You Bring Your Weather With You
My MBA program had a focus on team projects. As a result of working with and relying on other people you get everything that comes along with them. The good and the bad.
One of our professors passed on the idea that you bring your weather with you wherever you go. The moment you walk into a room you bring how you’re feeling and thinking, which in turn touches everyone present either positively or negatively. What’s really cool is that the kind of weather that we bring, and how it affects people, is entirely up to us as individuals.
What is a person’s weather?
Weather is the way your attitude reaches out and influences those around you.
Your attitude manifests itself in how you tackle or run away from challenges, how you treat and respect others, and whether you’re lifting people up or dragging them down.
Have you ever noticed how group dynamics change when certain individuals are present, or sometimes more obviously when they’re absent? How about the ways your close friends are always supporting and refreshing to be around while there are people you feel drained after a 30 second conversation? Those are ways to notice what kind of weather people bring around with them.
How is my attitude experienced by others?
Something my classmates, teammates, and friends have shown me over the last 11 months is how powerfully the simple things we do influence one another. People notice the attitude that you bring. Things like presence, preparation, reliability, hard work, how you handle adversity, and simple encouragement can make someone’s day a little easier.
One of my teams was working on a project with a local coffee shop. It was an already crazy semester and we were meeting a few times a week, often early in the morning before class. By all rights that project should’ve been a serious drag. Instead those 7:30am meetings were something I looked forward to. My teammates brought not only their unique skills and abilities, but positivity, laughter, and support even through challenges. As a result we all had 100% confidence and trust in one another.
Now juxtapose that with some of the frustrations my friends shared throughout the program about their struggles. Hint, it wasn’t about coursework, it was about people:
“He keeps showing up late.”
“She didn’t have her work done.”
“I feel like they’re not paying attention.”
Do you know how draining it is to have a feeling that when you show up to your next meeting not everyone will be bringing their best and YOU are the one who will be picking up the slack? I bet you do. Even if you’re not working together with people, you’ve still experienced similar negative attitudes. It doesn’t take grad school projects to run into them. We know them in every facet of life, and it manifests itself in a variety of unpleasant ways.
How can I bring the best weather?
Don’t get me wrong, bringing the right attitude doesn’t require that you drink some sort of false happiness Kool-Aid, constantly smiling and only acknowledging positives. Things worth doing are rarely, if ever, anything close to a stroll in the park. We face challenges constantly in life. The difference, in our lives and others, is made by how we choose tackle challenges and support one another.
In my experience it requires being mindful about very simple things.
Whether you’re at work, school, or out to coffee with a friend the just ask yourself, “What would I appreciate if I were in the other person’s shoes?” Does this person need someone to vent their frustrations to? How can I help the team overcome this obstacle? Am I prepared to do my best? Have I done quality work I can be proud of? The best part about being mindful of what others need is that it helps you bring your best self to people in your life.
We have the choice, from attitude and behavior, to be the kind of person that people want to be around and work with. Everything we do has an impact on those around us, the key is that it is our choice to make it positive.
Next->
Enjoyed reading this article? Please hit recommend and share with others.
Find The Coffeelicious on
