In this post I wish to share with you positive attitudes and attributes towards work which would help an employee to produce good work. Favourable attitudes are desired as they tend to be connected with the positive outcomes that employers want. Negative attitudes may result in work slowdowns, absences and employee turnover. They may also be a cause of grievances, low performance, poor product quality, employee theft and disciplinary problems. If the employee who joins the organisation already has the desired work attitudes and attributes, then that organisation will stand to profit from the presence of that employee in the company.
Let me review these positive attitudes and attributes. I will provide a description of each as taken from a research project which I undertook previously with a colleague.
Pride in work
A person who takes pride in his or her work would seek to achieve the best results in all the work which he or she does. The person would also be keen to produce his or her own work and would develop a sense of achievement for the work produced. He or she would also be interested and enthusiastic at all times and would also be able to accept constructive criticism.
Tactfulness
A person who is tactful is able to explain why a contribution made at the workplace is either incomplete or incorrect without upsetting the person who made the contribution. The tactful person is able to get his or her point of view accepted by others without being intimidating and aggressive.
Cooperation
People demonstrate their ability to cooperate by working together in teams and groups. They show positive and supportive behaviour and are willing to share and help others. Cooperative people always have an interest in their colleagues and they are tolerant and respect the views, ideas and behaviour of others.
Initiative
Initiative requires that an individual takes responsibility for actions which have not been specifically delegated; seizes opportunities that might easily be overlooked by others in the organisation; and develops new ideas regardless of assigned duties. Initiative is the power of thinking out a plan and the freedom to propose and execute the plan.
Creativity
Creativity may be defined as the ability to conceive of and initiate change when it is needed, to suggest and follow new directions.
Self-reliance
People should rely on their own effort as much as possible when working on their tasks and projects. They should be able to use resources effectively and be able to source out information on their own.
Perseverance
The employee who is persistent and perseveres, attends to his or her work with diligence and does not give up easily when confronted with a problem. He or she will not only take on tasks willingly but also complete the tasks on time. He or she will always seek ways to improve, put extra effort into his or her work and set high standards.
Willingness to accept responsibility
People who are willing to accept responsibility are usually well motivated and disciplined. They are also dependable and will discharge their responsibilities thoroughly.
Disciplined in terms of time
When people are disciplined in terms of time management they exemplify this by being on time for work, meetings and appointments. They generally maintain regular attendance and they keep to schedules which have either been designed by their superiors or by themselves. They also make it a point to meet all deadlines.
Able to lead
The person who is able to lead has the ability to influence others positively. He/she is able to work and get along with others and has the ability to share work responsibilities and co-ordinate various tasks. He/she is willing to co-operate and is generally fair and honest.
Able to voice ideas
Having ideas alone is not enough. A person should be able to express his/her ideas clearly. He/she should be able to make good presentations, have good delivery skills and diction and have the confidence to suggest ideas.
Confident to speak
This attribute is related to the one above, “Able to voice ideas”. However, the emphasis here is upon participation in a discussion.
Able to solve problems
Problem-solving is the ability to identify problems and their causes, and to find ways to remove or minimize these causes.
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills may be defined as the ability to establish supportive relationships, to anticipate and resolve conflicts, to develop cooperation. Getting along with and relating to others is the emphasis here. Knowing and being known, following accepted rules and norms of behaviour, being assertive without being aggressive are the expectations made upon employees in the work-place. Feeling secure and understanding the ways and means of a large organisation are important to employees.
Willingness to ask questions
People who are willing to ask questions are generally interested and enthusiastic about their work. They are confident to speak up and are not afraid of looking foolish in the eyes of others. They come to meetings well-prepared.
Positive Thinkers
According to some writers positive thinkers are willing to change and almost never complain. They never make excuses and they respect the opinions of others. They think what is good for or helpful to others.
Quality Conscious
People who are quality conscious will attend to their work with diligence and thoroughness. They will set high standards for themselves and put in extra effort.
Widely Read
People who are widely read are generally better informed and have a wide general knowledge. They respond well at meetings and are generally more enthusiastic about their work.
Able to constructively criticize
When employees are able to criticize constructively they demonstrate a greater understanding of their work. They are generally enthusiastic and are well motivated. Such employees are usually confident and willing to speak up. They also have good communication skills.
Conclusion
You may have other attitudes and attributes to add to this list. We can all try to implement these attitudes and attributes in our lives. I leave you with this quotation from Virgil:
“They are able because they think they are able.”
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