Attitude: Do You Have a Service-Driven Mind Set?
This week I had an ah-hah moment, although it had actually been incubating for a long time.
Although we are in a recession, there are business owners, contractors, and consultants I know who are crazy busy. Most of my clients are working, and they are crazy busy. If generally speaking, it is believed that there are few jobs and business is down, how can that be?
After considering the commonalities between the people I know who are busy, and those who are not, I was able to identify connections between apparent mind sets and observable results. The people I know who are truly service-driven, customer focused, attentive, responsive, willing to try something new and ready to solve problems, all seem to be busy. In contrast, the people I know (from personal experience) who are slow to respond, unwilling to think out of the box, unwilling to get uncomfortable and have a ‘what’s in it for me’ attitude, all seem to be idle.
Now, this is just my observation of the people I know or come in contact with, but perhaps something to consider if you are not getting the results you desire. Are you willing to change your mind set enough to see if you are able to produce different results?
Right On!!!
You might want to add people that can hunker down, roll with the punches, and have the attitude of “I’m going to make this work! I’m not going to give up!” People who aren’t too afraid, too inflexible, or too proud to do something that isn’t quite what they want. Take that job while you continue to hunt for what you really want to do! It’s work! I believe that employers are likely to have a better attitude about somebody that is working while they’re hunting for work. Besides, it feels better to be working than not be working.
I went through a very rough time in 1982. I was living in the Hermiston, OR area and had a young wife and two small children. A lot of people weren’t working but I collected 8 W-2’s that year. I didn’t have any of the sophisticated resources that we have up here in the Seattle area. I did it the old fashioned way – beat the bushes and look under the rocks! I had to focus on what I could do and not be afraid to try things. I got laid off of a few jobs for not meeting the employer’s standards but I got some valuable experience and some good practice at job hunting. Giving up and letting somebody do it for me was not an option and it is still not an option!
Sorry folks! Sitting around, wanting people to feel sorry for you, not wanting to settle for anything less than that “perfect” job and waiting for the perfect job fairy to wave her magic wand and give it to you – these are not good options!