Relationships Matter
Relationships Matter
In this series, we’ll discuss some of the common, and not-so-common, issues that arise in and outside of workplaces.
Attitude or Behaviour - which comes first?
How often do we hear it? A new person joins an organisation and, for a time at least, continually refers to procedures or policies at their previous employment as better than here. Fast forward a few years, and it stops, or reduces markedly.
How about this.? The speed limit around school zones is limited to 40kph. Someone drives through at 60 or 70. Our reaction is understandably one of disgust, or at least strong disapproval. At an earlier time however, the reduced speed limit didn’t exist.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s about how we’ve been raised, or wearing a uniform, we have our behaviour governed, and ultimately our attitudes established. Of course we need to behave in a civilised way if we’re going to play our part in the community, or an organisation, or conduct ourselves in a manner acceptable to society. Once set, those attitudes are pretty much locked in and only another significant event will change them.
Witness, for example, the person who spends their life making money and accumulating houses, cars and material things, only to become ill, and then all those cars become instantly valueless; worthless. They then take another step and start to resent those material things because of what they represent, which is waste. Time could have been spent better with family and friends, or on experiences (that no-one can take away).
We also may hear of someone not being allocated a position because they don’t have the right attitude. Well possibly so, but maybe if we look behind the attitude, we’ll find someone who’s adaptable also.
People bring their backgrounds to professional and personal relationships all the time. It can be very hard to adapt to new circumstances and can take a lot of self-awareness and work to do so, but the rewards can also be outstanding when we make the effort.
Where to then with the question? Attitude or behaviour? We can keep going back and forward with it but for the most part in my view, we’re certainly influenced by our experiences, setting our attitudes.