Your Attitude Affects Your Business

Attitude starts at the top and spreads throughout the organization, good or bad! You have heard it many times before because it is true. This is a critically important fact to understand as it frequently determines the success or failure of a business organization.

• Bosses that show up late and leave early present a bad example to the staff. Bosses that come in early and leave late set an example that is productive, respected, and that fosters a better work ethic and commitment.

• Bosses that treat the employees with respect and consideration, who demonstrate care and concern, will not only get the same in return but their actions will promote the same good behavior among employees and with customers. Employees will enjoy their work experience more and perform more effectively. As a result, customers will be happier as well.

• Bosses who take cash from the till in plain sight of the workers are inviting the employees to steal. It becomes common knowledge that the boss steals and thus there are no cash controls so anyone could steal and get away with it. Likewise, bosses who have no inventory controls, who allow staff workers to take reams of paper home for their home office, are sending the message that stealing from the company is acceptable.

• Bosses who pay no heed to quality control will foster poor quality workmanship. Cutting corners becomes the standard and the norm. Bosses who have high standards and implement an exacting and professional level quality control program will instill pride in the work effort and quality in the product. This will also be demonstrated in the pride the workers have in working for such a company.

• Bosses who bend over backward to honor their customers, who will do anything to please them, demonstrate their ethics through their actions. Employees will act similarly towards the customers, doing the same things, bending over backward to satisfy the customers’ needs and desires, going the extra mile, working at a level above the expected or required.

• Bosses who condone bad behavior from employees, who treat bad behavior as acceptable, create an environment where good employees will start acting poorly. Bosses who do not fire employees for breaching important company standards are, in effect, condoning bad behavior and sending the message that all rules are available for breaking.

• Bosses who speak poorly of their difficult customers will breed this attitude throughout the organization. The customers will sense this and return the same attitude toward the business or not do business at all with them. Bosses who allow specific employees to do so without chastising or otherwise demonstrating the required attitude and behavior, are allowing these employees to spoil others he comes in contact with.

When times are tough, if the boss demonstrates fear, depression, failure, desperation, or a negative belief in his potential success, the employees will begin looking for other jobs. A positive disposition and a belief in future success will inspire employees to strive alongside the leader to achieve greatness in the face of adversity. Businesses experiencing difficulties that result in the boss complaining will also result in unhappy employees as they will no longer be supported by the his vision, as it is now clouded.

It seems so obvious, yet when I recently spent a week at a resort and found everyone absolutely unhelpful, surly, uncooperative in every possible way, unwilling to please the customers and definitely not going the extra step to accommodate anyone, I was amazed. I investigated this aura of bad attitude and determined after talking with the manager that he treated his employees very poorly. His disdain for his customers was also quite obvious once I had a chance to talk with him. No wonder this attitude was prevalent. It spread throughout the entire workforce because it started at the top.

The lesson? As an owner, your business reflects you, your personality, character, attitude and standards. You are the definitive leader, the trend setter. Make what you want of it, but be aware that your default mode is what you bring to the business, every day. Respect your employees and your customers and respect will be returned to you manyfold.  Treat your business, employees, and customers with contempt and that is what you will get back. Reflect anger and frustration and that too will be reflected in your entire company. You are the leader and where you go, the entire company will follow.

Your business is the mirror image of what you bring to it, good, bad or ugly. Check yourself out – you may be the source if your company is under-performing.