The Power To Be Positive Lies Within You
By Ted Ings, Executive Director
“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.”
Attitude is everything. When you walk into a dealership and someone smiles at you, you automatically smile in return. When someone greets you, your immediate reaction is to greet them. It’s human nature. We all subconsciously react to the people and environment around us and as a salesperson, your attitude is crucial to your success. It determines how your colleagues react to you and how much they support you, but it also determines the type of relationship you have with your customers.
Attitude is a choice
The attitude that you bring to the workplace is an expression of yourself and it defines and determines your level of success. There are many things in life that you can’t control - the weather, the traffic, the economy, global politics- but you do have control over your attitude. You can choose to be positive or negative and you will reap the rewards of that choice. A negative attitude almost always leads to negative outcomes while a positive attitude leads to positive results.
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If you have a bad attitude it will negatively affect everyone around you. Nobody will want to work with your or pass on any referrals, you won’t have many customers (and the ones you do have won’t be back to do repeat business) and this will decrease your chances of success. But when you have a positive attitude and the right mindset, it rubs off on everyone around you. Your colleagues will appreciate working with you and customers will enjoy purchasing vehicles from you, turning once-off sales into repeat business.
Attitude shapes perceptions
Everyone has heard the expression, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” and it may be trite and overused, but it is a popular saying because it resonates with so many people and there is truth in it. Your attitude determines how you interpret events. No matter what job you have or industry you work in, you will always encounter obstacles, its how you deal with these obstacles that counts.
Your attitude will determine how you perceive obstacles and overcome them. If you see an obstacle as a stepping stone to the next level of success or merely a distraction that needs to be dealt with before you can move on, then you will overcome it and be a step closer to achieving your goal. But if you see an obstacle as something that you can’t overcome and can’t find a way around, you will fail not because of the size of the obstacle but because of your attitude. The key to success is realizing that it is not what happens to you that matters most, it how you choose to respond and the attitude that you choose to embrace that determines whether you succeed or fail.
Positivity flows from the top down
Nobody feels like going to work every single day, and that’s natural. But if you choose to go with a positive attitude you make the day better for yourself and everyone around you, especially if you are in a management position. Your employees will respond to your attitude. If you come to work with a negative attitude it won’t just affect your day, it will affect the mood of your employees as well as your business. The employee's outlook will begin to mirror that of management, and they will become depressed, lethargic and unwilling to try new things.
People who are surrounded by negativity generally don’t work well together, are unwilling to cooperate and develop unhealthy rivalries with their colleagues because a negative attitude, especially from management, creates an atmosphere of distrust in the workplace. And this is not good for your business because productivity will suffer, there will be poor customer engagement and a decrease in sales.
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But of course, the opposite is also true. Positivity in the workplace has many advantages and positive people feel they can conquer the world. When management has a positive attitude and fosters positivity in the workplace, it nurtures healthy competition and there is an increase in production, an improvement in morale and camaraderie, lower turnover of employees and a willingness to share information and ideas. People who work in a positive environment, where their ideas are valued and respected, are far more likely to collaborate and work as a team, encouraging creativity and out of the box thinking that can contribute to the success of your dealership. When employees enjoy coming to work, they will be friendlier and work harder, and this will lead to improved customer service and an increase in sales.
Cultivate positivity in the workplace
Your attitude determines the attitude of those around you, but there are also other steps that you can take to foster a culture of positivity in your dealership. And it’s actually not that difficult. For the most part, it is just treating people with respect and being inclusive and supportive. Your employees will mirror your attitude and behavior. If you treat everyone with respect, they will treat each other with respect.
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Celebrate everyone’s successes and give credit where credit is due. Express your appreciation for a job well done and give encouragement to those who might be struggling. A few simple words of inspiration can turn someone’s day around and help them close a deal that may have stalled. You can also increase positivity in your business by employing optimistic people with positive attitudes. Be on the lookout for negative behavior in your dealership and do not allow it to take root and thrive. Deal with any negativity as soon as you see it and get everyone back on the same page.
A positive attitude is a good lifestyle choice
Choosing to be a positive person not only impacts on your work environment, but it also has an effect on your entire life and is good for your mental and physical wellbeing. A positive attitude improves your interpersonal skills and allows you to build strong, healthy relationships with your friends and family. It makes it easier for you to cope in stressful situations, it increases your self-esteem and confidence, enhances your decision-making ability, helps you overcome challenges and improves your motivation. And when you are positive, it is not only good for your own life, it is good for the lives of everyone around you. So why would you not choose to have a positive attitude?