"But how?" was the question I received after my previous post Drop the 'Tude, "I don't know HOW to change and drop the 'tude."
My answer: I'm going to ask you to move from Level 1 to Level 5. See if you recognize yourself in any of the levels below. The goal is to move up a level whenever you can.
Level 1: The "It's Not Fair!" Level
At this level, a person only knows that she is unhappy and is looking around for reasons to blame. The words we hear from a level 1 are along the lines of "It's not fair!" "Why is he getting away with it?" "It's not my job" "No one cares about me". This person wants things done her way, is easily upset and believes it is the responsiblity of other people to make all her problems go away.
Level 2: The "Here's the Problem!" Level
At this level, a person is able to identify problems and articulate the need to fix them. He knows that by asking for help, it draws attention to the issues. He is proactive about pointing out what needs to be done to fix the problems, but does not contribute to the solution. We hear things like "Why don't they just...?" "The problem is..." "Someone should tell them that this needs to be fixed." This person often creates drama around a problem.
Level 3: The "How Can I Help?" Level
At this level, a person understands that she can be part of the solution and asks people how she can contribute to help solve the problem. She is happy to be a part of the solution. We hear things like "How can I help?" "Do you need help?" "Should we...?" "Why don't we...?" This person not only idenfities problems, but offers to respond with assistance.
Level 4: The "What Else Can I Do?" Level
At this level, a person has already been actively contributing to solving issues and is now proactively looking at other ways to make things better. A Level 4 no longer talk about problems or about what is wrong. He recognizes that everything requires investment of time and energy. He is always looking for ways to avoid future problems through planning, collaborating, listening and responding.
Level 5: The "Bring It!" Level
At this level, a person just exudes the ability to handle anything. In fact, a Level 5 makes things happen before anyone realizes there is a problem. She is so amazing, she just achieves and accomplishes with no muss, no fuss, no drama. She is always in a "Game On!" mode.
If you have ever worked with an entire team of Level 5 people, you know what it's like to be on a winning team! There's a flow that you cannot explain. Everything just comes together. You too can be a part of that. Just bring it.
