Pumping Up Your Attitude: Cashing in on your Best Asset

Transcription

1 Course Number 4118 Pumping Up Your Attitude: Cashing in on your Best Asset Ms. Jimmie H. Vaughn Leadership, Learning & Development Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service July 2015 FEW National Training Program

2 Objectives The Attitude What is It Describe a Positive Attitude Discuss how attitudes are formed Identify how attitude affects circumstances Establish and maintain a positive attitude 2

3 The Attitude What Is It? The attitude is an inward feeling expressed by behavior What is Attitude It is the advance man of our true selves Its roots are inward but its fruits are outward It is our best friend or our worst enemy It is more honest and consistent than our words It is an outward look based on past experiences It is a thing that draws people to us or repels them It is never content until it is expressed It is the librarian of our past It is the speaker of our present It is the prophet of our future 3

4 What is a Positive Mental Attitude? Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. - W. Clement Stone 4

5 What is a Positive Mental Attitude? Optimistic disposition despite the situation Focuses on desired outcomes Dispels negativity Reinforced by goals, values and beliefs 5

6 Formation of Attitudes Attitudes are formed early in life A child s formative years are the most important for instilling the right attitude Attitudes are formed by our experiences Reinforcement of our foundational attitudes, whether positive or negative, makes them stronger Many builders help construct our attitude Attitudes need adjustment with change 6

7 Factors that constructed your attitude Personality / temperament Birth Ages 1-6 Ages 6-10 Ages Ages Who I am Environment (what s around me) Word Expression (what I hear) Adult acceptance / affirmation (what I feel) Self-image (how I see myself) Exposure to new experiences Association with peers (who influences me) Physical appearance (how we look to others) Marriage, family, job (our security and status) Assessment of your life 7

8 The Power to Choose Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom. - Viktor E. Frankl, Man s Search for Meaning 8

9 How Attitude Affect Others Supervisor Peers Subordinates Family Friends 9

10 How Thoughts Affects Results Thoughts (thought habits) Feelings Actions 10

11 The ABC s of Optimism Adversity Belief Consequence Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D. Learned Optimism 11

12 Change Your Language Eliminate I can t If Doubt I don t think I don t have time Maybe I m afraid of I don t believe It s impossible Replace with I can I will Expect the best I know I will make time Positively I am confident I do believe It s possible 12

13 Actions to Improve Attitude Get a buddy to support you Associate with positive people Learn from your mistakes Look for successful occurrences 13

14 Evaluate your attitude Evaluate your present attitudes Will take some time Not to see the bad you but a bad attitude Helps you make key changes only when you identify the problem 14

15 The Choice Within You changing your attitude Identify problem feelings What attitudes make you feel the most negative about yourself? Identify problem behavior What attitudes cause you the most problems dealing with others? Identify problem thinking We are the sum of our thoughts Secure commitment What must I do to change? now becomes I must change. The choice to change is the one decision that must be made, and only you can do it Plan and carry out your choice 15

16 Constructing your attitude for possibilities Do not be restrained in your thoughts Do not limit yourself by others expectations Remember: Others can stop you temporarily, but you are the only one who can do it permanently 16

17 Remember these words. AS A MAN THINKETH, SO IS HE 17

18 Contact Information Jimmie H. Vaughn