WHY YOUR ATTITUDE IS
THE MOST POWERFUL
ASSET AS A LEADER
By Shon Holyfield

As a professional, you might not have
had much choice about where you
came from, the resources you had, or
what happened to you.
But the one thing you absolutely have
control over is your attitude — and this
is your most valuable asset as a leader.

What exactly is attitude?
Attitude is a mental state. It refers to
how you think or feel about something.
You can have a lot of different attitudes
at the same time that reflect many
different facets of your life, such as
how to treat people or approach tasks.

Why does attitude matter?
If you’re like most people, then your
thoughts and feelings decide what you
do. What you do eventually becomes a
characteristic that can define you. So
behavior, characteristics, and attitude
are linked.

You can make it easier to adopt
good, desirable behaviors that
benefit you by choosing to have
a positive or winning attitude.
This is the overall attitude that’s
most foundational to success.

But what does having a positive attitude
mean? It does not mean that you simply
ignore risk or fact, or that you’re happy and
nice to everybody every day. It just means
that no matter what comes your way, you
choose to try to make the best of it.
Your attitude is the one career constant
that people will notice about you.

When you have a negative
attitude, people feel anxious and
less hopeful. So they don’t try as
hard. They also don’t seek you out
because they don’t feel good when
you’re around. Team cohesion and
relationships are weak.

Experience, skill, and knowledge are
always valuable for leaders — but pedigree
or checking off requirements isn’t a
guarantee that you’ll come out on top.
Often, it’s the people who have a positive
attitude that are successful. It may seem
obvious, but it can’t be overstated — a
positive attitude is what enables both the
relationships and grit that success
requires.

Conversely, when your attitude is
positive, you inspire others.
People want to be around you and work
with you more. They are energized and
confident and go after goals. And, they
start to adopt a positive attitude based
on what they see in you.

Experience, skill, and knowledge are
always valuable for leaders — but pedigree
or checking off requirements isn’t a
guarantee that you’ll come out on top.
Often, it’s the people who have a positive
attitude that are successful. It may seem
obvious, but it can’t be overstated — a
positive attitude is what enables both the
relationships and grit that success
requires.

What’s the state of your attitude right
now?
Remember, attitude is always a choice.
By choosing a positive attitude, you are
simultaneously choosing success. Now
is the time to take a hard look at
yourself. Do you really have a positive
attitude? Or could your outlook use
some improvement?

If your attitude needs some work, these
strategies from Clarke University can help:
Surround yourself with positive people and
places. The positive attitude of others will
rub off on you and encourage you to think
and behave in a better way more
consistently.
Hit back at your inner critic. When you find
yourself thinking something negative,
reframe it so you’re focusing on the good.

Do something for someone else. Volunteering and
other acts of kindness can give you a profound
sense of purpose.
Enjoy the simple things. The more you focus on
small joys, the harder it is to lapse into negative
thought patterns that cloud your goals.
Accept love. You are just as deserving as anyone
else. Claim your value so you can believe in
yourself, recover from failure, and keep trying.

Your attitude is by far the biggest
determinant of your success. Embracing
a positive outlook can give you a real
edge, so work on improving the way you
think and behave as much as you can.
Little by little, you really can become
the inspiring, high-achieving person you
wish to be.