By BOSEDE OLUSOLA-OBASA
Whenever or wherever you experience a poor service attitude please understand that there is an underlying need for mindset shift. For example, a transition from narrow responsibility to ownership and initiative.
Today, I will discuss another toxic mindset that makes service unpalatable. It is the “That is not my job” attitude. Many people wear it around proudly, but it is not a badge of honour.
How many times have you watched someone struggle to get help, only to tell them, “That is not the role of my department”? Or perhaps you say, “It is not my problem,” even when you could have made a difference by attending to the issue. And, these mindsets are costing economy more than we realise.
Get this right: service is not an invitation to abandon your job description. It is an opportunity to bring initiative, resourcefulness and consideration to the responsibilities entrusted to you.
A 2024 Nigeria Customer Service Index report recorded persistent dissatisfaction across sectors, with reliability, communication and service consistency among the recurring concerns. These are not always infrastructure problems. Most times, they are attitude problems.
So, what can you do differently?
- Replace departmental defensiveness with collaborative ownership. You may not be responsible for solving every problem, but you can help direct someone to the right person. “Let me help you find who can assist” is far more useful than “not my job.”
- Replace passivity with initiative. Stop waiting to be instructed on every little thing. Anticipate needs. Identify gaps. Take responsible action. If you notice a problem, ask yourself what you can reasonably do to improve the situation.
- Replace excuses with solutions. Rather than explain endlessly why something cannot be done, explore what can be done, when it can be done, and who can help.
Stephen R. Covey reminds us: “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”
Excellent service attitude requires people who understand that responsibility is not merely about completing assigned tasks. It is also about making meaningful contributions to shared outcomes. You may not own the entire process, but you can own the quality of your contribution to it.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
This is Mind Your Character with Bosede Olusola-Obasa. I’m Character Development Trainer, Corporate Culture Strategist and Best Service Attitude Advisor.
READ ALSO:
Aregbesola writes INEC: Defer any change in ADC leadership
Boiling Point: Olota, Babarinsa, Mustapha decry proliferation of Oba
PSC appoints Fago as new CP for Niger
My first quarter in JAMB, By Segun Aina
Nigeria and Ethiopia: What the rail and road comparisons leave out
US Consulate, MCDN expand support for emerging Nigerian journalists
Death by counterfeit products, By Kazeem Akintunde
Oyo: Adekanmbi, Makinde’s hoodlums planning fresh attacks on APC supporters -Alli
NAF in strategic leadership realignment, gives reason
Tribute to Egbon Yemi Ojo, a.k.a. Baba Kenya
Tinubu ramps up completion of rail projects in northern Nigeria
PERESSA mourns Emmanuel Ugboaja, says labour has lost a titan
Ugandan woman in Nigeria for crusade arrested with 87 cocaine wraps in private part
Decoupling Sovereignty Index (6): Recovery sequencing and the logic of sovereign re-coupling
Boiling Point: Debate of recovery of Yoruba monarchs’ lost cultural dignity holds today