Managing emotions in turbulent and troubling times Professor Peter J. Jordan Griffith Business School Overview . Emotions and behaviour . Emotional reactions to change . Emotional intelligence . What emotions are signalling . Intensity of Emotion . Emotional contagion . Current projects on emotions Individual Exercise 1. Think about your time at work over the last week. 2. What emotions have you experienced or witnessed in others? 3. Write down each of these emotions – one emotion per post it note. Emotions during a Work Day Positive & Negative Emotions (Murray & Jordan, 2006) 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 Comparative Scores Comparative 10 5 0 Negative Positive Negative Emotions 14 12 10 8 Count 6 4 2 0 Capability and Delivery Fear Annoyed Concern Confusion Stress Anxiety Tired Embarrassment Guilt Sadness Helpessness Anger Worry Frustration Pressure Shock Positive Emotions 8 6 4 Count 2 0 Capability and Delivery Excited Hopeful Pride Satisfaction Pleased Joy Happiness Enjoyment Amusement Supportive Energetic Relief Love Expecting Productive Thoughtful Fulfilled Emotions and Change What is an Emotion? Emotions consist of four separate parts: 1. What we think 2. What we feel 3. How our bodies react 4. How we behave Primary & Secondary Appraisal . Primary Appraisal » evaluation of the situation as positive or negative . Secondary Appraisal » evaluation of own capacities and resources to deal with the situation Basic Emotions Primary Reaction » Anger Secondary Reaction (Complex Emotions) » Joy – Disgust » Fear – Shame » Surprise – Guilt » Sadness – Embarrassment » Love Why consider emotions at work? . To build interpersonal relationships at work . To facilitate strong feelings of community among organisational members . Increase tolerance of ambiguity . Decrease dysfunctional conflict Emotions & Work . Positive Emotions » Affective Commitment (Loyalty) » Enthusiasm » Organizational Citizenship Behaviours . Negative Emotions » Withdrawal » Lethargy » Antisocial Behaviours . But is it this simple? » What the negatives of positive emotion? » What are the positives of negative emotion? •Types of emotions in organizations •Emotions and •Organizational •Behavior •Felt •Displayed •Emotions •Emotional •Emotions •Labor Emotion in Organisations (Ashkanasy & Jordan, 2008) •Organizational leadership •Level 5 •Organizational •Emotional climate performance •Organization- •Bounded emotionality wide •Leadership •Group affect •Level 4 •Direct influence Affective tone •Group behavior •Groups & •Emotional contagion •Team Member Exchange and performance •LMX •Group emotional intelligence Teams •Perception of emotion •Interpersonal •Level 3 Felt vs. displayed emotion relationships •Interperso Emotional labor •Trust nal •Level 2 •Individual differences: •Considered Trait affect •Attitudes •Between- Emotional intelligence Behaviors Decision making Person •Leadership style •Emotional reactions • Impulsive •Level 1 Mood •Affective events behaviors •Within- Person Emotion states Emotional Intelligence . 1920s Social Intelligence (Thorndike) . 1950s Links between intelligence and affectivity (Piaget) . 1980s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Gardner) . 1990s Emotional Intelligence (Salovey &Mayer) . 1995 Release of Goleman’s first book What is Emotional Intelligence? (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) •Ability to manage emotions •Ability to apply emotions •Emotional Knowledge •Ability to perceive emotions What is related to EI? . Organizational Citizenship Behaviours . Creative Thinking . Empathetic Concern . Perspective taking . Impression Management . Emotional Control . Emotional Repair . Dealing with Change Emotional intelligence training . We already have learned a lot about emotions as adults . Broad experiences teach us more about emotions . Training can make sense of what you know . Training can provide a framework for understanding what you already know. Identifying Emotions in the face What emotions are generated in turbulent times? . Anger . Excitement . Fear . Anticipation . Sadness . Enthusiasm . Anxiety . Anxiety . These are natural reactions – the issue is how we deal with them ANZSOG seminar July 2012 Peter J Jordan Emotions during change . Important to consider » Understanding of the causes of emotions. » Understanding the consequences of emotions. » Recognition of how emotions can blend and also change over time The Positives of Anger Caused by: the perception (real or imagined) of a grievance (justice). Leads to: 1. A focus of energy on a justified grievance 2. Gives us the energy to right a legitimate wrong Negatives of Happiness Caused by: the perception (real or imagined) of confidence or satisfaction. Leads to: . Contentment (lack of motivation) . Ignoring other emotions . Inappropriately expressed can result in conflict (e.g. Shadenfreude) Positives of Surprise ? Caused by: the experience of the unexpected (a transitory emotion). Leads to: . Our eyes are opened . Our ears are opened . We go into information seeking mode Positives of Sadness Caused by: the perception (real or imagined) of a loss. Leads to: 1. Consideration of problems that may have been ignored previously (reflection) 2. Realisation of where things went wrong Positives of Fear Caused by: the perception (real or imagined) of a threat (triggering a flight or fight response). Leads to: 1. Generates energy to deal with a threat 2. Seeing new opportunities in the familiar Emotion & Cognition . Inverse relationship between emotion and thinking . When emotion is high (or intense) thinking will be impaired. Physiological reason » Blood flow is altered from cognitive to emotional areas(Drevets & Raichle, 1998) » Attention is diverted to the strongest emotion (Marsella & Gratch, 2002) Emotional Progressions • Anger • Happiness • Fear • Irritable • Positive • Attentive • Annoyed • Calm • Wary • Frustrated • Content • Edgy • Upset • Amused • Nervous • Mad • Pleased • Worried • Angry • Happy • Fearful • Furious • Joyous • Panicked • Enraged Summary . Emotions matter. Emotions have utility (not simple positive and negative). Emotions can be used to facilitate change – if you know how..