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"Your attitude colors every aspect of your life. It is like your mind’s paintbrush." (John Maxwell)

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Staying to the left side of destructive behavior, in our last posting, “Beliefs and Driving Behavior (#8)”, we mentioned that beliefs direct our thoughts, words and ultimately our action. Well…

...our beliefs are viewed as the building blocks of attitudes!

In this manner, "attitudes are emotional responses that interrelate with cognitive beliefs". (Fishbein and Ajzen)

Hence, an attitude is an affective response and comprised of our beliefs, feelings and behavioral tendencies (Hogg & Vaughan, 2005). Our attitudes can be:

• Explicit: at the coconscious level, deliberately formed and easy for us to understand.
• Implicit: at the unconscious level and typically unknown to us.

If the sum of all our thoughts comprises our attitudes, how we see ourselves has a tremendous impact.

So...

When leaders are self-aware they understand the impact of their...

Attitudes,

Biases,...and...

Intents...

...when making decisions and leading themselves and others.

We must ask ourselves regularly how familiar we are with our attitudes, beliefs and actions and how this influences our ability to build "TRUST".

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When leaders can adjust one’s attitudes and behaviors to adapt to organizational demands, seek feedback from others, and work cooperatively, it builds a climate of Trust (Sosik, 2001).

Read more about how attitudes can impact trust and leadership in the attached article “Self-Other Agreement on Charismatic Leadership: Relationships with Work Attitudes and Managerial Performance” by John Sosik.

*** This is a yeasty stuff, but examines how self-awareness of leaders can influence work attitudes. ***

For a second related thought piece on attitudes and humility, enjoy last week’s article from HBR, "If Humble People Make The Best Leaders, Why Do We Fall for Charismatic Narcissists?" by Margarita Mayo.