Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture

Chapter 14. The Mirror Test

That night, while her husband watched the game on television, Nancy read a business article titled "Positively Contagious." It said that the flu is not the only thing you catch at work. It turns out you are just as likely to catch someone's bad mood and negative attitude. The latest research demonstrates what we all know to be true—that emotions are contagious. Researchers call them emotional contagions, and they impact our work environments, productivity, teamwork, service, and performance in significant and profound ways. One negative employee can pollute the entire team and create a toxic work environment. One employee in a bad mood can turn off, and turn away, countless customers; and pervasive negative attitudes can sabotage the morale and performance of a team with great talent and potential. The good news is that positive emotions are just as contagious. One positive leader can rally a group of willing people to accomplish amazing things. One positive employee who sits at the welcome desk can positively infect every person who walks into your business, school, or workplace. Pervasive positive attitudes and emotions at work can fuel the morale and performance of your organization. You have a daily choice to be negatively contagious or positively contagious. You can be a germ and attack your organization's immune system, or you can act as a dose of vitamin C and strengthen it.

Nancy stood in front of the mirror as she brushed her teeth. Which are ...