Most of us have heard a manager say that someone has an “attitude problem.”
The trouble is that this kind of labelling doesn’t help us understand what is actually happening or what to do next.
This article is part of our Life at Work Series — where we explore the practices, challenges, and lessons that shape our professional lives.
It is also a part of our Team Leader Resource Series and our Leadership Series.
The Three Dimensions of Frontline Performance
When you’re responsible for leading a group of frontline professionals, there are three dimensions of performance that matter:
- Their Productivity — which is measurable
- Their Quality — which is measurable
- Their Attitude — which we often infer from the behaviours we observe
When frontline professionals are delivering on all three of these dimensions, life is good.
We’ve written extensively about both productivity and quality.
But when it comes to attitude, many leaders make the same mistake.
Which Attitude Are You Referring To?
In my VP of Finance & Operations days, if a manager came into my office and told me that their team member had an attitude problem, I would always ask:
Which attitude are you referring to?
If they couldn’t answer, I’d ask them to review the attitudes we had defined in our job descriptions and performance reviews, then come back once they could name that specific attitude.
I wasn’t being unnecessarily difficult. I just wanted us to have clarity about the actual problem.
As leaders, it isn’t helpful to label people as having an attitude problem.
It’s far more useful to name the specific attitude that needs attention and have a meaningful conversation about how to develop it.
What Are Some Common Frontline Attitudes?
Every frontline role requires a mix of attitudes.
The exact list will vary from one organization to another, but the important thing is to identify the attitudes that matter most in your environment and define what each one means.
That way, when it’s time to coach someone, you already know which attitude you’re talking about and what it looks like in practice.
Some common frontline attitudes include:
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Confidence
- Consistency
- Goal Orientation
- Positive Attitude
- Self-Control
- Teamwork
Nobody excels at every attitude. The good news is that attitudes, like skills, can be developed.
Think about your own career.
Chances are there was a time when you lacked confidence, struggled with adaptability, or found it difficult to stay positive under pressure.
Over time, those attitudes developed as you gained experience and received coaching and guidance from others.
People don’t come to work fully formed. We’re all works in progress.
As leaders, that’s our opportunity.
Our role is to help people understand why each attitude matters, what it looks like in practice, and how to demonstrate it in their everyday work.
Have Conversations About Attitude
Many managers don’t talk about attitudes often enough. One reason is that the word “attitude” can feel vague and subjective.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Here’s a simple approach.
Choose the specific attitude you want to discuss.
Don’t talk about an “attitude problem.” Talk about adaptability, teamwork, confidence, self-control, or whichever attitude is most relevant.
Define what that attitude means in your organization.
Don’t assume everyone shares the same understanding. Be clear about the behaviours and standards you expect.
Connect that attitude to the work.
Show people what the attitude looks like in everyday situations so it becomes practical, observable, and coachable.
The best leaders don’t wait until the annual Performance Review to have these conversations.
They talk about attitudes regularly — during coaching sessions, one-to-ones, group discussions, and everyday interactions.
That’s how attitudes become part of everyday conversations rather than just another item on a Performance Review.
The next time you hear someone say a team member has an “attitude problem,” ask a different question:
Which attitude are you referring to?
Thank You for Reading
I regularly share stories, strategies, and insights from our work across Contact Centers, Customer Service, and Customer Experience. If this article resonated with you, I’d be pleased to stay connected.
Feel free to get in touch anytime, or explore more of our work below.
Daniel Ord
[email protected] / www.omnitouchinternational.com
