Bad Mood

There is no doubt that there will be times when we will find ourselves in a bad mood. Sometimes we may know why a funk has descended upon us, and other times, we may have no clue at all. However, even though we all experience such periods, it doesn't mean that we have no recourse for dealing with them. Bad moods are a message we are sending to ourselves. Underneath, we usually find something that is making us uncomfortable… something we need to take action on or shift our energy towards in a more positive direction. Often the very reason we're in a bad mood is that we feel helpless or incapable of dealing with a certain situation. 

If you are having difficulties understanding the root of your bad mood, give yourself some space to express the things about your life that may be bothering or worrying you. Chances are the things that come up will be directly tied to those feelings. The best part about this exercise is that once you pinpoint the source behind your bad mood, you will be in a position to do something constructive about it.

One interesting point about bad moods is that they seem to have a magnetic quality and when we are in one, we seem to attract more negative things our way. That's why some "bad mood" days can seem to spiral even further downhill with problems and annoyances that augment our discontent and frustration. When this happens, I think it's important to do something nice for yourself. Enjoy your favorite beverage or snack, find a funny movie or sitcom to watch on the television, or just go for a walk in the park. By turning your attention to something fun or pleasurable, you can try to break the negative energy and hopefully shift your mood.

Another way to break a bad mood is to go somewhere else. Even if all you do is to get up and go to another part of the office or you switch rooms in your home, it can make an enormous difference. Or getting outside for a few minutes to a calm or natural setting may help to change your mood. Another idea is to get some exercise. Exercise doesn't just build muscle and tone the body, it also helps the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that have a positive effect on our moods.

And when you're in a bad mood don't forget about the people around you. If someone asks, make sure to let him or her know that you are just having a tough day and reassure them that that your mood isn't about them. Sometimes, just telling someone that you are in a bad mood can shift your energy to a better place.

Managing Organizational Change

Organizational change occurs when a company makes a transition from its current state to some desired future state. Managing organizational change is the process of planning and implementing change in organizations in such a way as to minimize employee resistance and cost to the organization while simultaneously maximizing the effectiveness of the change effort. 

Today's business environment requires companies to undergo changes almost constantly if they are to remain competitive. Factors such as globalization of markets and rapidly evolving technology force businesses to respond in order to survive. Such changes may be relatively minor—as in the case of installing a new software program—or quite major—as in the case of refocusing an overall marketing strategy, fighting off a hostile takeover, or transforming a company in the face of persistent foreign competition. 

Organizational change initiatives often arise out of problems faced by a company. In some cases, however, companies change under the impetus of enlightened leaders who first recognize and then exploit new potentials dormant in the organization or its circumstances. Some observers, more soberly, label this a "performance gap" which able management is inspired to close. 

But organizational change is also resisted and—in the opinion of its promoters—fails. The failure may be due to the manner in which change has been visualized, announced, and implemented or because internal resistance to it builds. Employees, in other words, sabotage those changes they view as antithetical to their own interests.

A manager trying to implement a change, no matter how small, should expect to encounter some resistance from within the organization. Resistance to change is normal; people cling to habits and to the status quo. To be sure, managerial actions can minimize or arouse resistance. People must be motivated to shake off old habits. This must take place in stages rather than abruptly so that "managed change" takes on the character of "natural change." In addition to normal inertia, organization change introduces anxieties about the future. If the future after the change comes to be perceived positively, resistance will be less.

Education and communication are therefore key ingredients in minimizing negative reactions. Employees can be informed about both the nature of the change and the logic behind it before it takes place through reports, memos, group presentations, or individual discussions. Another important component of overcoming resistance is inviting employee participation and involvement in both the design and implementation phases of the change effort. Organized forms of facilitation and support can be deployed. Managers can ensure that employees will have the resources to bring the change about; managers can make themselves available to provide explanations and to minimize stress arising in many scores of situations.

Some companies manage to overcome resistance to change through negotiation and rewards. They offer employees concrete incentives to ensure their cooperation. Other companies resort to manipulation, or using subtle tactics such as giving a resistance leader a prominent position in the change effort. A final option is coercion, which involves punishing people who resist or using force to ensure their cooperation. Although this method can be useful when speed is of the essence, it can have lingering negative effects on the company. Of course, no method is appropriate to every situation, and a number of different methods may be combined as needed.

Managing change effectively requires moving the organization from its current state to a future desired state at minimal cost to the organization. Key steps in that process are: 

Understanding the current state of the organization. This involves identifying problems the company faces, assigning a level of importance to each one, and assessing the kinds of changes needed to solve the problems. 

Competently envisioning and laying out the desired future state of the organization. This involves picturing the ideal situation for the company after the change is implemented, conveying this vision clearly to everyone involved in the change effort, and designing a means of transition to the new state. An important part of the transition should be maintaining some sort of stability; some things—such as the company's overall mission or key personnel—should remain constant in the midst of turmoil to help reduce people's anxiety. 

Implementing the change in an orderly manner. This involves managing the transition effectively. It might be helpful to draw up a plan, allocate resources, and appoint a key person to take charge of the change process. The company's leaders should try to generate enthusiasm for the change by sharing their goals and vision and acting as role models. In some cases, it may be useful to try for small victories first in order to pave the way for later successes. 

Change is natural, of course. Proactive management of change to optimize future adaptability is invariably a more creative way of dealing with the dynamisms of industrial transformation than letting them happen willy-nilly.