Attitude
I have just listened to Peter Thomson’s Best Kept Secrets of World’s Greatest Achievers Programme after driving through all the rain up north over the past two days.
I believe this is invaluable to anyone starting up in business, coaches, entrepreneurs alike. I really enjoyed the interviews, particularly on discussing attitude.
It reminded me of a time when I was 17 and began helping my father in an engineering factory in Redditch in 1981. Dad was having real trouble with the workers on the factory floor who historically had been chronically undervalued and were disgruntled over the change in management and pay. Communication had completely broken down. You can imagine how I was received as the new Boss’ daughter who’d come to work for a couple of weeks in the accounts dept. Dad, as a totally free thinker, had tried speaking to the individuals, been seen on the factory floor, dealt with middle management but nothing had seemed to work. We sat down and asked the question - how are we going to make these hard workers feel valued and start communicating? My presence did not appear to be helping. As far as they were concerned I had just walked into a better paid part-time “cushy” job in the accounts department. How could I change this perception? How could I help Dad best? Suddenly the answer came to me. I exchanged my skirt for a boiler suit, bought some paint and brushes and started repainting the enormous ladies toilets on the factory floor. Why? The job needed doing. It showed the boss’ daughter was willing to do a more demeaning job. They had to talk to me. I joked that I would have to start on the men’s next! The whole two weeks I painted. Perception changed and new attitudes meant we all worked together to make the company successful, at every level.
I shall be using this programme often and you can be sure I will be recommending it to all the individuals and business start ups I work with.