Are we born with attitudes or do we develop them as we mature? What are the factors
that form our attitudes?
If you have a negative outlook on life because of your environment, can you change your
attitude? Most of our attitude is shaped during our formative years.
There are primarily three factors that determine our attitude. They are:
1. environment
2. experience
3. education
These are called the triple Es of attitude. Let's evaluate each of the factors individually.
1. Environment
Environment consists of the following:
¨ Home: positive or negative influences
¨ School: peer pressure
¨ Work: supportive or over critical supervisor
¨ Media: television, newspapers, magazines, radio, movies
¨ Cultural background
¨ Religious background
¨ Traditions and beliefs
¨ Social environment
¨ Political environment
All of these environments create a culture. Every place be it a home, organization or a
country has a culture.
Have you noticed that sometimes you go to a store and you find the salesperson polite,
the supervisor, manager and owner polite as well? Yet you go to another shop and you
find everyone rude and discourteous.
You go to a home and you find the kids and parents well-behaved, courteous and
considerate. You go to another home where everyone is fighting like cats and dogs.
In countries where the government and political environment is honest, generally you will
find that the people are honest, law abiding and helpful. And the reverse is true too. In a
corrupt environment, an honest person has a tough time. Whereas in an honest
environment, the corrupt one has a tough time.
In a positive environment, a marginal performer's output goes up. In a negative
environment, a good performer's output goes down.
Culture in any place always goes top down, never bottom up. We need to step back and
look at what kind of environment we have created for ourselves and those around us. It is
tough to expect positive behavior in a negative environment. Where lawlessness
becomes the law, honest citizens become cheats, crooks and thieves.
Isn't it time to evaluate the environment that we are in or we have created for others?
2. Experiences
Our behavior changes according to our experiences with people and events in our life. If
we have a positive experience with a person, our attitude toward him becomes positive
and vice versa.
3. Education
I refer to both formal and informal education, not just academic qualifications. Knowledge
strategically applied translates into wisdom, ensuring success. I talk of education in the
broader sense. It makes the role of the ; educator vital. A teacher affects eternity. The
ripple effect is immeasurable.
We are drowning in information but starving for knowledge and wisdom. Education ought
to teach us not only how to make a living but also how to live.
that form our attitudes?
If you have a negative outlook on life because of your environment, can you change your
attitude? Most of our attitude is shaped during our formative years.
There are primarily three factors that determine our attitude. They are:
1. environment
2. experience
3. education
These are called the triple Es of attitude. Let's evaluate each of the factors individually.
1. Environment
Environment consists of the following:
¨ Home: positive or negative influences
¨ School: peer pressure
¨ Work: supportive or over critical supervisor
¨ Media: television, newspapers, magazines, radio, movies
¨ Cultural background
¨ Religious background
¨ Traditions and beliefs
¨ Social environment
¨ Political environment
All of these environments create a culture. Every place be it a home, organization or a
country has a culture.
Have you noticed that sometimes you go to a store and you find the salesperson polite,
the supervisor, manager and owner polite as well? Yet you go to another shop and you
find everyone rude and discourteous.
You go to a home and you find the kids and parents well-behaved, courteous and
considerate. You go to another home where everyone is fighting like cats and dogs.
In countries where the government and political environment is honest, generally you will
find that the people are honest, law abiding and helpful. And the reverse is true too. In a
corrupt environment, an honest person has a tough time. Whereas in an honest
environment, the corrupt one has a tough time.
In a positive environment, a marginal performer's output goes up. In a negative
environment, a good performer's output goes down.
Culture in any place always goes top down, never bottom up. We need to step back and
look at what kind of environment we have created for ourselves and those around us. It is
tough to expect positive behavior in a negative environment. Where lawlessness
becomes the law, honest citizens become cheats, crooks and thieves.
Isn't it time to evaluate the environment that we are in or we have created for others?
2. Experiences
Our behavior changes according to our experiences with people and events in our life. If
we have a positive experience with a person, our attitude toward him becomes positive
and vice versa.
3. Education
I refer to both formal and informal education, not just academic qualifications. Knowledge
strategically applied translates into wisdom, ensuring success. I talk of education in the
broader sense. It makes the role of the ; educator vital. A teacher affects eternity. The
ripple effect is immeasurable.
We are drowning in information but starving for knowledge and wisdom. Education ought
to teach us not only how to make a living but also how to live.
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