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Bad moods at workThe ability to be positive is an essential leadership skill and
responsibility. So take a deep breath and put on a happy face. Here's how.
 In the workplace, having a positive
attitude or being cheerful is not always easy. Confrontations in the workplace can be uncomfortable especially when two executives are shouting at each other and there are bystanders around. Situations like these demonstrate the importance of moods at work. According to Pat Heim, chief executive officer of the Heim Group, a consulting firm that specializes in gender differences in the workplace, overly emotional or moody behavior is judged more harshly when it comes from a woman. “A woman can be perceived as Miss Congeniality for six or seven months, but she does that one bitchy thing and that label will stay with her for a year or two,” agrees Courtney Lynch, co-founder of Lead Star, a leadership consulting group out of Fairfax, Va. Research confirms that a sour mood has a ripple effect. Sigal Barsade, an associate professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has carried out many studies on “emotional contagions” in professional settings and found that you can catch a bad mood. An essential leadership skill and responsibility is the ability to manage your emotions. The best managers make the link between negativity in the workplace and a negative balance sheet. According to Ms. Barsade's 2007 study co-authored by Donald Gibson, who is an associate professor of management at the Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University: “Expressing positive emotions and moods tends to enhance performance at individual, group and organizational levels.” “Especially with the economy right now, people look to leaders for calmness in a chaotic environment,” says Ms. Lynch, co-author of Leading from the front: No-excuse leadership tactics for women. To deal with a bad or an angry mood the first step is self awareness followed by self control. Acknowledge to yourself that, yes, you're in a bad mood, and then make sure you do not expose your anger to your co-workers. “Some people think, ‘This is just my thing – I cry, I scream, I get moody,'” says Ms. Lynch. “But that type of stuff alienates people and erodes your credibility.” Experts in integrative medicine and psychology shared advice that they offer their clients. Be here now When you’re feeling cranky or upset don’t put the blame on the source your problem. Instead, concentrate on your reaction to the problem. Your problems do not control your reactions, you do. Steven Alper, a consultant with the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, who teaches stress-reduction techniques to executives, says that when you want to manage how you respond to your colleagues it usually is a matter of managing your thoughts. Get grounded To control negative thought patterns, Mr. Alper suggests thinking not on, but with your feet. “We literally feel the thinking in our heads, so you want to get away from where the thinking is going on and drop into the body,” he says. Place your feet firmly on the floor (either standing or sitting – and it's okay to stomp each foot just once) and feel the sensation of the soles of your feet pressing on the surface. This will help you get you out of fantasyland and onto solid ground. Take a deep breath A foul mood may start in the brain, but it also has a physical effect – calling for a physical solution. Proper breathing techniques can help keep a bad mood from turning into a raised voice. Mr. Alper explains that the value of “taking a breath” isn't simply a matter of pushing the pause button. When something upsets us, like a hostile co-worker, we often freeze – and stop breathing. “When we perceive a threat, the primitive part of our brain prepares the body to fight, flee or freeze by sending blood to our arms and legs – and away from the brain – so you feel more confused,” he says. Slow, deep and rhythmic breathing can dissipate that response. “When you take a deep breath, the message that goes to the brain is, okay, all clear,” says Mr. Alper. To get the most out of deep-breathing strategies, he recommends practicing them for at least 10 minutes each day; otherwise it will be very difficult to access that relaxation state in a moment of crisis. “It's like batting practice or basic training in sports,” he says. “You have to learn the basic skills so that you can deploy them in a game situation.” Hit the pavement Exercise may not be the most effective solution when you have a meeting with a client in 15 minutes, you can’t exactly hit the gym for some exercise. Robert Thayer, a professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, found that mood improves dramatically after a brisk walk of only about 10 to 15 minutes. “It has an immediate and positive effect,” says Mr. Thayer, who is the author of several books on mood, including: The origin of everyday moods . “It both releases tension in the muscles and energizes the body.” Read more here Posted by: suhujitha on 2009-07-29 11:03:30 Next post: Dopamine impacts your willingness to work 2012-05-12 10:04:13 Other posts tagged coworker
conflict, exercise, stress, workplace wellness, breathing:
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