Got attitude? Published Dec. 9, 2009 By Lt. Col. John F. Price, Jr Commander, 6th Airlift Squadron JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- You've heard comments about your attitude all of your life. You've probably heard the pointed "watch your attitude" remarks from your parents while growing up. You've also heard the more recent leadership guidance of "have a good/positive attitude" toward some change in your work setting. As a commander, I spend a great deal of time emphasizing the importance of attitude to every member of the Bully Beef Express. I am convinced that an individual's attitude has more to do with his or her day-to-day performance than any other personal aspect, more so than personality and talents. It is primarily attitude that separates the "half empties" in life from the "half fulls." It is attitude that drives our basic approach to interacting with others and defines how we do our jobs. Attitude should be evaluated on par with performance for two very important reasons. First, an individual's attitude is 100-percent controllable. We cannot control the circumstances of our lives, but we do have complete control over how we react to them. That reaction shows a lot about who we are as individuals. Second, attitudes are highly contagious. Each individual's attitude overflows into his or her actions, speech and body language. Some attitudes may be harder to read or may be intentionally masked by the individual for short periods. But given time, the true attitude of each individual shines through very clearly and is one of the best indicators of individual performance and future potential. Your attitude dictates how you deal with coworkers and customers, react to disappointment and success, and approach daily tasks. If you have not taken the time recently to assess your attitude, you may be unaware of the impact you are having on those around you and on your organization. If you don't know the status of your attitude, all you need to do is ask because it is very likely that those around you know exactly what kind of attitude you bring into the work environment each day. It is also likely that same attitude is pervasive in your social environment. So, you can probably ask your friends and family for a good assessment. Choosing our attitude is a conscious decision each of us is faced with every day and it is one of the most important actions we take. Each of us have two very important tests for our attitudes. The first is our choice of whether or not to embody the "Can Do" legacy that should define the Team McGuire approach to each other and the mission. The second is our attitude toward "jointness," which is critical to the success of our JB MDL team. The "Can Do" motto of the 305th Air Mobility Wing should define our basic response to all aspects of our job. Customers, projects and mission demands must all be approached with a positive attitude focused on customer service and overcoming obstacles to accomplish the mission. The "Can Do" attitude is built on a clear understanding of how you contribute to the wing mission, a confidence that comes from personal excellence in knowing your specialty and a willingness to put the needs of the mission and the customer ahead of yourself. A second attitude check that is very important for all members of JB MDL, is your attitude toward the unique joint team we have formed from three separate installations. Since the release of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986, two disparate versions of jointness have emerged in our military culture. One attitude of jointness is epitomized in the Department of Defense Dictionary definition of joint: "Connotes activities, operations, organizations, etc. in which elements of two or more military departments participate." This version of jointness represents a minimalist attitude in which members of the different services simply occupy shared workspace or share tasks. This version of jointness does very little to promote unity and cohesion among the services. A more appropriate version of joint is captured in the definition: "Formed or characterized by cooperation or united action." I am confident this is the attitude of jointness that Senator Goldwater and Representative Nichols originally sought to create in our military. It is the attitude all members of the JB MDL team need to have to ensure our collective success during these formative years. So, in answer to the "got attitude" question, everyone should respond with a resounding "yes". The real question is -- what kind of attitude do you have and what impact is it having on our team? We all must remember our daily attitude choice either contributes to or detracts from our overall mission accomplishment efforts. Think about it -- choosing your attitude is completely in your control and is the most important decision you make each day. A great deal has been written in modern leadership books about attitudes, but few have captured the essence of its importance as well as Dr. Charles Swindoll. His comments capture the enormous and pervasive impact attitude has and emphasizes the importance of the attitude choices we make. He said: "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. The remarkable thing is -- we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our pas t... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent of how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."