Surrounded by twelve minimum wage employees, James was the envy of every manager in the restaurant business including Mike, the manager James was hired to replace. He was usually smiling, whistling, laughing, and always had positive words of encouragement. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" .
Having managed several restaurants over the past ten years, James had a quality that was unique in the restaurant business; displaying care and concern for his employees. He believed that a positive attitude and energetic motivation was the key ingredient in promoting harmony within the work place. As a result of his positive attitude, work ethics, and behavior, several employees followed him from other restaurants he had managed in the past. If an employee was experiencing strenuous times, James would encourage the employee to look on the positive side and learn from the dilemma. .
Often seeing this helpful attitude displayed by James, Mike began to question his own demeanor. Approaching James, Mike asked, "How can you be a positive person twenty-four hours a day seven days a week? I don't get it! How do you do it?" .
James replied, "Each morning I sit up in bed and say to myself, 'James, you have two choices to make this morning: You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. When difficult situations arise, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. When .
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approached by an employee with a complaint, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life." .
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," Mike, protested.