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An attitude is a point of view about a situation. ’Attitudes are u

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favourable or unfavourable- concerning objects, people or events.͟ An attitude has three
components. An attitude is made up of:

      

It is the opinion or belief segment of an attitude.

  
     

It is the emotional or feeling segment of an attitude.

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It is an intention to behave in a certain way toward someone or something. 

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£ Êhought Level: e.g. Corruption is wrong

£ Geeling Level : e.g.Corruption is criminal .Must be punished

£ Action Level:e.g. I am going to file a suit against an officer for carrying

out corruption.

 
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£ ÿour statements

£ ÿour feelings

£ ÿour actions

No matter what situation you are in you always have certain thoughts about it. ÿou also
have an emotional response to it, and you behave a certain way in it. Êo begin changing
your attitude you either change your thinking, the way you act, or the way you feel. Êwo of
these choices are easier to influence than the third.

It is easier to change the way you think or behave than to change your emotions. However,
it is usually our emotions that get our attention in regard to the situation. It is our emotions
that we most want to change. When we feel sad, angry, anxious, or frustrated we don͛t like
it. We want the feeling to quickly go away. So we start trying to change the emotion. We
often begin by trying to change others so we can feel better. It doesn͛t work. We engage in
behaviours like alcohol and drug abuse to numb the feelings. It doesn't work. Working all
the time or excessive shopping are attempts at avoiding emotional distress. Êhey don't
work.

Our initial tendency is to focus on the feeling level and to change it first. Êhe feeling or
emotional level, however, is the most difficult to work on. ÿou can͛t "grasp" a feeling and
force it to change. Geelings are powerful but vague. ÿou cannot get a grip on a feeling. If you
want to change your feelings you must start elsewhere. ÿou must begin with either your
thinking or your behaviour over which you have more control. Êhe secret in effectively
changing your emotions is knowing that feelings, thoughts, and behaviours are all related.
When you change one of them (for example, thinking) the other two (feelings and
behaviour) will change as well. Since it is easier to get a "grasp" on thoughts and behaviours
this is the place to begin your work of staying resilient. Change what you think! Change what
you do! Êhe emotions will change and you will be creating resiliency.


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Are we born with attitudes or do we develop them as we mature? What are the factors that
form our attitudes? If you have a negative outlook on life because of your environment, can
you change your attitude? Most of our attitude is shaped during our formative years. Êhere
are primarily three factors that determine our attitude. Êhey are:

1. Environment
2. Experience
3. Education

Êhese are called the triple Es of attitude. Let's evaluate each of the factors individually.

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Environment consists of the following:

ͻ : positive or negative influences

ͻ l: peer pressure

ͻ c*: supportive or over critical supervisor

ͻ ': television, newspapers, magazines, radio, movies

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All of these environments create a culture. Every place be it a home, organization or a

country has a culture. Have you noticed that sometimes you go to a store and you find the
salesperson polite, the supervisor, manager and owner polite as well? ÿet you go to another
shop and you find everyone rude and discourteous. ÿou go to a home and you find the kids
and parents well-behaved, courteous and considerate. ÿou go to another home where
everyone is fighting like cats and dogs. In countries where the government and political
environment is honest, generally you will find that the people are honest, law abiding and
helpful. And the reverse is true too. In a corrupt environment, an honest person has a tough
time. Whereas in an honest environment, the corrupt one has a tough time. In a positive
environment, a marginal performer's output goes up. In a negative environment, a good
performer's output goes down. Culture in any place always goes top down, nev er bottom
up. We need to step back and look at what kind of environment we have created for
ourselves and those around us. It is tough to expect positive behaviour in a negative
environment. Where lawlessness becomes the law, honest citizens become cheats, crooks
and thieves. Isn't it time to evaluate the environment that we are in or we have created for
others?

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Our behaviour changes according to our experiences with people and events in our life.
If we have a positive experience with a person, our attitude toward him becomes
positive and vice versa.

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It refers to both formal and informal education, not just academi c qualifications.
Knowledge strategically applied translates into wisdom, ensuring success. I talk of
education in the broader sense. It makes the role of the; educator vital. A teacher
affects eternity. Êhe ripple effect is immeasurable. We are drowning i n information but
starving for knowledge and wisdom. Education ought to teach us not only how to make
a living but also how to live.

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Just like an absence of ill health does not equal good health, an absence of negativity
alone does not make a person positive. People with positive attitudes have certain
personality traits that are easy to recognize. Êhey are caring, confident, patient, and
humble. Êhey have high expectations of themselves and others. Êhey anticipate positive
outcomes. A person with a positive attitude is like a fruit of all seasons. He is always
welcome.




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Êhese are many and easy to see. But what is easy to see is also easy to miss. Êo mention
a few, a positive attitude
ͻ Increases productivity.
ͻ Gosters teamwork.
ͻ Solves problems.
ͻ Improves quality.
ͻ Makes for congenial atmosphere.
ͻ Breeds loyalty.
ͻ Increases profits.
ͻ Gosters better relationships with employers, employees, and customers .
ͻ Reduces stress.
ͻ Helps a person become a contributing member of society and an asset to their
country.
ͻ Makes for a pleasing personality.

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Our life is an obstacle course and we become our own biggest obstacle by having a
negative attitude. People with a negative attitude have a hard time keeping friendships,
jobs, marriage and relationships.
Êheir attitude leads to
ͻ Bitterness
ͻ Resentment
ͻ A Purposeless Life
ͻ Ill Health
ͻ High Stress Level for Êhemselves and Others

Êhey create a negative environment at home and work and become a liability to
society. Êhey also pass on their negative behaviour to others around th em and to future
generations.

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Human nature generally resists change. Change is uncomfortable. Regardless of its positive
or negative effect, change can be stressful. Sometimes we get so comfortable with our
negativity that even when the change is for the positive, we don't want to accept it. We stay
with the negative.



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1.  %!$ ' 

£ Êhe degree, to which a person identifies with his or her job, actively
participates in it and considers his or performance important to self-
worth.

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£ An individual͛s general attitude towards his or job.

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£ A favourable attitude towards the organisation results in long term stay

and being a brand ambassador.



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Changing attitudes is most difficult exercise for a Manager. Attitudes get formed at an
early age andcannot be changed easily on permanent basis.

While counseling and mentoring does help. Managers should talk to their subordinates
time to time. Êhey should listen to them and try to understand their problems.

Êhere are some steps to help the subordinates to change the attitudes:

£ Vefining behavioral expectations

£ Creating a mechanism to capture and help employ ee correct.
£ It is necessary for managers to create a self-belief and self-confidence as two
important basic traits.
£ Support and coach and counsel
£ Make friends with them.
£ Listening to them.
£ Persuading them with good p oints.