{"id":35252,"date":"2017-02-01T04:45:57","date_gmt":"2017-02-01T10:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=35252"},"modified":"2017-02-01T04:45:57","modified_gmt":"2017-02-01T10:45:57","slug":"viral-positivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/viral-positivity\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Positivity Go Viral in Your Organization"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re used to hearing about people getting sick at the office<\/a>. Someone brings in the cold or the flu, and it spreads. But that\u2019s not the only thing that goes viral in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n

For a couple of decades now, researchers have been studying something called emotional contagion<\/a><\/em>. It\u2019s important for leaders to understand because of the effect it has on our organizations.<\/p>\n

The latest findings show us why you have to keep a close watch on the mood of your team. Managed well, it can energize your team to achieve results. Managed badly, it can poison all your efforts.<\/p>\n\n

The Plague of Rudeness<\/h3>\n

While researchers talk about \u201clow-intensity deviant behaviors<\/a>,\u201d most of us know rudeness and negativity when we see them. The bad news is that rudeness and negativity spread like a plague in a team. They kill cooperation and slow down the work we do\u2014and they're on the rise.<\/p>\n

Incivility at work \u201chas been on the rise, yielding negative consequences for employees\u2019 well-being and companies\u2019 bottom lines,\u201d warn researchers from the University of Arkansas.<\/p>\n

After surveying people in the workplace, they found, \u201cexperiencing incivility earlier in the day reduced one\u2019s level of self-control (captured via a performance-based measure of self-control), which in turn resulted in increased instigated incivility later in the day.\u201d In other words, insults and slights frequently harmed performance. Worse, they provoked payback later in the day.<\/p>\n

If this is happening to your team, by the time quitting time rolls around, people want to be anywhere but at work, and coming in the next day can be a drudgery.<\/p>\n

You Already Have the Antidote<\/h3>\n

The good news is that you are not at the mercy of this plague. Why? It turns out positive energy spreads<\/a>, too. We already know this intuitively, but it's important to remind leaders because their emotions have the greatest impact of all.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how one employee described his boss to the Harvard Business Review<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\n She energized me because she loved her job and was, in general, a very happy person. She always came in with a smile on her face which created a positive atmosphere.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What would it take for your teammates to say the same about you?<\/p>\n

5 Ways to Create Infectious Enthusiasm at Work<\/h3>\n

You can\u2019t always be in a good mood, of course. But you have far more control over what your team picks up than you might realize. Researchers identified five ways in which you can spread positive energy to your team:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Have a positive attitude.<\/strong> That doesn\u2019t always mean flashing smiles everywhere. But it does mean realizing that you\u2019re setting the tone and others will follow.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  2. Create a positive vision.<\/strong> Leaders must communicate organizational goals<\/a> in a compelling way. You\u2019ve got to ensure the team sees reaching those goals is a real and valuable accomplishment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  3. \n

    Contribute meaningfully to team conversations.<\/strong> If you signal to your team that you respect them by meaningful engagement, they will do the same.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Be fully present and attentive.<\/strong> This comes down to honoring others. Encouraging these behaviors is critical to overcoming rudeness and indifference.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Celebrate success.<\/strong> When you reach important benchmarks, praise and reward the effort. It will boost the mood and maintain momentum.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cYou are a source of relational energy as well as a recipient,\u201d HBR<\/em> reminds leaders. \u201cWhen you generate relational energy in the workplace, your performance goes up<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s an old saying about parenting: \u201cMore is caught than taught.\u201d That\u2019s true in the workplace as well.<\/p>\n\t\t