Our Attitude Determines our Altitude

A few weeks ago, a customer and local photographer contacted me and asked if there was any way she could get on top of one of our water tanks to take some aerial photographs of the Greek Orthodox Church. My immediate thought was to react with an emphatic, NO!

That’s too dangerous!

It takes specials skills, equipment, certifications, and permits! 

Besides, I have been here ten years and I have never even been on top of that tank.

However in my next thought, I realized I was falling into the same pattern as so many individuals who work in the public sector: a bias for saying NO. You see, our roles are subject to greater public scrutiny because we are seen as a government agency responsible for taxpayer money. Because of this, we perceive our jobs as living in a fishbowl where the public is constantly watching and waiting for us to do something wrong. Screw-ups in government often become front-page news. Consequently, we become averse to making even minor decisions which are outside of the norm. We often think to ourselves, if nothing happens, nothing bad can happen. Saying NO just feels safer.

Realizing my immediate reaction was negative, I thought to myself, How can I say YES? How would it be possible for her to get the aerial shots she needed? Once I committed to finding a way to say YES, the ideas started flowing. 

Maybe our tank maintenance contractor could provide the safety equipment and training. 

Maybe the contractor could take the photographs himself. 

Perhaps the photographer has access to an aerial drone. 

Wait, what about the photographer who recently took the group shot of our employees with his drone? 

And on and on…

We have a core value here at my organization of providing excellent customer service. One of the ways we have always done this is by finding ways to tell our customers YES. We always try to go above and beyond what they have come to expect. We have located pipes for customers on private property; we help find leaks inside their homes; we coordinate cleaning contractors for customers who have experienced a toilet backup; we have replaced mailboxes, grass, and rose bushes to satisfy our customers. There are truly so many ways we can find to say YES to our customers.

Developing this bias for saying Yes has positively impacted our reputation in this community. It can positively impact your personal life as well. A leadership coach visited our organization recently and gave his inspirational presentation. He explained to us how our attitude determines our altitude. He asked us to think about how we react when faced with a new situation. 

• Do we get excited and think, “I can hardly wait?” 
• Or are we cautious and think, “I’ll wait and see?” 
• Or do we have a negative attitude and decide, “I don’t want to do this?”

I overcame my initial negative bias and helped this photographer find a way to get her photos. Together, she and I achieved the altitude we wanted to reach. Will you do the same at your public organization?