Emotions and Positive Organizational Behavior

Sunil Shukla

Emotions

An emotion involves physiological arousal, expressive behavior and conscious experience What psychologists do agree on is that emotions contain both a cognitive and physiological element What they do not agree on is, which comes first? When we encounter a situation that alarms us, do we become aroused and from this state of arousal deduce that we are afraid? Or do we decide mentally that the situation is terrifying, which then causes our physiology to react?

Why Were Emotions Ignored in OB?

The Myth of Rationality

Emotions were seen as irrational Managers worked to make emotion-free environments

View of Emotionality

Emotions were believed to be disruptive Emotions interfered with productivity

Now it is fact that emotions cant be separated from the workplace

Aspects of Emotions
Affect
A broad range of emotions that people experience.

Emotions
Intense feelings that are directed at someone or something.

Moods
Feelings that tend to be less intense than emotions and that lack a contextual stimulus.

The Basic Emotions

While not universally accepted, there appear to be six basic emotions:

Anger Fear Sadness Happiness Disgust Surprise

All other emotions are subsumed under these six

Function of Emotion

Emotions can aid in our decision-making process. Many researchers have shown that emotions are necessary for rational decisions.

Thinking

Feeling

Decision Making

Emotional Labor
An employees expression of organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions at work.
Emotional

Dissonance:

Employees have to project one emotion while simultaneously feeling another

Can be very damaging and lead to burnout

Types

of Emotions:

Felt: the individuals actual emotions Displayed: required or appropriate emotions

Surface Acting: displaying appropriately but not feeling those emotions internally Deep Acting: changing internal feelings to match display rules - very stressful

Affective Events Theory (AET)

An event in the work environment triggers positive or negative emotional reactions

Personality and mood determine response intensity Emotions can influence a broad range of work variables

Positive Psychology

It has three central concerns:

Positive emotions Positive institutions Positive individual traits

Positive Organizational Behavior (POB)

POB DEFINED: The study and application of positively oriented human resource strengths and psychological capacities that can be measured, developed and effectively managed for performance improvement in todays workplace (Luthans). Components of POB

Confidence/Self-efficacy Optimism Hope Happiness or Subjective Wellbeing (SWB)

Resilience
Emotional Intelligence

Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap)

Confidence/Self-efficacy

Self-efficacy refers to an individuals conviction (confidence) about his/her abilities to mobilize the motivation, cognitive resources, and course of action needed to successfully execute a particular task within given context. Research & studies clearly indicate that the more confident the individual:

The more likely the choice will made really get into the task and welcome challenges The more effort and motivation will be given to successfully accomplish the task The more persistence

Confidence Development

Confidence can be developed through:

Mastery experiences or performance attainments Vicarious learning or modeling Positively oriented persuasion or feedback on progress

Physiological and psychological arousal

Optimism

Optimism refers to power of positive thinking.

It is a cognitive characteristics in terms of generalized positive outcome expectancy and/or a positive casual attribution.
It is both motivated and motivating It has the desirable characteristics of

Perseverance Achievement Health

Hope

It is a cognitive set that is based on a reciprocally derived sense of successful

Agency (Goal directed determination) Pathways (Planning of ways to meet goals)

It is combination of Willpower (agency) and Way power (Pathways)

Optimism expectancies are formed through others and forces outside the self while hope is initiated and determined through the self.
Individuals level of hope is related to

goal expectancies,
perceived control, and positive affect

Happiness/Subjective Wellbeing (SWB)

It is defined as peoples affective (emotions and moods) and cognitive evaluation of their lives. Components of SWB:

Life satisfaction: The global judgment of ones self Satisfaction with important domains: Example would include work satisfaction Positive affect: The experience of many positive emotion and moods Low level of negative impact: Experience of few unpleasant emotions and moods

Resilience

Resilience is the positive psychological capacity to rebound, to bounce back from adversity, uncertainty, conflict, failure or even positive change, progress and increased responsibility. it is not what happens to people that matters, but how people take it. Benard (1991, 1993) has identified attributes of resilient individuals

social competence, problem solving skills, autonomy, a sense of purpose and future,

Emotional Intelligence (EI)

The ability to monitor ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide ones thinking and action (Salovey and Mayer). EI is our ability to recognize and control our feelings and needs, recognize those of other people and then respond constructively and skillfully. (John Whitley) Emotional Intelligence refers to the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships (Goleman).

Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence

Personal Competencies

Self-awareness Self-management/regulation Self-motivation

Social Competencies

Empathy
Social skills

Personal Competencies

Self-awareness:

having a realistic assessment of our abilities and

Self-management/regulation:

handling emotions in a positive manner, being careful, and recovering well from emotional distress.

Motivation:

Moving towards goals, taking initiative and striving for improvement.

Social Competencies

Empathy:

sensing what others are feeling,

harmonious relationship with a broad diverse of people.

Social Skills:

Handling emotions in relationships well,

networking,
being able to persuade and lead, negotiate and settle disputes, for cooperation and teamwork.

Four Areas of Emotional Intelligence

Others Social Awareness

Self Awareness

Actions

Self Management

Relationship Management

Positive impact on others

Relationship of EI and Outcomes

EI Competencies Of Leaders
Self Awareness Self Management Social Awareness Relationship Management

Organizational Climate Factors

Organizational Outcomes
Turnover Productivity Customer Service Profitability Sustainability

Accountability Collaboration Leadership Alignment Adaptability Trust

Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap)

Positive psychological state of development characterized by

Having confidence (Self-efficacy) Making a positive attribution about succeeding now and in the future Preserving toward goal and

When beset by problems and adversity, sustaining and bouncing back

OB Applications of Emotions and Moods

Selection

EI should be a hiring factor, especially for social jobs.

Decision Making

Positive emotions can lead to better decisions.

Creativity

Positive mood increases flexibility, openness, and creativity.

Motivation

Positive mood affects expectations of success; feedback amplifies this effect.

Leadership

Emotions are important to acceptance of messages from organizational leaders.

Applications of Emotions and Moods

Negotiation

Emotions, skillfully displayed, can affect negotiations Emotions affect service quality delivered to customers which, in turn, affects customer relationships Can carry over to home, but dissolve overnight Negative emotions lead to employee deviance (actions that violate norms and threaten the organization) Entrepreneur/Leaders who are in a good mood, use humor, and praise employees increase positive moods in the workplace.

Customer Services

Job Attitudes

Deviant Workplace Behaviors

Entrepreneurs Influence