Get an Attitude

By Al Trellis and Paul Sharp

When someone says you have an "attitude," they usually mean it in a negative way. Yet, not all attitudes are negative. In fact, having the right attitude is one of the most important factors in assuring success in business. And its not just your workers attitudes. Your own attitude greatly affects your entire operation. So, where do you fall in the attitude spectrum? Are you optimistic or pessimistic, open-minded or prejudiced, considerate or insensitive, cautious or risk seeking, aggressive or passive?

Your normal set of attitudes is an emotional blueprint for who you are, the way you view the world, and how you get things done. Think of your attitude as an emotional toolbox. You select the proper tools to help you solve different problems as they arise.

Whats your frame of mind?

Builders can get into trouble when they limit themselves to always responding the same way regardless of the circumstances.

For example, optimism lets you keep moving when things get difficult. But that optimism must be tempered with a realistic assessment of the situation, allowing you to plan for when things go wrong. You can use aggression to protect your interests and to get things done. But too much aggression can lead to hostile work conditions and poor productivity. You use caution to avoid making fatal business mistakes. Too much caution, however, means you miss opportunities for success. Consideration allows you to work well with others and keep customers and workers satisfied. But too much consideration and you become a doormat. Open-mindedness encourages you to be receptive to new ideas. However, dont be so open-minded that you jump on every new fad that comes along or give up things that work just to try something new.

Check your profile

We often get along best with people who share a similar attitude profile. However, if you know youre lacking in one area, you may want to have people around you who can compensate for the deficit. So if youre often inconsiderate of others feelings, you may need someone as a buffer between you and your customers. If you tend to be too risk-prone, you may want someone who errs on the side of caution to manage the financial controls.

Ask the right questions

In looking at your attitude profile, ask yourself, "Do I have the attitude tools I need to do the things I want to do? Am I using all my tools, or am I using the same ones over and over, regardless of the situation?" Always being aggressive, or always optimistic, is like trying to build a house using just a hammer.

Remember, attitudes are contagious. If you want your employees to have the right attitude, get the right attitude yourself.

Al Trellis and Paul Sharp are cofounders of Home Builders Network. Al has 25 years experience as a custom builder, speaker, consultant, and columnist. He speaks to over 6,000 builders a year. Paul provides marketing consulting to builders around the country. The article is excerpted from their book, Building with an Attitude.

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