Last week we talked about responding effectively, creatively and quickly to the currently stormy seas we’re calling an "economic downturn". People want—and need—strong leadership, clear decisiveness and efficient action. You can be a seaworthy captain for your company and co-workers. But you’re going to need a positive attitude to make it happen.

During 17 years of coaching rainmaker executives, professionals and salespeople, I’ve learned a great many things about the absolute power of a positive attitude.

Fact is, I’m blessed to work with many top-tier, rainmaker-type businesspeople. They are all different personality types representing various professions, but they do have a couple of very important things in common: They all possess a positive attitude and a burning desire to be the best of the best.

Over the next two weeks, I’ll share some of what I’ve learned from coaching them. Let’s start now with five of the top 10 winning attributes these rainmakers share.

• They begin each day as a new game. Henry Aaron was right when he said, “Every at-bat is a new day.” True winners keep yesterday’s setbacks, problems and worries in perspective, and they focus on today’s game.
• They ignore the crowd rhetoric. Successful people refuse to listen to naysayers with their negative ideas and numerous prescriptions for failure. Rather, they focus their time, talents and treasures on aggressively looking for ways to succeed.
• They share their enthusiasm for their endeavors. Rainmakers use their positive attitude to not only motivate themselves, but also to motivate others. These winners, with their positive energy, attract other successful people and help bring out the best in those around them. I’m reminded of this classic adage: “The right attitude with one arm beats the wrong attitude with two arms every time.”
• They are optimistic about today. The best and the brightest businesspeople believe in their abilities, and they are optimists. They work each day to keep their skills honed so they are ready to take on whatever comes their way—whether it’s a good thing or a challenge. They fully expect to make something positive happen each and every day.
• They seek out and enjoy success. It takes a consistently positive attitude to get what you want at work—and in life outside the office. Rainmakers focus all year long on reaching their worthwhile goals. Chuck Knoblauch (whom ESPN personalities nicknamed “Fundamentally Sound”) was absolutely right when he said: “It doesn’t get any better than winning the World Series."

A positive attitude really is everything. To truly weather this stormy sea, you need optimism and confidence in your own abilities. You have to see each day as a new day filled with brand-new opportunities. You have to guard yourself from negative press and maybe even negative people at work. You should strive to inspire others around you with your optimism. A working positive attitude is all about forgetting yesterday’s trials and tribulations and knowing there is no future in focusing on the past. And finally, the best way to stay optimistic all year long is to keep your focus on what you want at work and in life.

If you’d like to talk about how you can work with a positive attitude during these challenging times, email me at marc@corsini.com or call me at (205) 879-0432. Together, we can ride out this current storm.