Studies have shown for years that our attitudes determine our outlook. Put another way, some say, “It’s your attitude that determines your altitude.” As you go throughout your daily activities, people can tell much about your life by your attitude. You attitude is viewed in your voice tone, your facial expressions and even in the way you walk.
Below is an article I wrote over five years ago in an online Leadership Development Group I was facilitating. The lesson is still practical today and I encourage you to take a look and see how you can avoid certain attitudes.
The Rotten Fish Face
- I can see them as plain as day. You know the ones. They are in every meeting, every conference and every crowd. They are the ones with their arms crossed and their frowning faces put on tight. Their looks tell you that they could care less. The scow of their face makes you wonder what thoughts are going through their minds. From the first words you spoke, they did not want to listen to you. Their rotten fish face makes everyone around them move farther away.
- The Rotten Fish Face have a tendency to have an attitude that matches their scowl. Their mind is always son the negative, very seldom focusing on the positive.
The Sleeper
- It took me a while to figure out why many conferences, church buildings and meeting rooms have carpet on the floor. It is for sleepers. Whenever someone falls asleep they will not injure themselves when they hit the floor. I am convinced this is the same reason that many church buildings have padded pews. Sleepers are in every audience. They just linger back and try to avoid being seen. They will hide behind people and any other obstacle that keeps them from being seen. Typically, they do not care about the lesson. They are just there to pay their dues and then get back to work or go home.
- Sleepers have a tendency to sway between (1) knowing it all or (2) thinking nothing matters to them. In both cases, they put learning on the back burner to their personal comfort.
The Opinionated Man
- Wiggling in their seats and ready to go is their main duty. Their secondary duty is to take notes to give you their opinion. No matter if it is right or wrong, they will give you their opinion. When they
approach you, their ego bumps into you before they do. It would not be so bad, but the way they approach you is not to help, it is to show you how much they know. - Many of the “opinionaters” (my new word) never listened to your lesson or read your book because they have listened or heard them all. Their quest for knowledge has stopped, because their ego is too big. The “opinionator” is also known by another name, “Captain Know-it-All.” He knows everything about everything. He will share his wide variety of knowledge with you before you even begin to explain exactly what you need. Many times, he will volunteer his knowledge without you having to ask.
 The Complainer
- The complainer is one of my favorite categories of people with bad attitudes. Complainers want a pity party for themselves to show everyone how bad they have it. Do not give it to them! It does them no good. When you give a complainer a pity party, it is the same as pouring gasoline on an already lit fire. The flames will get bigger and there is a great chance you will get burned.
- Complainers will find everything wrong with everything. You could give them a $100 bill and they would complain because it has a wrinkle in it. If you share a great strategy with them they will find some excuse to not do it and complain. When I think of the excuses of complainers, I think of a quote from a preacher named Marshall Keeble. Mr. Keeble said that “an excuse if nothing more than I lie with a suit on.” Complainers make up lies with a suit on.
 The Proper Attitude
Remember to avoid the three attitudes listed above throughout your life. There are many attitudes that I could continue to list, but those three specific attitudes cover those which will be your greatest hindrance. The attitudes to avoid are most prevalent when you are speaking to them, but they still apply to reading a book. Those attitudes to avoid apply in every facet of life. I am sure that you know people who fit those characteristics at work, family members or neighbors. Do not gain those attitudes, avoid them. (Be sure to provide a self-check on your life to avoid these attitudes.)
I am sure you have seen how these attitudes can destroy a work, congregation, lesson and career.
The proper attitude to have is one of “W.O.R.K.” I know I just said a horrible word in the English language, but I am going to say it again “W.O.R.K.!” I am asking you to take on an attitude of “W.O.R.K.”
“W.O.R.K” is a simple word for you to remember. It stands for:
- W – Willingness to
- O – Optimistically
- R – Receive
- K – Knowledge
Just some thoughts,
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