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Mood affects the culture of an organisation

A positive work culture is what differentiates high- performance organisations from less successful ones. The formula is quite exact. The emotional style of leader’s accounts for between 50 to 70% of an organisations work culture (how people feel about working for a company) which in turn accounts for 20 to 30% of the organisation performance.

‘When my mind is full of anger, other people catch it like the flu.’ – Daniel Goleman

Most people have been on both ends of this statement, they have been the one who was angry and in turn affected the moods of the people around them, and they have also been the one who’s mood changed as a result of interacting with someone else.  This is called Emotional Contagion. This happens every time you interact with other people, it doesn’t matter whether this is with a group, one other person or an organisation. Our minds react to the emotions of the people around us because we all have a Social Brain.

How does a group of people catch the angry mood of a leader? When you are focused on someone else your brain picks up on signals and processes them through the ‘low road’ of the emotional part of your brain. Emotional contagion runs through this part of the brain allowing for an automatic ‘neural mimicking’ of other people’s feelings. Generally, the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that adjusts our emotions, this enables us to continue thinking and be present even though we are upset by another person’s emotions.

Emotional contagion happens all the time, at work is no exception, but who is the person who sends the emotions? When there is a group of people, the member of the group who is the most emotionally expressive is the sender. In circumstances where there are power differences in the group, the most powerful member sends emotions and sets the emotional tone for the group. If the team leader is in a good mood, everyone picks up on it and as a result their performance is improved, if however, the leader is in a negative mood, group performance suffers as a result. It is also important to note that people remember the negative interactions with their bosses more than the positive.

If you are a leader, how can this information help you? First of all, you must be aware of your own emotions. Self-awareness is a hugely important aspect of emotional intelligence, another is self-regulation. Leaders who have mastered these skills can learn how to choose their mood. Sigal Barsade is a researcher at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She specialises in emotional contagion and the impact it has in organisations. She has suggested a number of ways that leaders can manage their emotions and as a result can create a positive emotional culture within their teams. She states is that you need to be aware of your moods and if it is not useful, change it! One way you can do this is by changing your facial expression, the facial feedback hypothesis states that our facial expressions have an impact on our emotions, for example by intentionally smiling you will begin to feel more positive emotions.

Moods are highly contagious

When you are a leader, your team take their cues from you and as a result your mood is hugely important as it has a direct impact on performance, both good and bad. Our moods transfer to the people we come in contact with and they can have just as strong an effect on them as they do on you. You don’t even have to know somebody personally for their mood to affect you. By simply listening to somebody speaking in sad/cheerful tone of voice can put you in same mood as person speaking. How is this possible? The answer is as a result of the mirror neurones in our brain. When we see somebody in for example, a happy mood, the same neurons start to fire in our brains as are firing in theirs. It is a primitive form of empathy (immediate and instinctive reading of another person’s thoughts, feelings etc), and it explains how we ‘pick up’ others’ moods so easily. The closer and more important the relationship the more powerful the contagion.

Emotional contagion in groups and at work

Emotional contagion is very common among co-workers in the same department or team, at meetings, etc. The ability of a team to feel ‘as one’ is incredibly important for the success of the team, perhaps even more important than skill. For example, a wave of positivity or determination, working its way contagiously through a team lights a fire that will help them achieve their goals. Similarly, a wave of defeatism can spread through a team at a rapid pace. The more emotionally connected a group is, the stronger the contagion. The more group members depend on each other to get the work done and for support, and the longer they have worked together, the more contagion there is.

Mood at work counts not just to employees, but to productivity. When employees are in a positive mood at work, they tend to be more cooperative, generous with their time and expertise and more attentive. There also tends to be less absenteeism and staff turnover. When however, there is a negative mood throughout the group, the performance of the whole team can be affected.

When the leader is in a positive mood everybody is more optimistic about getting things done, the team is better at absorbing and understanding information and are more creative and flexible and more effective decision-makers. Maureen Gaffney outlines a number of steps on how to better manage your mood.

How to manage your mood

1. Overall principle – learn to reduce how often you have negative moods and increase the frequency of your positive moods.
2. Learn to savour your positive moods. – When in a positive mood, don’t try to analyse why this is the case and why it can’t be like this all the time. Savour the moment.
3. Try occasionally looking at or listening to something as if it is the first time or the last time I will ever see or hear it. You may see something in a new light
4. Occasionally negative moods are necessary and useful. If you’ve had a recent loss or set-back, it is ok and even useful to feel down. However, you do have to actively manage the intensity and duration of the mood so that it does not become counter-productive.
5. Become aware of your mood so you can take its effects into account. For example, use positive moods to get things done, particularly the more difficult tasks. When you are in a negative mood, do the opposite. Try to put off difficult tasks, including those that involve other people. Your negative mood will make you more likely to misread neutral responses from other people as negative and will then cause you to over-react. Your mood will also affect the other person, making the whole exchange more tense.
6. If you are aware that you are in a bad mood, you can actually decrease the effects it has on your behaviour and you will be likely to act out your mood.
7. If you are facing a difficult situation whilst you are in a negative mood, you should try and take a few minutes to make a mental list of all the things you have going for you. Think back to the last time you handled a situation like this and you handled it well. Think about what you did to make it a success? Make a habit of asking ‘What is still going right in the situation?
8. Learn the habit of being grateful – Be thankful regardless of your life circumstances. It’s easy to be grateful when the going is good and you are in a positive mood, it is when things are going bad and you are in a negative mood that gratitude is most important. When you develop a habit of gratitude and you notice other’s generosity, you are more inclined to reciprocate.
9. Use distractions. Distract yourself for a couple of minutes by doing    something positive. This is incredibly effective in breaking a cycle of worrying and rumination
10. Plan! – Planning a new exercise regime or setting a date to meet your friends will immediately boost your mood.
11. Make a list – They give you a sense of control. complete something on the list immediately, particularly some job that you have been putting off for a while
12. Keep in mind you can’t be driven crazy without your full cooperation. We always have some choice to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. But we often hide from ourselves the actual choices we are making. That is at the core of the self-defeating behaviour that often triggers very negative moods.
13. Occasionally, you will not be able to change your bad mood. You may be trying too hard. Better to ask yourself ‘In what way can I help myself function better while I am feeling like this?

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Gaffney, M. (2018) Managing Your Mood [Online] https://www.rte.ie/radio1/marian-finucane/features/2012/0915/351652-maureen-gaffney-moods/

Goleman, D. (2016) glad-mad-sad-teams-catch-a-leaders-mood [Online] http://www.danielgoleman.info/glad-mad-sad-teams-catch-a-leaders-mood/

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Authentic leadership emphasizes honesty, being genuine, self-awareness, emotions, and staying true to one’s self. It is built upon values and character rather than a leadership style and allows for flexibility to adapt to the needs of others. Authentic leaders are not perfect and nor do they try to be.

Instead, these leaders continuously grow and learn from their experiences. Becoming an authentic leader is a process that takes hard work, but is something that all people are capable of being. Using authentic leadership has the potential to create better relationships both inside and outside of the workplace. The following research explains different qualities of authentic leaders as well as some tips on how to become an authentic leader.

According to a 2013 article written by Kevin Kruse, a NY Times best selling author and serial entrepreneur, authentic leaders have four characteristics that set them apart from other leaders.

1. “Authentic leaders are self-aware and genuine.”Authentic leaders are aware of their strengths, limitations, and emotions. They do not try to hide their weaknesses, but instead strive towards bettering themselves. Whether in a private conversation or giving a public presentation, authentic leaders are genuine in every situation.
2. “Authentic leaders are mission driven and focused on results.” Authentic leaders put the organization’s mission and goals before their own. They do a job in order to get results for the company rather than for money, power, or their own ego.
3. “Authentic leaders lead with their heart, not just their minds.” Authentic leaders are not afraid to show their emotions and can connect with other people on a more personal level. This does not mean authentic leaders are “soft.” Instead, they are direct, while still remaining empathetic to people’s needs.
4. “Authentic leaders focus on the long-term.”Authentic leaders realize that developing a company and its people requires hard work and patience, but also that there are great benefits in the long term.

How do you become an authentic leader?

These are five suggestions from a 2016 article based on insights from Brenda Ellington Booth and Brooke Vuckovic.

1. “Know yourself.”This refers to being aware of your unique character, strengths, and shortcomings as well as your values and purpose. Self reflection and life storytelling are a few ways in which people can become more self aware.
2. “Learn to connect.”Whether you are speaking to a packed auditorium or chatting with a single employee, it is important to make a sincere connection that matches the needs of the situation. Your actions should align with your words, and your words with your emotional affect. Leaders should also be hyper-aware of the culture in which they are operating.
3. “Be discreet.”While it is important for authentic leaders to communicate emotions and be personable, disclosing too much information or highly personal information can also damage a person’s reputation as a leader. Only disclose information when appropriate and keep confidentiality.
4. “Play to your strengths.” Every leader has different strengths and weaknesses. Focus on using your own strengths to excel in your work. It is also important to know your limitations and figure out how to compensate for them. For example, form teams with others who have the strengths you lack.
5. “Keep requesting feedback.”Authentic leaders welcome feedback, both formally and informally. Use this feedback to continue to grow both as a professional and an individual.

For more information on authentic leadership have a look at :

– https://hbr.org/2007/02/discovering-your-authentic-leadership

– https://hbr.org/2012/12/what-being-an-authentic-leader-really-means

Organisation culture is the key driver in a achieving objectives. As Peter Drucker would say “ Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. So, it’s important to watch for the signs that show you’re moving from a healthy to a toxic culture before it’s too late.

Here’s what to look out for in no particular order of importance:

1. High Staff Turnover

An obvious one. Generally speaking,  a rate of 10% is acceptable as it allows for promotions and new blood to be hired without a massive talent and information drain. Beyond this, without knowing why, would suggest you need to look deeper and more likely at your culture.

2. “Deep ending” people is the norm.

Is it common that people are thrown in to new areas of work or projects and “learn to swim” themselves? Careful now! Getting the balance between certainty and uncertainty for people is a tough call. Too much uncertainty and burnout happens, a sure sign of an unhealthy culture.

3. Deadlines are missed.

Deadlines being missed are not just occasional and with good reason but endemic and part of “ how things get done around here”.  Usually this points to a lack of willingness to take responsibility. Again pointing to culture

4. Poor Communication

People keep to themselves or share thoughts and information with just one or two other people. Silo mentality is abundant.

5. Recognition or rewards don’t reflect performance

Recognition and reward form a key component of ones career. If there’s a lack of “fairness” or even perceived fairness people will probably feel unappreciated. This leads to dissatisfaction and negativity. Not what you want in your organisation.

6. Being busy is a badge of honour

Looking busy, rushing about is part of the currency of the organisation.  And more so than actually achieving objectives! Get clear on the straight line relationship between goals, roles and processes

7. Speed Of Action

Things do get done but a lot slower than you would think. Especially when compared to other departments or competitors.

8. Sick days are high

A toxic culture is felt by the employees almost by a process of osmosis.  Sick days are high, mental health issues increase. The environment is said to be unhealthy without really knowing why.

9. No time for relationships or empathy

The organisation emphasis is on getting the job done, personal issues are not considered. There’s little or no time for small talk, celebrations, team or organisation socialising that are necessary to build relationships and team spirit. What well adjusted person wants to spend a lot of time in such an environment?

10. Work hours are rigorously kept to

9 to 5 hours or close to it are always stuck to. Even if there’s an need, however occasionally, to “go the extra mile” if it’s not within the “working hours” it’s not done.

Changing your organisation culture is a challenging process, but it is not impossible. It can be turned around with buy-in from your staff and leadership or find new ones who share your vision and recreate a positive corporate culture.

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It has become increasingly obvious that effective leadership is hugely important in the workplace. If the leadership is not effective, problems such as poor productivity, low motivation and high turnover can occur. In the current market, there are many new opportunities available for employees and so if employees are not happy it is very likely that they will go elsewhere. Leaders often don’t think about the type of leader they are. Generally they fall into either the task-oriented or relationship-oriented leadership style.

Task Oriented Leadership

This type of leader focuses on the tasks that needed to be carried out in order to reach goals. The leadership style here can be described as autocratic. Autocratic leaders don’t involve their team in decision making. Task-orientated leadership involves some task management features. This involves placing emphasis on administrative activities, co-ordinating job-related activities, preparing financial reports etc. As we can see leaders who opt for this style focus on completing tasks in order to reach targets. This type of leader doesn’t really care about relationship building or the employees who are needed to reach these goals. They are more concerned with following their plan to reach organisational targets.

One of, if not the biggest strength of this type of leadership is that all tasks are completely to a high standard in a timely manner. These leaders set an example for employees by focusing on the necessary procedures in relation to how tasks as completed. As a result, they can delegate work and make sure that tasks are completed on time to a high standard. This style of leadership would be suitable in well-structured environments like for example manufacturing assembly lines where repeating well-defined processes produces high levels of both productivity and quality.

Some of the weaknesses associated with this leaderships style involve a fear of breaking the rules among employees, this may lead to a lack of creativity, low morale and as a result high turnover. A lack of innovation which can come from a fear of taking risks, means employees who are naturally creative can become demoralised and eventually leave the organisation to find a more appealing opportunity.

Relationship-Oriented Leadership

This type of leadership focuses on creating success as a result of building lasting relationships with employees and the motivation, job satisfaction and work-life balance of their employees. They still care about getting tasks done, however they believe that work culture is more important. Leaders who use this style concentrate on motivating, supporting and developing their employees. Relationship oriented leaders also promote collaboration and teamwork, by encouraging communication and building positive relationships. The welfare of employees is the top priority for these leaders and as a result, they put time and effort into meeting their employees individual needs.

One of the strengths of this leadership style is that these leaders establish teams that all employees want to be a part of. Members of these teams are often more productive and willing to take risks because they understand that they will get support from the leader if necessary. Another strength is that employees are in an environment where they know their leader cares about there welfare. These leaders know that work place productivity requires creating a positive environment where employees feel motivated. As a result, these leaders prioritise people in order to ensure that issues such as personal conflicts, dissatisfaction and turnover are low.

One of the weaknesses of this leadership style is that focusing on creating team spirit may get in the way of completing tasks and reaching goals. Some leaders can put the development of their team above tasks.

Over the years, studies have been conducted in order to determine if one type is better than the other, however no one behaviour is instrumental to the success of a leader in every situation. The dynamic nature of leadership determines that if a leader is effective, they should be able to balance both types of leadership styles which should be applied in response to a particular situation. This involves some level of self-awareness, you need to work out which style you fall under and take note of when you may need to change up your style to suit a particular situation. If for example you are task oriented you need to soften up, this can be difficult, but it is very important. Start by trying to brush up on your ‘soft’ skills such as listening. For relationship-oriented leaders, they need to do the opposite and toughen up. This could be by being more decisive and setting standards.

Penn State (2013) Balancing Task and Relationship Behaviors [online] https://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2013/05/20/balancing-task-and-relationship-behaviors/

Bell, S. (2017) Task-Oriented vs. People-Oriented Leadership Styles [online] https://bizfluent.com/info-12137619-taskoriented-vs-peopleoriented-leadership-styles.html

Larman, A. (2015) Task-Oriented Vs People-Oriented Leadership Styles [online] http://ezinearticles.com/?Task-Oriented-Vs-People-Oriented-Leadership-Styles&id=9253531

Ruzgar, N. (2018) The Effect of Leaders’ Adoption of Task-Oriented or Relationship-Oriented Leadership Style on Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), In the Organizations That Are Active In Service Sector: A Research on Tourism Agencies. Journal of Business Administration Research. Vol 7:1 pp50-60

For many years the difference between leadership and management has been debated. Are they the same? If not, what is the difference?

The last five years of business for those coping with the downturn has brought this debate into sharp focus. Organisations that were armed with leaders were significantly better placed to survive and indeed thrive compared with those who had more than their fair share of managers.

The downturn, the new knowledge economy and globalisation have led to a shift from old style organised efficiency where management reigned supreme, to a new world sense of purpose where leadership has come to the fore.

In the words of both Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis ‘Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things’. People now look to their managers, not just to assign them a task, but to define for them a purpose. And managers must organize workers, not just to maximize efficiency, but to nurture skills, develop talent and inspire results.

Peter Drucker stated that “with a knowledge worker, “one does not ‘manage’ people, the task is to lead people. And the goal is to make productive the specific strengths and knowledge of every individual.”

Warren Bennis in his book “On becoming a leader” argues that managers and leaders are very different. Despite the book being over 20 years old it is worth reminding ourselves what he suggests the differences are:

• The manager administers; the leader innovates.
• The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
• The manager maintains; the leader develops.
• The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
• The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
• The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
• The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
• The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.
• The manager imitates; the leader originates.
• The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
• The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.
• The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

We all know of resilient leaders, those who have risen from the ashes like a phoenix and have managed not only to bounce back from adversity but to bounce forward. No one can avoid trouble and potential pit falls are all around us. Volatile times bring disruption and set backs for even the most successful among us. Some stumbles will be due to circumstances outside your control such as weather, geopolitical shocks or wider economic changes, but while you may not be able to control the situation at large you can control your reaction to it.

The American Psychological society describes resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress. It is one of the most essential capabilities for bouncing back from leadership setbacks in today’s business world. Resilience is not a trait that people have or do not have, it is a set of behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned and adopted by anyone. Remaining resilient in the face of nagging doubt and harsh realities is hard, particularly in today’s business climate of rapid, fast paced, disruptive change. What such a climate requires is emotionally intelligent leaders who are able to absorb change while at the same time helping others to move forward and achieve success.

During a recession resilience comes to the fore as businesses face into restructuring, mergers, job insecurity, re-organisations and downsizing. The majority of businesses have been impacted in some way by the current recession, with very few emerging unscathed. They have had to find a way to become more flexible and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.

Resilience is the ability to recover from stumbles or outright mistakes, but flexibility is not enough. To be truly resilient you need to:

1. Know your own strengths and weaknesses. It is also important to know the strengths and weaknesses of those around you. Your views and beliefs on the situation can have a lasting impact for yourself and your team. Once you are honest with yourself you can make better choices for the future.
2. Avoid seeing problems as insurmountable and remain optimistic. Resilient leaders are optimistic not naive. They see and acknowledge the bad but they also find a way to see the good. Having a contingency plan for when things go pear shaped helps you to remain more optimistic as you are prepared if the worst should happen.
3. Accept change as inevitable and adapt accordingly. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed allows you to focus on circumstances that you can alter. By acknowledging and accepting change leaders can step back, observe, and respond with composure and purpose.
4. Develop your awareness and understand the context of the challenges you face, knowing what resources you will need to build and sustain the required solutions. Mindfulness will allow you to pay attention to and focus on what is happening now in the present moment. Actively engaging with what is happening right now will allow you to view the moment from a more strategic standpoint. Developing a more aware and considered approach allows leaders to respond to situations rather than react to them.
5. Understand that all actions you take and decisions you make will have a personal impact on those working with and around you. There is a strong link between emotionally intelligent leadership and employee engagement, client satisfaction and the bottom line. Go the extra mile to re-inspire and re-engage your team in a meaningful vision. Companies that communicate clearly with and empower staff, allowing them to take decisions to solve problems, will prosper in the long run.
6. Maintain your physical, mental  and emotional well being. This will give you the strength and balance to deal with challenging situations and is the foundation of resilience. Practice stress management and relaxation techniques.

Resilience enables leaders to overcome disappointment and move themselves and their organisations forward in times of immense uncertainty and stress. Although they may occasionally falter, potential trouble lurks around every corner and what matters is not the source of the trouble but how we deal with it. Resilience is an exercise in choice and we all have the choice whether to be trapped and mired in the current bad situation, or to learn from it and rebound. Resilient leaders and companies take action and learn from their mistakes, they embrace challenges rather than being frightened or intimidated by them and ultimately they flourish.

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The aim of this guide is to share our knowledge, increase learning and understanding and help our clients make informed decisions on talent management

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