How to Adopt a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) during a Downturn or Sales Slump
My number 1 tip for success in turbulent times is adopting a Positive Mental Attitude (or PMA) in Life and at Work. You’ll need good leadership and communication in a downturn – A calm, caring and supportive Leader.
Smart Leaders have a positive, growth-oriented mindset and work on continual and never-ending improvement. For years this “winners mindset” has also included a PMA or a positive mental attitude, a Can-Do approach and a solid work ethic. Nobody wants to work for a cranky old owner!
THE POWER OF ADOPTING A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE (PMA)
Steve Lange is the founder of New Zealand’s largest independent tyre chain, Tony’s Tyres. He was responsible for growing the chain to 19 tyre stores and eventually selling it for millions. He now runs many other businesses using the same successful techniques.
At a conference in Fiji, he offered three steps for business success
- Adopting a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA)
- Training staff to follow procedures and monitoring use of the procedures
- Motivating staff using incentives – Setting targets (Triggers) & tracking the results
His number 1 tip for success was adopting a Positive Mental Attitude or PMA.
It turns out that both Steve Lange and I had discovered Dale Carnegie early in our business careers and been impacted by his ideas. Steve had attended one of his courses and I had read a great Dale Carnegie book called “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.
I discovered Dale Carnegie early in my business career when my first business was in trouble. It is my #1 book recommendation for success with people, sales and leadership. It is a life changer!
The book was written in 1936 and contains the recipe for business success. Here is a quick summary:
FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUES IN HANDLING PEOPLE
- Don’t criticize, condemn or complain
- Give honest & sincere appreciation
- Arouse in the other person an eager want
SIX WAYS TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU
- Become genuinely interested in other people
- Smile!
- Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
- Be a Good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
- Talk in terms of the other persons interests
- Make the other person feel important
The book also contains 12 more ideas to win people to your way of thinking and 9 more great ideas to be a better leader.
WIN PEOPLE TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING
- The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it
- Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say “You’re Wrong”
- If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically
- Begin in a friendly way
- Get the other person saying “Yes, Yes” immediately (start with the agreed items)
- Let the other person do a great deal of the talking
- Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers
- Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view
- Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires
- Appeal to nobler motives
- Dramatize your ideas
- Throw down a challenge – suggest a higher goal or purpose for them
HOW TO BE A BETTER LEADER
A leader’s job often includes changing people’s attitudes & behaviour
- Begin with praise and honest appreciation
- Call attention to people’s mistake indirectly
- Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person
- Ask questions instead of giving direct orders
- Let the other person save face
- Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be “Hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise”
- Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to
- Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct
I had that list of 29 actions up on my office wall and regularly repeated those ideas to myself and others – using them as my “Mantras” for success. It turns out that what you repeatedly say to yourself (your “little voice” in your head) changes and guides your behaviour over time.
Positive thinking and behaviour start with having a positive mental attitude (PMA).
Do YOU need an Attitude Adjustment?
This is an old Chinese saying – “The Fish rots from the head down” which means that if there are problems in any business – it starts at the top – with the boss.
The team is always a reflection of the boss and the business results are a reflection of your team. If you are NOT getting the business results you want, start with improving your own attitude and mindset.
A 10% Shift in your head can have a 100%+ shift in business profitability. Start with improving your mindset, customer experience and pricing confidence.
If your attitude is not as positive as you would like, there are some steps that you can take to correct your “stinking thinking”, stop being a “CRAP magnet” and a “festering pus bag of unhappiness”. Stop being a “cranky frank” or “feryl beryl” – if your attitude really needs it – seek professional or medical help.
Shifting from a Grumpy Attitude to a Great Attitude
Start with any improvement your diet, exercise, attitude and lifestyle.
Start to focus on what is working and what’s GREAT. You can use the following questions for re-engaging and refocussing mindset and attitude.
Ask yourself and others some better questions…
- “What are you grateful for?”
- “What’s working for you?”
- “What do you like about it?”
- “What are you looking forward to?”
- “What can we do?”
- “What’s the next step?
PLAYING ‘THE PMA GAME’ – “How are you?”
We played the “Positive Mood & Attitude” game at a conference recently. This game is easy. You just ask someone “How are you?” to check their mood and attitude. The whole mood of the conference shifted as attendees started to answer “Fantastic”, “Great” and “Awesome”. There was a buzz for days at the conference as people got the idea.
The words that you and your staff use to describe your mood and attitude determine your level of success. Please avoid being negative, critical, sarcastic or complaining. A Positive & Optimistic attitude is infectious and attracts more customers.
You can change your own attitude by changing the words you use. By changing the language of the team – you can change the culture of the workplace and the results of your store. These words are used on the phone and forecourt with customers. It makes for a fun and happy workplace.
You can check the mood and attitude of own your team members by asking “How are You?”. Checking their self talk to find out if they use positive attitude words (see below).
POSITIVE ATTITUDE WORDS – when asked “How are You?”
- Great
- Awesome
- Fantastic
- Marvellous
- Terrific
- Pumped
- Amazing
- Delightful
SOME WORDS TO AVOID USING – when asked “How are You?”
- Good
- OK
- Alright
- Not Bad
- Average
- Ordinary
- Can’t Complain
- Not dead yet
You can also play the PMA game every time you answer the phone
Answer your phone with enthusiasm and a smiley face attitude – “Thanks for calling (business). This is (name)” Upswing your vocal tone at the end of the sentence. Use as many positive words when greeting and talking to customers. Ask a question and use a positive word. “That’s Awesome” and “Terrific”.
10 TIPS TO HARNESS THE POWER OF PMA – Positive Mental Attitude
1. Learn to Manage Your “Little Voice” (your own Self-Talk)
What you say to yourself becomes your reality – You can believe and achieve. Use more “I am…” phrases to improve confidence and self-belief.
Try saying
- “I am a positive person”
- “I am successful”
- “I am great at …..”
- “I am great at numbers”
Adopt a more positive mindset – your ABC’s – adjust your Attitude, Beliefs & Confidence
2. Find What’s WORKING – Find & Focus on more Good News, Small Wins and Personal Bests
Collect and distribute your good news stories, happy customer stories & testimonials – especially thank you cards, video testimonials, case studies, successful campaigns, positive online reviews to boost team morale.
3. Look for the Good – Train your brain to find more success and more prospects
Your brain has the amazing ability to find the things that you look for. You find what you’re looking for – so look for your ideal clients and ideal results. “What you focus on expands” and “You get what you genuinely expect”. Be clear about your ideal clients, referrals and alliances.
Work out what you really WANT (Avoid thinking about what you don’t want).
4. Surround Yourself with a TEAM of POSITIVE PEOPLE that can help you
- Build a better relationship with your supportive spouse and positive friends
- Form a “mastermind” group of your peers
- Get a local business coach in the local area
- Get a better accountant (with industry expertise)
- Find an older, wiser business mentor in the local community for advice
5. Marinate your brain in PMA material from the GURUS
Read and listen to more books and CDs by PMA positivity experts –
- Brian Tracy
- Jim Rohn
- Zig Ziglar
- Denis Waitley
- Napoleon Hill
Or some modern Aussie experts – Paul Hanna and Keith Abraham
Find some motivational quotes that you really like and put them up on the wall.
6. Fill your head with PMA ideas – Leaders are Readers.
Start by turning off your TV – it’s an automatic income-reducing device anyway – and spend some quality time reading these classic PMA books or listening to audiobooks. You’ll be happier, more positive and more successful.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- You Can Do It and Believe & Achieve – two great books by Paul Hanna
- The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
- The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard
- Learned Optimism & Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman
- Why People Fail by Siimon Reynolds
Get more Positive Resources to stay on track
- Read a copy of Dave’s FREE E-BOOK – “Adopting a winner’s mindset”
- Get the set of positive sayings as postcards and posters and put them up around the store
Be a BEACON of Positivity, Optimism and Love – and watch your business GROW in Tough Times!
