How Attitude is Like a Cold

hate being sick. The runny nose, the coughing, the sneezing, the fever, and the chills. You know what I am talking about.  I have noticed since I have kids and since my wife works in an elementary school, there are all kinds of “bugs” that get brought home. And as careful I can be washing my hands and disinfecting everything when they are contagious there are still times when I “catch” what they have and get sick.

The Law of the Bad Apple

Did you know that attitude is contagious too? Did you know your attitude, good or bad can be caught by other people? If you don’t believe me, think about the people you work with. Think about those people with negative attitudes. It doesn’t take long for their complaining, their glass half full mentality to start to affect you in a not so good way. John Maxwell calls it The Law of the Bad Apple. Here is how he describes it: Several things on a team are not contagious. Talent. Experience. Willingness to practice. But you can be sure of one thing: Attitude is catching. When someone on the team is teachable and his humility is regarding by improvement, others are more likely to display similar characteristics. When a leader is upbeat in the face of discouraging circumstances, others admire that quality and want to be like her. When a team member displays a strong work ethic and begins to have a positive impact, other imitate him…People have a tendency to adopt the attitudes of those they spend time with-to pick up on their mind-set, beliefs, and approaches to challenges.[1]

Polluter or Purifier

To put in another way are you a polluter or a purifier? You get the word picture right? Polluters are those people who are always negative, the Eyore (in case you don’t know, Eyore is the negative donkey from Winnie the Pooh) of the organization where the sky is always falling, the glass is always half empty, and they are always the martyr. Do you know polluters in your life or are you a polluter?

Purifiers are those people that always have a positive attitude. Always see the possibilities. They are the Tiggers (Tigger is the positive tiger from Winnie the Pooh) of the organization. They look for the good in everything and everyone. They are the cheerleaders and encouragers. They are the antidote for the polluters because they “clean the air”, giving fresh perspectives and lifting people up.

So are you a polluter or a purifier? If you don’t know and want an honest answer, ask the people around you. If you don’t have the courage to do that, just watch how people respond to you and you will know what kind of person you are.

I hope that you are a “contagious” leader whose positive attitude infects everyone you come in contact with. If you are, then you are going to impact so many people in a favorable way.

Conversation

• Are you a polluter or a purifier? Are there areas where you want to grow to be a better purifier?

• How can you react to the polluters in your life?