Understanding Emotions & Attitudes: Part II

In our pursuit of an answer to “Now What?!?”, we recognize the need to be in command of our Professional Health. Understanding our Emotions & Attitudes is essential to leading most effectively.

When assessing our Emotions in the workplace, we prefer to be full of Confidence and Contentment. Unfortunately, we are not always in such a positive state.  When we experience Apprehension and Insecurity, do we bottle it up? Is there a safe place to be vulnerable and express our true emotions? If not, what toll does suppressing our feelings take on us?

While Emotions arise from the heart, Attitudes are thoughts and perspectives. Attitudes represent our point of view on the world and the people in our lives. Our state of mind colors our reactions to circumstances and interactions and thus impacts our Actions & Behaviors. Attitudes may be subtler than Emotions but they are no less influential. Our perspectives impact the way we anticipate likely outcomes to circumstances we face or foresee the reactions of others to our actions.

Attitudes are not set in stone. In our youth, perspectives are hard and fast. We have a narrower view of the world and are prone to generalize “types” of people and the predicaments we face. Sometimes we project our own Attitudes on others, expecting them to perceive circumstances as we would and react as we might.

With experience, we realize the world is not so black and white.  Wisdom enables a broader perspective and a more balanced view of our environment.  Our attitudes can soften.

As seasoned leaders, we expect ourselves to be “open-minded”. Are we? For me personally and with clients I have worked, a misunderstanding of our own Attitudes and their influence on our decision-making can hamper our professional growth.

Clarity about our Attitudes enables us to lead better. Examining perspectives at the extremes is helpful exercise. While we are not fanatics on these broad spectrums, an honest assessment of which way we lean is a valuable starting point.

What is our perspective on humanity? How do we view colleagues, clients or vendors? Is everyone out for themselves forcing us to protect our interests or can some be trusted to do the right thing? Are others merciful or ruthless? Will they serve another or only help themselves? Are people inherently self-centered and conniving or loyal and noble?

When we converse about others, do we focus on their strengths or carp about shortcomings? Are people our organization’s greatest asset or replaceable cogs? Do we celebrate others’ successes or fixate on a string of mistakes. Do we chalk up others’ achievements to good fortune and their failures to inherent flaws? (Keep in mind, human nature is to compare our strengths against others’ weaknesses).

Are we optimists or pessimists? Do we see the world as a glass half full or a half empty? Do we follow the rules or seek new paths? Are we risk-takers or wait-and-see pragmatists? Do we assume the best or prepare for the worst? Are we liberal or conservative? Are we Hedonistic explorers or Rainy-Day fundamentalists? Can we control our environment or are we at the mercy of the markets? Do we believe in random chance, destiny or divine design?

So what is the source of our Attitudes? That is an important question for each of us to explore. Family background, personal or professional experiences, life-altering events, influencers in our lives, and our own strengths or frailties can be sources of our perceptions and views.

Proper Professional Health begins with a thorough understanding of ourselves. Our Actions & Behaviors are more consistent and predictable when we realize the influence of our Emotions & Attitudes. Introspection on our Wants & Needs and Core Beliefs can provide the deep insight necessary to uncover the answer to “Now What?!?”