Did You Know Your Mood Is as Contagious as the Flu Bug?
When people are upset prior to going into work or a meeting, they often try to take a couple of minutes to calm down and quell the surface signs of their distress; sometimes by putting a smile on their face before entering. Their hope is that they are leaving their problems at the door and communicating a positive image to their colleagues. However, the disappointing reality is that bad moods are just as contagious as the flu bug. Once present, negative thoughts and feelings can’t be contained easily.
Dr. Richard Boyatzis, a neurologist and organizational development professor at Case Western Reserve University, shares that our brain transmits waves that reflect our mood into the airspace around us. The human brain is designed to intercept waves that are in the environment. As a result, the receiver’s brain is impacted by the nature of the waves it picks up. So, when we’re in a bad mood, the people around us are being negatively impacted by the waves we are emitting. A vast majority of the population (potentially up to 98%) unconsciously absorbs these mood waves, generally with no idea why their day is becoming ho-hum or worse.
Containing the spread of contagious bad mood waves requires that we truly raise our spirits and the spirits of those around us, so we can be immunized against the “bad mood bug”. Then we can experience more positivity and joy in our lives. When people truly improve their mood (by positive thought patterns and an attitude of gratitude), they stop sending out bad mood waves and start releasing positive mood waves which can raise the spirits of people around them.
Proactive people can influence their workplace environment for the better. A simple approach is to apply the 5 Languages of Appreciation within your work group. Learn how your colleagues like to be appreciated and then regularly express how much you value them. Such emotional bank account deposits can immunize your workplace against a bad mood outbreak.
You actually have the opportunity to start infecting your colleagues with a “good mood virus”. Are you ready to start being a positive influence in your workplace?
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Categories 5 Languages of Appreciation, 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
