ap·ti·tude/ˈaptiˌt(y)o͞od/Noun

1. A natural ability to do something.

2. A natural tendency

at·ti·tude/ˈatiˌt(y)o͞od/Noun

1. A settled way of thinking or feeling, typically reflected in a person's behavior: "she took a tough attitude toward other people's indulgences".

2. A position of the body proper to or implying an action or mental state: "the boy was standing in an attitude of despair".

Two words, worlds apart, yet often seen very much together in employment branding and in personal branding. Aptitude having to do with your ability to accomplish the tasks asked of you and Attitude, the spirit in which you accomplish those tasks. Both can be assumed by an individual, however only one is monitored on a regular basis and can directly impact your ability to bring home the paycheque you deserve- do you know which one?

Look at the definitions, as the clues are right there! One word deals with an ability (which to a certain degree can be taught) and the other deals with an emotion or a mental state. Does that clear it up any?

Attitude is the $50,000 answer, Alex: and thank you for playing along. People seem to spend so much time on proving that they are better than anyone else that they fail to monitor the one thing that ensures continued employment or a positive vibe when people talk about you and your employer. As much as having the aptitude to do a job is important, I think many will agree that over time a good work ethic or job-skill education can be taught….a good attitude can’t! People seem to forget that. They feel that in todays society, what they know (from schooling or from life experience) is more important than how they convey the knowledge. How any one individual handles themselves under pressure often goes a long way to defining what sort of career they will establish. Personally, I would rather convey the knowledge with a level-head, and in a way that someone would want to thank me and look me up the next time they have questions in my field. If I blew my stack every time someone asked me a question, just because I am having a bad day (they don’t know that, or probably even care, as your problems only affect them for the brief instant they are talking with you), I would probably find myself minus a paycheque, and searching for a new means to solve the problems that placed me in the predicament to start with.

This brings me full circle to personal branding and creating a set of rules that are simple to remember and easy to work with. Any job you hold requires that you adhere to the rules of the employer, but if you look at yourself as a sub-contracted employee…(because you are really only at that place for the money) you begin to take a certain bit of professional pride in all your dealings with others, which makes teaching/learning the tasks needed to do the job easier. People will ask your opinion more if you have the right attitude, and you will receive more referrals by offering something that the others in your field can’t—Your well-researched opinion which could be the basis of an answer to their problem.

The better your attitude; the easier to see (and gain) the aptitude of the job; and the more in-demand you will be as “The Expert” in your particular field.

Win/Win..

Class Dismissed- Homework is to work on taking a positive attitude to every meeting; and take home anything you can learn from the other party (the aptitude)!

….Something to Think About

©2011 thedanieljsmith