| What is it about some people? Anything seems | | | | Louise watches, listens to and learns from her team - |
| possible, they are energising to be around and are | | | | in both contexts. She considers leadership is different |
| real assets in a team. Others, unfortunately, see the | | | | to expertise. Sometimes you need people to |
| obstacles and are a real drain on energy. It all comes | | | | contribute one, not both. Her approach is to observe |
| down to attitude. | | | | individuals' attitudes and how they work together. In |
| I believe that a person's attitude is the key | | | | summary in her leadership role she creates and set |
| differentiator. Having been involved in recruitment at | | | | expectations, identifies the what and the why, gives |
| all levels, I think it is essential to explore candidates' | | | | support, guidance and encouragement. "Some", she |
| attitudes - and time and again the right attitude is | | | | says, "step up..." |
| critical to success. It is, in many ways, more | | | | So why are attitudes so important? Attitudes affect |
| important than any of the other criteria. You can | | | | a person's outlook and therefore affect how that |
| have a candidate who is extremely well qualified, but | | | | individual behaves and the influence they may have |
| if his/her attitude to customers is that are a | | | | on others positively or negatively. These quotes help |
| necessary evil, think twice about recruiting them. | | | | to explain. |
| Customers are the lifeblood of your business. | | | | "The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either |
| Someone who also takes this view is Louise Makin. | | | | make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves |
| Louise delivered a recent lecture in Cambridge, UK | | | | happy. The amount of work is the same." Carlos |
| entitled 'Leading teams in challenging times.' | | | | Castenada, Peruvian born author |
| Louise has an impressive track record of success. In | | | | "The greatest part of our happiness depends on our |
| her talk she focused particularly on her recent | | | | dispositions, not our circumstances." Martha (Mrs |
| challenges as the Chief Executive of biotech firm | | | | George) Washington |
| BTG and as team leader in the UK's Three Peaks | | | | "Everything can be taken from a man but ... the last |
| Yacht Race. | | | | of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in |
| Since her appointment in 2004 BTG has become | | | | any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own |
| profitable again. Louise's key strategies for turning | | | | way." Victor Frankl, survivor of Auschwitz. |
| around her company's fortunes and opening | | | | There are many benefits of working with people |
| themselves up to the possibility of success involve | | | | who have the right attitudes for your business: |
| people: | | | | - A shared sense of what is important |
| - Building process and people capability | | | | - Commitment to the vision and goals of the |
| - Changing the people to achieve the vision by | | | | organisation |
| selecting people on attitude. She looks for 'givers', as | | | | - A willingness to go the 'extra mile' |
| she can't afford 'takers'. "If you have the right people | | | | - Reliability, even when the going is tough |
| in place with the right attitude you make the right | | | | - An ability to take the rough with the smooth |
| decisions" | | | | - They exert a positive influence in the organisation. |
| - Pacing the organisational change by deciding how | | | | And how can you spot good attitudes? By listening |
| you create the edge and providing support where | | | | to the language people use and by asking questions |
| necessary, aiming to stay on the 'crest of the wave'. | | | | which draw them out e.g. for examples of situations |
| Givers are people who demonstrate commitment, | | | | that have motivated them in previous roles, the |
| shared values and a desire to do what it takes to | | | | challenges they have faced, and then probing about |
| achieve the vision. She did not actually describe | | | | how they dealt with them and what they learned |
| 'takers', but for me they would include people who | | | | from them. |
| are passive, who expect the organisation to look | | | | Think about your own attitudes - are they serving |
| after them or who have a 'jobsworth' mentality. | | | | you well? If not, only you can change them. |