Attitude: The general meaning of attitude is a feeling or way of thinking that affects a person’s behaviour.We all have attitudes. Depending on the circumstances or contexts, our attitudes change. It is well known that it is often said ‘his attitude has changed”, or “he has a bad attitude”. Others will look at how we respond and have an opinion on our attitude. Their attitude changes when they analyse ours, but they overlook that.
Perspective is another interesting word. Perspective is the angle or direction in which one looks at something. It can be an object, a situation, a person’s behaviour or attitude.
We all have our perspectives, and we live by them without thinking of them. Our views directly influence our attitudes and how we interpret other people’s attitudes. Our culture, belief, faith and education greatly influence our perspectives. If our perspectives are impacted, so are our attitudes towards circumstances, contexts and people.
Everyone then has their perspective of things. Everyone interprets what they go through because of their background and life experiences. It is what makes our difference and also our beauty. We are not all the same, we do not all think alike, and we do not all approach life, situations, circumstances in the same way.
Where am I going with this, you might be asking yourself? What does this have to do with business?Â
In business, we deal with people, and we don’t deal with Artificial intelligence; there are living human beings behind every company. And each one of them has their perspectives and attitudes. When we talk and interact with people, we must understand that they react to us through their perspectives, resulting in their attitudes towards us. It is also essential to realise that our very attitudes towards them trigger their perspective and result in their attitudes.
Do you understand this?Â
Indirectly, we are responsible for the way others around us behave. Better, we can influence the outcome of people around us by our behaviours. We must not “react without thinking”; we must always be very quick to listen, slow to talk and act.
Many people are talking about leadership. Let us be sensitive to the fact that people around us are different, have different life experiences, have been through a lot, and are the product of all these.
Each time we enter a meeting room, each time we connect to a video call, each time we are on a phone call, remember that perspectives drive attitudes, and you are in control of it and its outcome. Do business differently, meet people, deal with their lives, don’t forget that you are a filter to others.
When you walk into your office, when you relate with your colleagues at work, when you talk to your boss or anyone else at the office, remember that their attitudes are influenced by their perspective, which was influenced by life experience. Everyday life is an experience with new situations and circumstances. Every day our attitudes may change; never forget this. Relate with wisdom and understanding, and compassion.
Live with purpose, live to build, live for life. Too many times, we lose humanity while in business.
