service’ has its roots in serving others. Anyone who serves with a frown would rather be somewhere else. Fake smiles are obvious and cheap. Check out chicks or guys engaging with customers in a quick session of small talk make us feel like we’re human. We have a laugh, a smile, a friendly how do you do and it just makes the supermarket a much happier place to be.
Attitude and motives, these are two of the driving forces behind everything we do. Successful people have great attitudes and work ethics that reflect excellence. Don’t waste your talents by losing that passion and enthusiasm for what you do. It takes grit and commitment to do a job well. Successful people believe in what they do! They love what they do! Taking on any task half hearted will rarely produce good results. When we lose the passion it’s time to find something else to do.
Attitudes reflect in every area of a business. For instance; One great attitude for an employer to have is taking an interest in the wellbeing and mental health of their employees. Depressed and anxious employees don’t perform at their peak. A good social environment at work that is also a ‘safe’ environment that promotes inclusion and acceptance will be one people will want to work in and do their best.
Zig Ziglar – “Your attitude not your aptitude will determine your altitude”.
Some pointers to think about:
- What is the feel of your advertising?
- What is the general attitude of your staff?
- How does this reflect on your business?
- Is there room for improvement?
- Are your customers having a good experience all round?
- What can you do to change it?
- Is your staff happy? If not why not? What can you change to make them want to work for you?
You can have a great business website but thats not all you need to become a business powerhouse. People want to see your integrity, attitude and business ethics along with your impressive marketing and great products & services. It’s precisely that which gives your branding a long standing reputation.
Word of mouth travels even faster in the digital era.