You Got Attitude!
By: Will Helmlinger
All employees have attitudes that can positively--or negatively--affect the performance of your company. Here's how to determine what your employees' attitudes are and how to use this information to ensure they're fulfilled by--and productive in--their work.
Visualize a cartoon showing a man dressed in a business suit ready to leave for work. With his hand on the doorknob, he says to his wife, "If I'm not back in 15 minutes, it means I got on the bus and went to work."
How many people go to work with an attitude similar to this? When did you-- or your employees--last feel this way? Are they wishing Monday morning were actually Friday afternoon?
We all have attitudes. However, are your employees bringing the right attitudes and motivations to the job? Misdirected and inappropriate attitudes will impact your company and bottom line.
In the late 1990s, our company participated an international study that examined the attitudes of one job category. This research led to the discovery that 92% of top sales professionals in both the U.S. and Germany had the same key attitudes and motivations. This compelling statistic revealed that appropriate attitudes/internal motivations impacted job performance. Even today, this statistic hold true!
So how can you determine and gauge your employees' attitudes, and subsequently, the possible affect they might have on your company? Here's a four-step plan that will help you determine your employees' attitudes.
Step 1: Defining Attitudes
First, attitudes or motivations must be defined. Attitudes are our hidden motivations, interests and values. Attitudes drive our behavior. Attitudes are the standards or beliefs by which we act.
Everyone is a combination of all the following work-related attitudes. Each of us maintains his/her own order of importance with each attitude. Note: Understand--attitudes will not change often, as they are embedded into us at an early age (typically ages 8 to11).
Let's define each attitude.
UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC
This attitude says, "Every investment I make will yield a greater return in time and resources." Functionality and usefulness are critical. Money is always a major component. Another is to eliminate wasted time. After all, "time is money!" Individuals who value this attitude first and foremost are stereotypical of many businesspeople.
INDIVIDUALISM/POLITICAL
People who rank this attitude highly are continually motivated to achieve the highest position and wield the greatest personal power. Their ultimate goal is to assert themselves and "win"--sometimes at any cost. This attitude may also be defined as the entrepreneurial attitude. "I control my own destiny!"
THEORETICAL
The theoretical attitude says, "I use my cognitive ability to discover and understand." Individuals with strong theoretical motivations are always hungry to learn, research, problem solve and "solve mysteries." Individuals who constantly thirst for knowledge may be viewed as intellectuals and can engage in prolonged debates or conversations. To the extreme, they will be so absorbed in the learning process that they may be labeled as "professional students."
TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY
Rules and regulations are the foundation for this attitude. System and order, unity and tradition are extremely important to individuals who value this attitude highly. Structure, clarity, "right and wrong" are key ingredients. Individuals who are motivated with this belief might be labeled as being "judgmental, stubborn, very structured, even rigid."
SOCIAL/ALTRUISTIC
Individuals who demonstrate this attitude are extremely sympathetic to the causes of others, are exceptionally kind and place others' interests above their own. They actively seek ways to help or care for others personally and professionally. They have an inherent "love for people" and may well view others who are not motivated similarly as being "cold or inhumane." They may be labeled as humanitarians.
AESTETHIC
A person who is motivated by this attitude ranks "form, beauty and harmony" at the top of the scale. They live life from the viewpoint of symmetry and grace. Aesthetic individuals focus on the subjective enjoyment of events in their lives. They work to create a world that satisfies their vision for living. To the extreme, they find it difficult to live in the "here and now" and can be labeled as "artists or creative-types."
Generally speaking, two attitudes will stand out above the others; the remaining attitudes will be situationally important to you. Which are your top two attitudes?
Step 2: Determining Attitudes
Next is the practical application into the work setting. Part of any interview process should be the discovery of the candidate's attitudes. The following sample interview questions are used as a first step to understanding the applicant's most important motivations.
UTILITARIAN/ECONOMIC
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What role does earning a significant income play in your job choices? In staying with a company?
INDIVIDUALISM/POLITICAL
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What role does being in control of a situation play in your job satisfaction?
THEORETICAL
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Describe the amount of time, energy and effort you need to master a subject or topic you currently know very little about?
TRADITIONAL/REGULATORY
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Give me an example of a rule that you follow relative to managing or leading others. Why is this rule important to you?
SOCIAL/ALTRUISTIC
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What responsibilities does society have today to take care of others?
AESTETHIC
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Describe the type of future you'd like to create for yourself.
Step 3: Verifying the Attitudes
Next, you can objectively evaluate the attitudes of applicants by administering an attitudinal assessment. This tool will clearly define his/her motivations and rank what attitudes are most and least important. You can even learn the keys how to effectively manage and motivate them; and define opportunities for their training and professional development. This tool can eliminate much of the guesswork and objectively decide whether their attitudinal model is the one that best fits your needs.
Step 4: Benchmarking Job Attitudes
One step still remains--measuring what attitudes are necessary for job success.
The best way to measure the desired attitudes is by utilizing a computerized evaluation. This helps eliminate personal biases. With an objective benchmark, you can now compare a candidate against your desired job attitudes, and determine where gaps exist. The wider the gap--the greater chance the person won't bring the right attitudes and motivations to your company.
As you know, properly motivated employees impact sales, productivity, retention, customer service... and your bottom line.
Finally, let's come full circle on the top sales professionals. Ninety-two percent exhibit Utilitarian, Theoretical, and Individualism as their top attitudes.
What attitudes are your employees bringing to their jobs?
