Globally, organizations are constantly faced with the need to change so as to increase their chances of survival in the organizational environment. African, and for that matter Ghanaian organizations, are not immune to these developments. The Ghanaian banking as well as telecommunication industries are examples of organizations that have had to face constant change in order to stay buoyant. Effective leadership is one of most essential means for these organizations to sustain their businesses in the face of problems caused by the rapid growth of the economic environment.
Extensive training, a handful of certificates, or an impressive resume are some of the key contributory factors of effective leadership. However, these crucial factors have to be coupled with the positive mental attitude of the leader to ensure the leader’s effectiveness. Attitude plays an important role, as Leaders with negative mental attitudes inadvertently create work environments that limit the growth and development of their subordinates. This is made evident from the fact that in Ghana, there is an on going conversation about how attitudes in organizations – be it from managers or their subordinates – have on change mechanisms in the organization. Negative attitudes at the workplace are one of the biggest challenges facing Ghanaian businesses, managers and employees.
In Keith Harrell’s book “Attitude is Everything”, it was stated that, a person with a negative attitude has the same power to influence others as a person with a positive attitude. The difference however, appears in the results. Positive attitudes in the workplace help improve transparency, communications and teamwork. The opposite however, can be said for negative attitudes. They dismantle teamwork, increase stress and cripple productivity.
Harrell illustrates in his book how some leaders criticize and ware down mentally and physically their employees by focusing on what the employee did wrong instead of focusing on what was needed to be done to become better or offering suggestions about what can be done best.
Harrell identifies some of the most common underlying causes of negative mental attitudes. These underlying causes of negative mental attitudes apply to Leaders also and include:
Low self-esteem: such leaders have a habit of putting their employees down. They tend to blame others or other circumstances for their personal mistakes.
Stress: when leaders feel burnt-out and become easily frustrated and experience difficulty in focusing on a single task for an extended period of time.
Fear: psychologist say the word “FEAR” is an acronym that stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. Though natural and instinctive, it becomes problematic when an individual perceives his/her emotion as being real. A fear-induced attitude can render the most effective and efficient person totally useless. In other words, fear locks you up like an engine without oil. It immobilizes you. Employees can sense fear and this lowers their response to any kind of change initiated by such a leader.
Pessimism: is the outward expression of bad attitude. If a leader’s attitude is to see the “glass as half empty rather than half full”, then it may be a signal of a bad attitude induced by pessimism. Such individuals are vision or dream killers. In effect, such kinds of leaders stifle the growth of their employees.
Like many other skills, successful leadership attitude is something that can be developed and it can be done through the following means:
Positive Communication: As a leader, your influence will carry great weight if you develop an attitude that chooses to congratulate and encourage. A leader who takes the time to acknowledge the hard work of his/her staff is going to build a strong, trust-based team.
Take Responsibility: A leader can delegate responsibilities but must take control at all times due to the fact that the leader is solely responsible for any delegated activity. A clear telltale sign of a good leader is one who steps up and accepts responsibility each and every time. There is nothing worse than a leader who will step aside and let one of their team members take the blame for an unfortunate situation or outcome.
Show Empathy: A successful leader has a high level of emotional intelligence. They have an understanding of where the other person is coming from, even if they don’t agree with them. Showing empathy to staff members will contribute significantly to positive workplace culture and job satisfaction.
Adaptability: Most simply stated, an effective change leader is someone who demonstrates adaptability. A successful change leader is someone who is able to deviate from his or her natural orientation and adopt the style of leadership that is best suited to the situational characteristics with which they are faced.
Networking: A good leader must be highly networked, socially, politically, internationally, among others, in other to succeed in driving change in an organization, thereby creating opportunities for all.
Negative attitudes are highly contagious and even more so on the job. Thus, exhibiting these negative attitudes will cause the subordinates of such a leader to also display negative attitudes in the workplace. Leaders must avoid corrupt acts and act ethically at all times in accordance with standard code of ethics in the organisation. Good behaviour and high moral character are the hallmark of a good leader.
A leader must lead by example, respect time, act timely and act with integrity.
This is a cue to African and Ghanaian change leaders/managers to adapt positive mental attitudes in order to make their change mechanisms more effective. Subordinates and followers are also advised to see change as an opportunity at all times and not to resist change.
About the Author:
Lawyer Benjamin Kweku Acolatse, FCILG is the Deputy Director of Ghana Railway Development Authority and a NEC member of CILG Ghana.
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