Recently I received a discouraging email from an individual in a government organization who is battling terrible working conditions and well-intentioned by seriously flawed government regulations. This person had found value in one of my books and was looking for encouragement. She thought if I could speak to her and her team, it might help.

It might help, but it wouldn’t be enough.

There are some things that attitude alone won’t solve. Attitude may be the launching pad but it isn’t always enough. What is needed in this organization is serious structural change that is, unfortunately, beyond the abilities of individual employees.  Unless leadership deals with the substantive issues things like encouragement, attitude and positive talk will be inefficient bandages on a serious wound.

Using a positive attitude as a quick fix in the face of more serious challenges will either make you a cynic or create cynics of those around you. It is important to have the right attitude as you address any challenge or opportunity. A negative attitude closes doors and limits options. But we do ourselves a big disservice when we think attitude along is always enough.