#84: Perceptual errors at work - part 5
Last week I explained that people tend to either keep quiet about bad news or distort it to make it more palatable. We do so because we realize that bad news results in bad feelings and thus we will be liked less if we pass it on.
It seems obvious enough that people like anyone who makes them feel good and dislike anyone who makes them feel bad. Less obvious is the fact that we also tend to react to whomever we merely associate with our feelings.
For instance, if you receive good news, the chances are that you will like the person who merely happened to be with you at the time, even though he or she was not responsible for the good news in the first place.
Why do we do this? It seems that we associate people around us with our emotional state and evaluate and treat them accordingly. So, don’t let your bad mood determine how you treat your colleagues. If you do, you’ll become the bad news instead.
I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com
Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh
James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am
It seems obvious enough that people like anyone who makes them feel good and dislike anyone who makes them feel bad. Less obvious is the fact that we also tend to react to whomever we merely associate with our feelings.
For instance, if you receive good news, the chances are that you will like the person who merely happened to be with you at the time, even though he or she was not responsible for the good news in the first place.
Why do we do this? It seems that we associate people around us with our emotional state and evaluate and treat them accordingly. So, don’t let your bad mood determine how you treat your colleagues. If you do, you’ll become the bad news instead.
I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com
Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh
James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am
posted by James Henry McIntosh at
8:18 AM
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