OB Applications of Emotions and Moods.

 

Selection

One implication from the evidence on emotional intelligence (EI) to date is that employers should consider it a factor in hiring employees, especially in jobs that demand a high degree of social interaction. In fact, more and more employers are starting to use EI measures to hire people.

 

Decision Making

As you will see later on (in chapter 5) traditional approaches to the study of decision making in organizations have emphasized rationality. But OB researchers are increasingly finding that moods and emotions have important effects on decision making. Positive emotions enhance problem-solving skills, so positive people find better and faster solutions to problems. Depressed people are slower at processing information and tend to weigh all possible options rather than the most likely one. They search for the perfect solution when there rarely is none.

 

Creativity

People in good moods tend to be more creative than people in bad moods. They produce more idea and more options and others think their ideas are original. It seems people experiencing positive moods or emotions are more flexible and open in their thinking, which may explain why they are more creative.

Some researchers, however, do not believe a positive mood makes people more creative. They argue that when people are in positive moods, the may relax (“If I am in a good mood, things must be going well and I do not need to think of new ideas”), thereby not engaging in new critical thinking necessary for some forms of creativity.

It is also debated that all the activating moods, whether they are positive or negative, seem to lead to more creativity. Deactivating moods does however lead to less.

 

Motivation

Several studies have highlighted the importance of moods and emotions on motivation. One study set two groups of people to solving word puzzles. The first group was shown a funny clip first, intended to put the subjects in a good mood first. The other group was not. As a result the first group reported higher expectations of being able to solve the puzzles, worked harder at them and solved more puzzles as a result.

Similar tests have been done where sales persons were given positive feedback before working and as a result achieved superior performance in forms of higher sales.

 

Leadership

Effective leaders rely on emotional appeals to help convey messages. In fact, the expression of emotions in speeches is often the critical element that makes us accept or reject a leader’s message. Corporate executives know emotional content is critical if employees are to buy into their vision of the company’s future and accept change. By arousing emotions and linking them to an appealing vision, leaders increase the likelihood that managers and employees alike will accept change.

 

Negotiation

Negotiation is an emotional process; however, we often say a skilled negotiator has a “poker face”. Several studies have shown that a negotiator who feigns anger has an advantage over the opponent. Why? Because when a negotiator shows anger, the opponent concludes that the negotiator has conceded all she can and so gives in.

Displaying a negative emotion (such as anger) can be effective, but feeling bad about your performance appears to impair future negotiations. Individuals who do poorly in a negotiation experience negative emotions, develop negative perceptions of their counterpart and are less willing to share information or be cooperative in future negotiations.

 

Customer Service

A worker’s emotional state influences customer service, which influences levels of repeat business and of customer satisfaction. Providing quality customer service makes demands on employees because it often puts them in a state of emotional dissonance. Over time, this state can lead to job burnout, declines in job performance and lower job satisfaction. Employees’ emotions can also be transferred to the customer, called the emotional contagion and is just what it sounds like. The “catching” of emotions from others. Just think about your own reaction when someone smiles and laughs with you, you tend to do the same. This is important due to that customers affected by this shop longer and for more money. Do however also note that this regards negative emotions which will make the customer go away.

 

Job Attitudes

Ever heard the advice “Never take work home with you”? That is easier said than done and most people do carry on the mood from job to their home. This does regard both positive moods (which then most likely is appreciated by the ones waiting at home) and negative (less appreciated..)

Even though people do emotionally take their work home with them, however, by the next day the effect usually is gone.

 

Deviant Workplace Behavior

Evidence suggest that people who feel negative emotions, particularly anger, hostility or envy, are more likely than others to engage in deviant behavior at work. Once aggression starts, it is likely that other people will become angry and aggressive as well, so the stage is set for a serious escalation of negative behavior. Angry people look for other people to blame for their bad mood, interpret other people’s behavior as hostile and have trouble considering others’ point of view.

 

Safety and Injury at Work

Bad moods can contribute to injury at work in several ways. Individuals in negative moods tend to be more anxious which can make them less able to cope effectively with hazards. Negative moods also make people more distractible and distractions can obviously lead to careless behaviors.