Be a Tigger, not an Eeyore, said business and leadership blogger Dan Oswald in a recent Advisor Epinion. Most readers agreed (one called the article a “divine intervention”) but one would rather get the focus off attitude and onto behavior.
In the original article, Oswald, CEO of BLR and writer of the The Oswald Letter quoted Thomas Jefferson: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
Specking about attitude, Oswald continued, “Who wants to follow an Eeyore anywhere? What kind of compelling case could he make for getting people to buy into his vision? I can hear Eeyore trying to rally the troops, saying, ‘I’m sure it’s not really going to work out, but I don’t know what else to try, so we’re going to do this. I hope it’s not a complete disaster, but I certainly can’t make you any promises because I’m sure it won’t work out.’”
“Be more like Tigger―cheerful, outgoing, competitive, and completely confident,” Oswald urged. “Make sure your attitude allows you to succeed!”
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Here’s what readers had to say:
I really love this article. I make a conscious decision to be like this everyday. If a distraction comes along, I always remember that I can start my day over at any time I choose.
Your article comes in the form of a Divine Intervention at this moment in my life, as I was waging a war within me …. What is wrong with my attitude?
I’m definitely a tigger … happy, confident, outgoing and love competing in a healthy way…. People term it as being insensitive, arrogance and lacking maturity.
Your article has enabled me to realize that I’ve been definitely trivializing an issue which should not bother me because of an Eeyore around me …. People can change … provided they change their attitude by just dropping from an altiude!
I shall sharpen my EQ and definitely work on my temperament. Thanks for a thought provoking article …. U have made my day and help me change my way!
Looking forward to reading more such thought enlightening articles. Thank You.
It is really a nice article
When was the last time you actually read "Winnie the Pooh"? Eeyore was not the most inspirational leader, but Tigger’s misplaced confidence in his abilities created havoc. Neither is completely adequate as a role model and while Tigger might be more fun to be around, I might think twice about following him without considering some of Eeyore’s legitimate concerns.
And about "attitude"—how do you change it and how do you know it has changed? People talk a lot about having a "good" attitude or changing a "bad" one when they really mean behavior. None of the “attitude” issues cited are measurable; behaviors are. What might have happened if instead of relying on "attitude," which may or may not exist in someone’s head, leaders focused on the behaviors that demonstrate lack of coachability, low emotional intelligence, lack of motivation, and temperament and coached employees in behaviors that demonstrate a proper response to coaching; emotional intelligence; motivation; and "the proper attitude."
You might not change what is going on in someone’s head and does that really matter if you get the desired behaviors?
What a great article! I’ve always loved the song,* too. It is "a great day to be alive!"
*The chorus of Travis Tritt’s song:
And it’s a great day to be alive
I know the sun’s still shinin’ when I close my eyes
There’s some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can’t every day be just this good?
[Your article] hit the nail right on the head; attitude change can be a goal, but you must focus on the behaviors. Eeyore and Tigger combined might be a great employee, depending on the final resulting behaviors; Eeyore sees the potential problems, and Tigger seizes the opportunity
And, finally, a challenge from one reader:
How can managers help change their Eeyores into Tiggers? If you’ve got an answer, let me know at sbruce@blr.com.