Ricky Brown is the founder and president of Speak Life Inc., as well as the author of “The Five Hazardous Attitudes: Ways to Win the War Within.” Ricky’s book and proprietary framework is impacting corporate America in the area of leadership development. He has over 20 years of leadership, as well as ministry experience. Ricky is available for keynotes, seminars and leadership development workshops. Go to architectyourattitude.com for more information. Find his new book on Amazon.

Have you ever heard the phrase “your attitude determines your altitude”? This phrase implies that if you have the right attitude, there is nothing that can stop you from achieving your goals. We often hear about the attitudes that bring success — tenacity, agility, resilience, etc., but how many of us are self-aware enough to recognize the attitudes that can derail our lives?

An attitude is defined as a proclivity to behave or act a certain way in response to a given situation. In other words, an attitude is more than just how we emote, it’s how we respond. Why is this important? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified Five Hazardous Attitudes that every pilot must learn before becoming a licensed pilot. The majority of plane crashes have been found to have something in common, one or more of the five hazardous attitudes were partly to blame. If a hazardous attitude can crash an airplane, then it’s only logical to think that a hazardous attitude can crash a business, a career or a relationship. “The Five Hazardous Attitudes: Ways to Win the War Within” contains five compelling fables that not only illustrate the attitudes but provide clear practical steps to overcome them. Leadership can be as perilous as flying through turbulent skies. This is especially important in careers that require swift decisions with a great degree of skill and precision, such as police officers and physicians. Just like pilots, leaders face attitudes that can derail their success.

The Five Hazardous Attitudes are as follows:

Anti-Authority

Anti-Authority is the Hazardous Attitude found in people who don’t like anyone telling them what to do. They tend to view rules as silly, unnecessary or overkill. Can you imagine a world where no one followed the rules, and everyone thought they were above authority? There would be utter chaos! There is something dangerous that happens with people who have an anti-authority attitude. When they ignore the rules and nothing bad happens, the attitude grows bigger and stronger than before.

The antidote to this type of attitude is to recognize that rules are in place for a reason, and they are usually right. Of course, there are some occasions where it is appropriate and necessary to question the rules. We are all humans, and it is important to check for understanding and verify instructions that can be deemed as harmful. However, the posture of assuming one is above the rules is one that can lead to disaster. Who wants to be in the car with a driver that ignores the traffic signals or working for a CEO that believes they are above tax laws?

Invulnerability

Invulnerability is the Hazardous Attitude that causes people to believe that consequences happen to others, but not to them.

The antidote to this attitude is to recognize that consequences can and do happen to you.

Macho

Macho is an attitude that is found in people who constantly feel the need to prove themselves. They often think they are better or more skilled than everyone else and they desire to live in the hall of fame of “one-ups.” Their mantra is “hold my beer.” They often see the risk they are taking as worth it, while everyone around them sees the risk as foolish. Macho is the attitude of a person with an over-inflated sense of self-ability.

The antidote to this attitude is to recognize that taking unnecessary risks is foolish. Think about what you stand to lose, not just what can be gained in that moment.

Impulsivity

Impulsivity is the attitude of people who feel the need to do something — anything — immediately. They don’t think first before acting and generally do the first thing that comes to mind without weighing the consequences or taking the time to select the best choice. Impulsive individuals tend to see people as speed bumps and not as partners. Anyone not on board with their latest stroke of genius is viewed as an enemy. This is especially harmful because the people around them are usually their only saving grace to get them to pause, think and behave rationally.

The antidote to this attitude is to remember to slow down and think first before acting. Weigh the potential consequences of your decision and take a pause to consider your options, even in time-pressured situations.

Resignation

People who have adopted an attitude of resignation do not see a path forward within themselves to change a given set of circumstances. They figure, “what’s the use?” They see themselves as victims of their circumstances and do not have the resilience to belief that what they do matters.

The antidote to this attitude is to recognize that they can make a difference.

The five hazardous attitudes — Anti-Authority, Invulnerability, Macho, Impulsivity and Resignation — can undermine decision-making, damage relationships and prevent progress. The benefit of engaging this framework in group settings yields lasting results. C&IT