Tony and Frances were walking into a classy fast food outlet for a quick bite. They had been attending a job interview and had done quite well during the first two stages earlier that day. With five vacancies to fill and a powerful connection at the blue-chip telecommunications company, they were guaranteed employment.
Besides, they were no push-overs academically and professionally. Both had made First Class for their first degree at the foreign university they attended. They capped that with passing their respective Masters degree examinations in flying colours. While Tony had successfully qualified as a Chartered Accountant at just 22 years of age, his sister (Frances) was already making headlines at the Institute of Management. She had one more diet to complete to qualify as a member of the institute.
The bounce on their heels was evident. Things were going as planned. The final twelve applicants were given one-hour recess to ‘catch their breath’, as the co-ordinating official had put it, before going through the final test. Grapevine whispers indicated that the final stage was going to be a group chat with the Group Managing Director of the telecommunications company who arrived the country about a fortnight ago. The duo literally waltzed into the fast food outlet, talking excitedly about how they will conduct themselves at work, how they will spend their money, how they will invest in this and that…
In their excitement, they did not see him coming. He was in his mid-fifties. He was not that tall but he was quite good looking. He had an unmistaken natural, easy-going dispensation; a man who would rather excuse himself than quarrel over a perceived right.
It was Tony who bumped into him. The man was jolted. As he recovered, both Tony and Frances were yelling at him. While Tony was alluding to how old people ‘walk about anyhow’, Frances was accusing him of trying to ruin her brother’s Gucci suit with his take away ‘stuff’. The man, shocked, stood watching them for a few minutes. Other customers at the scene advised Tony to apologise to the elderly man because he was clearly in the wrong. Tony and Frances would hear none of that. They hissed at the man who had said little throughout the encounter. The man got over the shock and headed to his car. They were so carried away with their feeling to notice that the man’s driver was dressed in suit. Still upset, Tony and his sister walked into the restaurant and managed to eat their meal in suppressed anger. “Imagine that old man trying to ruin a day that had gone so well for us,” Tony murmured. “And if we use our influence as children of the Commissioner of Finance now, people will say that we are peddling influence. Please, let us concentrate on our lunch, jare,” Frances quipped.
It is imperative to state that dealing with attitude problems cannot be external. A person who has a challenge in this area must first own up to this reality and commence the process of ‘shooting that poor attitude down’. Yes, shoot that poor attitude down before it shoots you off your course of progress in career and business. Although people are the most important resource of any organisation, people with poor attitudes are an organisation’s biggest liabilities.
Three hours later, Tony and Frances were in an inconsolable state! What happened? The day had been going well. Why this indescribable, sorry mien?
It turned out that the man Tony had bumped into and they both insulted was Richmond Jones, a Kenyan who was recently transferred from the telecommunications company’s head quarters to oversee the business in West Africa. In this capacity, he led the panel for the group discussion. When Tony, Frances and the other ten finalists entered the expansive Conference Room of the telecommunications giant, the first person both saw was the man they had so denigrated a short while ago.
Shock was an understatement. They were completely flustered. Throughout that session, they could hardly string sentences together. Whenever they spoke, Mr. Jones simply looked at them with a slight smile. They knew this one was over! They will pay for their terrible attitude. If only they had behaved differently…
Attitude has been defined as “a predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. Attitude influences an individual’s choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards (together called stimuli).” – (BusinessDictionary.com)
