Subjective attitude: how personal relevance shapes your perspective

Ever notice how two people can look at the same moment and walk away with totally different takeaways? That kind of split comes from something psychologists call attitude. In the world of work—especially in fields like corrections where clear communication and steady judgment matter—understanding attitudes isn’t just academic. It shapes decisions, relationships, and how teams operate under pressure.

Let me lay out a simple idea: an attitude based on individual relevance is called a subjective attitude. In plain terms, it’s the lens you wear because of your own experiences, beliefs, and feelings. That lens isn’t a flaw; it’s part of being human. The tricky bit is recognizing when your personal relevance is coloring your view and when that coloring is useful for the task at hand.

Subjective attitude versus the other side of the coin

Think of attitude as a pair of glasses. One pair is tinted by personal history and emotion (subjective), the other tries to be as neutral as possible (objective). It’s not that one is good and the other is bad; they simply serve different purposes.

• Subjective attitude: shaped by your own life story, values, empathy, and even past disappointments. It can help you connect with people, understand context, and respond with warmth when it matters most.

• Objective attitude: aims for neutrality. It leans on facts, data, procedures, and a calm detachment that’s essential when decisions need to be fair and consistent.

In the contexts where core professional competencies come into play, both attitudes have a place. The trick is knowing which you’re using, and when to pause to check your own perspective.

Why personal relevance matters in real life

Let me explain with a quick scenario that might feel familiar. Suppose a colleague speaks up about a community issue that hits close to home for them. If you’re listening with a purely objective stance, you’ll focus on the facts, the policies, and the potential outcomes. That’s valuable; it prevents knee-jerk reactions. But when you tune into the subjective side—the colleague’s emotional connection, experiences, and concerns—you gain insight into why that issue matters to them, how it might influence their teamwork, and what support they might need to stay effective.

In many workplaces, including correctional environments, this balance matters a lot. You’ll encounter people from different backgrounds, each carrying a unique context. A subjective attitude can fuel empathy, improve communication, and reduce friction. It can also, if unchecked, tilt toward bias or blind spots. That’s not a condemnation; it’s a heads-up to stay curious about your own reasoning.

How subjective attitude shows up in core competencies

Here’s the practical part: your attitude colors how you demonstrate core competencies such as communication, teamwork, ethics, and critical thinking.

• Communication: When you speak or listen, your personal relevance can color tone, emphasis, and responsiveness. Acknowledging your own biases helps you ask clarifying questions rather than jumping to conclusions.

• Teamwork: Shared goals require trust. If you’re aware that your experiences shape your expectations, you’re more likely to check in with teammates who feel differently, ensuring everyone has space to contribute.

• Ethics and judgment: Personal values inform what you deem right or fair. The key is to align those values with professional standards and to be transparent about how your stance influences decisions.

• Conflict resolution: You’ll often see the human side of conflicts first. A subjective lens helps you connect with the other person’s feelings, while a deliberate, objective check keeps the resolution fair and consistent.

A few quick indicators you’re leaning into a subjective stance (and why that matters)

• You feel strongly about something due to a personal experience. That’s your lens talking. It can be a strength when it motivates constructive action or support.

• You interrupt or assume a colleague’s motives without checking the facts. That’s a cue to pause, ask questions, and gather more information.

• Your reaction seems tied to how you would feel in a similar situation, not how the other person views the situation. It’s worth asking, “What would this look like if I put myself in their shoes?”

Let’s connect this to everyday work life

In correctional settings, where rules matter and relationships matter even more, you’ll benefit from balancing heart and head. Here are a few practical ways to keep your subjective lens from running the show while still letting it do its job:

• Practice mindful listening: nod, paraphrase, and reflect what you heard. If something triggers you, note it privately and revisit it with a cooler head.

• Use “I” statements: when you share a viewpoint, start with how you feel or what you’ve observed—“I’m concerned about X because Y.” It keeps the conversation collaborative rather than confrontational.

• Seek a diversity of perspectives: someone’s lived experience can illuminate angles you hadn’t considered. Invite input, especially when decisions affect people with different backgrounds.

• Ground your decisions in shared standards: ethics, policy, and documented procedures provide a common baseline. Your personal relevance should inform empathy, not replace these anchors.

• Reflect after conversations: ask yourself what you learned about your own biases and what you can adjust next time to improve understanding.

A gentle digression: how stories shape our stance

Here’s a little digression that helps explain why subjective attitudes exist in the first place. Humans evolved to use stories and experiences as quick, practical guides for action. If you’ve ever heard a hawk-like alarm in your heart during a tense moment, you’re hearing a familiar signal: your brain taps into past events to predict what might happen next. That predictive instinct is useful—it helps you respond swiftly when needed. The danger comes when you treat those past stories as universal truths. The skill is to let your own story inform your reaction, then check it against the present reality and the perspectives of others.

A few bite-sized tips you can try this week

• Name your lens: before you respond, say to yourself, “My feeling here is influenced by X.” It’s a quick way to pause and gain clarity.

• Invite a different take: “What would you add to this viewpoint that I might be missing?” This invites collaboration and reduces blind spots.

• Balance emotion with evidence: support your point with a fact, a policy line, or a witness perspective. It keeps the conversation grounded.

• Practice emotional intelligence: recognize emotions in others and yourself without letting them hijack the dialogue.

• Keep the focus on outcomes: emphasize how a choice will affect safety, fairness, and team cohesion.

Why this matters for professional growth

Understanding subjective attitude isn’t about silencing emotion; it’s about directing it so you can act with integrity and effectiveness. When you recognize your own relevance, you’re better equipped to communicate clearly, resolve conflicts, and work with people who don’t share your background or beliefs. That kind of adaptability is one of those quiet, steady forces that makes teams reliable, especially in high-stakes environments.

A thought to carry forward

Attitude is rarely a single switch you flip on or off. It’s a spectrum, moving with context, mood, and experience. The moment you become comfortable saying, “I see this through my own lens, and that’s okay, but I’ll also check the broader picture,” you’ve taken a big step toward wiser, more effective action. It’s not about being perfectly objective or perfectly subjective. It’s about choosing the right stance at the right time and staying curious about how others see the world.

Let’s wrap with a practical takeaway

If you leave this read with one conviction, let it be this: your personal relevance can be a powerful ally when it informs empathy, improves communication, and strengthens judgment. The key is staying self-aware, asking thoughtful questions, and balancing your feelings with the realities of the situation and the needs of those around you. In workplaces that demand clarity, fairness, and care, that balance is not just nice to have—it’s essential.

So, what’s your lens today? Is it tinted by a lived experience that helps you connect, or is it clouded by assumptions that you’re ready to challenge? Either way, recognizing the lens is the first step toward handling it with the maturity and clarity that good professionals bring to every shift, every conversation, and every challenge you face. And that, in the end, is what true competence looks like in action.