Did you know that a leader’s mood most influences your company’s bottom-line performance?

It’s the secret sauce most companies are missing. And it’s not hidden information. Year after year I hear CEO horror stories (I also know fantastic CEOs!) and I often seek to understand more about performance as there is often a correlation between how well the company is doing, and what the overall perception is of the CEO.

Not only does a leader’s persona (personality, EQ, stress management, awareness, etc.) tie directly to performance, it drives everyone else’s moods and behaviors. This process is called mood contagion. Mood contagion is the unintentional transfer of feelings to others. Think of the old adage, smiles are contagious.

One might think about this notion through the lens of “emotional leadership.” Meaning, how is a leader leveraging emotional intelligence to engage, communicate, inspire, and problem-solve? The inverse will not only instill fear in team members, but it will also make performance suffer. When individuals are not encouraged to share ideas, innovation and collaboration will take a hit.

As a reader, if you are a CEO, take note. If you are a manager of a team, realize that you also have a great deal of influence and that mood contagion applies to you, too. What tone would you say your team is exhibiting? How can you adjust your behaviors to support your team’s attitude and ultimately, performance?