ATTITUDE BEATS APTITUDE IN THE MODERN WORKPLACE

NIKHIL ABHISHEK EXAMINES THE ROLE OF ATTITUDE IN EARLY CAREERS

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ATTITUDE is a word that appears often in workplace conversations, but rarely with much precision. It is invoked to explain why some early-career professionals grow quickly while others stall, even when their technical abilities look similar on paper.

In modern workplaces, especially in the first few years of a career, progress is shaped as much by how people respond as by what they know. How they handle feedback, deal with uncertainty, work with others, and take responsibility when outcomes are unclear often matters more than raw competence in isolation. These qualities are not always visible at the hiring stage, but they become increasingly legible once work begins.

To explore what 'the right attitude' looks like in action, we spoke with Rajiv Jayaraman, founder and CEO of KNOLSKAPE, a workplace learning and behavioural skills firm that works closely with organisations to understand how early-career professionals navigate real work situations.