There’s no question that moods are contagious. I once asked someone at the beach to leash their dog, and they slightly rebuked me, “this is a dog friendly beach.” Well, so it is, I thought, grumpily. I complained to a family member about this grumpy dog owner.
Moods escalate. And negative moods are even more pervasive and contagious than positive ones. They say a disgruntled customer tells more friends and family than happy ones. Why is this?
In the “Black Cat” (The Best of Edgar Allen Poe), Poe describes a gruesome tale man who wanted to do evil just for the sake of it. That it’s in his nature. Not because you want to do the thing, but because you want to do a forbidden thing. The same goes the other way, for sure. But I think we trend slightly pessimistic because being an optimist is more beneficial, more rewarding and therefore more difficult.
A leader once told me when I was managing a team, “They’ll pick up on everything you do or say.” Oddly, I was picking up on what he was saying.
So when you lead, lead carefully. Whether in home or work, lead with kindness, compassion, and restraint. Speak three kind words before a negative. Ask to understand before assuming. Lead as a servant. It takes all the effort to overcome negative vibes, and who better equipped than the leader to do it?
Don’t be Moriarty:
“Why can’t you be more hopeful for a change?”
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Bryan lives somewhere at the intersection of faith, fatherhood, and futurism and writes about tech, books, Christianity, gratitude, and whatever’s on his mind. If you liked reading, perhaps you’ll also like subscribing: