Marc Lamont’s The Power of Attitude Capital posits the idea that the attitude of employees is vital to both individual and company success, offering a thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of a topic often taken for granted.
Lamont has worked 43 years in management. While he never expressly defines the term “attitude capital,” he comes closest to explaining it when writing that “The sum of the attitude of all employees together determines the attitude capital of the company.”
Lamont believes that one’s attitude directly impacts—and is the driving engine—of how successful a person becomes. He offers an “Attitude Triangle” to express the important elements in having the right attitude, including at its base self-accountability, self-confidence, self-enthusiasm, and self-suggestion and at its pinnacle courage.
The real value-add of this book is this “Attitude Triangle” and how its principles interplay. For example, self-suggestion, at the Triangle’s base, is related to positive attitude, located in the Triangle’s middle layer. Regarding self-suggestion, Lamont writes that “When you suggest to your conscious mind that you will reach your goals…this image of success will be transmitted and built in your subconscious mind, and your subconscious mind will be able to help you reach your goals…” Combined with a positive attitude, this fosters a powerful positive cycle that fuels success.
Unfortunately, it takes Lamont over a hundred pages to get to this concept. The book’s first half concerns topics like defining success and outlining four types of attitudes: a person without a real attitude; the apathetic, complaining victim; the pretentious, unrealistic winner; the conscious, realistic winner. While the latter, in particular, feels like uncharted business book territory, it delays readers from learning how to cultivate an attitude that drives success—the real meat of the book.
Despite this misstep, The Power of Attitude Capital is a worthwhile and concept-dense read. It provides powerful ideas about individual attitude that will be of value to readers looking for professional development guidance.
Also available in hardcover.
