Managing Oneself

Employees are not emotional islands. Rather, they continuously spread their own moods and receive, and are influenced by others’ moods, a phenomenon known as emotional contagion. Contagion happens most powerfully when people are together physically, but new studies show that emotions also transfer across video, television, social media and even email. The effects, which take place equally with positive and negative emotions, are even stronger in stable workgroups where there is greater interdependence. As a leader, controlling emotional contagion, especially during the pandemic, should be a priority. Ignoring the power of mood, whether it originates in the self or is “caught” through contact with others, means losing an important opportunity to influence outcomes. Cognition and emotion are completely intertwined: If you and your team are stressed, fearful, or worried, your decision-making and ability to process information are negatively affected.

Conversely, positive emotions lead to better employee attitudes, creativity, and job performance. Negative mood contagion — as opposed to recognition of widespread individual feelings of anxiety and fear that have occurred during the pandemic — may be necessary sometimes to achieve a specific team goal but should be relegated to short-term situations.

From: “Leadership Influence: Controlling Emotional Contagion”