You have heard it many times before and this is so because it is true. Attitude starts at the top and spreads throughout the organization, good or bad!

This is a critically important fact to understand as it frequently determines the success or failure of a business organization.

Bosses that show up late and leave early present a bad example to the staff. Bosses that come in early and leave late set an example that is productive and respected, and fosters better work ethics and commitments.

Bosses that treat the employees with respect and consideration, getting to know their personal lives and families and demonstrating care and concern, will not only get the same in return but their actions will promote the same good behavior among employees and with customers.  Employees will enjoy their work experience more, performing more effectively, and the customers will be happy.

Bosses who take cash from the till in plain sight of the workers are inviting the employees to steal as it then becomes common knowledge that the boss steals and thus there are no cash controls so anyone could steal… therefore it’s ok to do.

Bosses who have no inventory controls, who allow staff workers to take reams of paper home for their home office, are acknowledging stealing from the company is acceptable.

Bosses who pay no heed to quality control will foster poor quality workmanship.  Cutting corners becomes the standard, the norm. 

Bosses who have high standards and implement an exacting and professional level quality control program will instill pride in the work effort and quality in the product. This will also be demonstrated in the pride the workers have in working for such a company.

Bosses who bend over backwards to honor their customers, who will do anything to please them, demonstrate  by living their ethics demonstrating it to his employees.  Thus, employees will act similarly towards the customers, doing  the same things, bending over backwards to  satisfy the customers needs and desires, going the extra mile, doing the unexpected and the unrequired.

Bosses who condone bad behavior from employees, who support bad behavior as acceptable, create an environment for good employees to start acting poorly.

Bosses who do not fire employees for breaching important company standards condone the employees bad behavior as it now becomes acceptable behavior and all rules are then available for breaking.

Bosses who speak poorly of their difficult customers will develop this attitude throughout the organization and the customers will feel this and return the same attitude toward the business, or not do business at all with them.

Bosses who allow bad behavior in the business by specific employees without chastising, or somehow demonstrating the required attitude and behavior, will allow this employee to spoil many others he comes in contact with.

It seems so obvious, yet when I recently spent a week at a resort and found everyone absolutely unhelpful, surly, uncooperative in every possible way, unwilling to please the customers and definitely not going the extra step to accommodate anyone, I was amazed.  I investigated this aura of bad attitude and determined, after talking with the manager, that he treated his employees very poorly.  Likewise, his disdain for his customers was also quite obvious once I had a chance to talk with him. No wonder this attitude was prevalent. It spread throughout the entire workforce, because it starts at the top whether it be good, bad or ugly.

Frequently, when times are tough, if the boss demonstrates fear, depression, failure, desperation, or a negative belief in his potential success, the employees will  begin looking for other jobs. A positive disposition and a belief in future success will inspire employees to strive alongside the leader and achieve greatness in the face of adversity.

Businesses experiencing difficult cash flow that results in the boss complaining about not having enough capital, will result in unhappy employees, as they will no longer be supported by the boss’s vision, as it is clouded.

The lesson? As an owner, your business reflects you,  your personality, character, attitude and standards. You are the definitive leader, the owner, the trend setter.  Make what you want of it, but be aware that your default mode is what you bring to the business, every day. Respect  your employees and your customers and respect will be returned to you three fold.  Treat your business, employees, and customers with contempt and that is what you will get back. Reflect  anger and frustration and that too will be reflected in your entire company. You are the leader, and where you go the entire company will follow.

Your business is the mirror image of what you bring to it, good, bad or ugly.  Check yourself out, you may be the source for required change if your company is under-performing, check it out.