We are all affected by the many events that occur at home, on the way to work, and once we get to work. These events often set the tone for the rest of the day. It is hard to be positive when something unfortunate happens to you at the start of the day.

A recently published study from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and the Ohio State University's Fisher School of Business by Nancy Rothbard and Steffanie Wilk, and reported in the Globe and Mail (27 September 2006) by Jeff Buckstein, provides insights into how much employees' mood affects their work performance. Particularly notable in their findings is how events that occur first thing in the morning significantly affect how you view everything else over the course of the day — important information for those leading team meetings at the start of the work day. A few of the tips offered on how you can shake off a bad mood:

• Start your day off with something enjoyable

• Find a quiet place for a temporary retreat

• Set realistic objectives

• Confide with a trusted colleague

• Leave the house early

• Change your mode of commute

• Engage in a regular morning exercise routine

• Feed off of the energy of positive people

• Focus on the good news

The reality is that nobody can begin the day in a good mood all of the time. This is the time of year when we often reflect on the past and plan for the next year. Consider always starting the day with a positive mood, and it will be beneficial to your career.

Best wishes for the holiday season and for 2007 from World Bytes.

Other Bytes

Here are some of the things going on in and around the engineering community:

• The World Future Society publishes an annual thought-provoking forecast that provides glimpses of what may happen in the next year. This year's forecast, "Outlook 2007," [The Futurist, 40(6), 9-page inset, November- December 2006, www.wfs.org] provides a compendium of opinions and ideas from a wide variety of sources. Categories include business and economics, demography, environment, habitats, health and medicine, information society, resources, security, technology, transportation, values and culture, and the world of work. An inset provides you with information on a few potential future occupations that emerged from articles in The Futurist over the past year.

• Another article in the same issue of The Futurist, "Technology's Promise: Highlights from the TechCast Project," [40(6), pp. 41-50, 2006) by William Halal, discusses promising breakthroughs in energy, information technology, health care, transportation and other critical fields. Halal points out the driving role that information systems is playing in facilitating breakthroughs on a massive scale. Interesting graphical presentations provide predictions of when new technologies are most likely to enter the mainstream during the next 25 years.

• Today's workplace is comprised of an increasingly diverse population of employees. This diversity is to everyone's advantage. Considerable progress has been made in promoting diversity in the workplace. Those who were traditionally underrepresented in hiring and promotion are finding their place in world. Cultural and other differences sometimes create conflict and tension in the workplace. Organizations need to equip workers with the necessary skills so that everyone can work effectively in the workplace despite differences. In "Rethinking Political Correctness," [Harvard Business Review; 84(9), pp. 79-87, 2006, www.hbr.com] Robin Ely, Debra Meyerson and Martin Davidson provide five principles for the healthy resolution of tensions that commonly arise from cultural differences in the workplace. As the authors conclude: "When people treat their cultural differences — and the conflicts and tensions that arise from them — as opportunities to seek a more and accurate view of themselves, each other and the situation, trust builds and relationships become stronger."

• Many articles have been published on the secrets of greatness. In "What It Takes to Be Great," [Fortune, 178(8), pp. 88-96, 2006, www.fortune.com] Geoffrey Colvin provides insights on his research. This article is one of several that focus on the topic of excellence. Colvin concludes that greatness isn't handed to anyone, rather it is the result of painful and demanding practice and hard work. He provides examples of individuals who have achieved greatness and provides five tips on how you, too, can achieve greatness.

• "BMW's Dream Factory," [BusinessWeek, #4005, pp. 71-80, 16 October 2006, www.businessweek.com] by Gail Edmondson, focuses on BMW's best practices for creating a culture of innovation. Edmonson specifically shows how sharing the wealth, listening to all employees, and rewarding risks have paid off for the company. Five best practices emerge that have built a culture of innovation at BMW. An interesting read that once again points out the important role that all people in the organization play in its success.

• Identity theft is an enormous problem. In "To Catch a Thief," [ESM Magazine, 49(4), pp. 25-27, 2006, www.esmasn.org] Peter D'Arruda provides tips on how to avoid falling victim to five types of identity theft. In his introduction, D'Arruda writes that in the past five years, more than 33 million people have had their identities stolen. The consequences of identity theft can be extremely harmful. By being proactive, however, you can take steps to protect yourself from becoming a victim of this serious crime.

• In today's competitive business environment, mergers and acquisitions are commonplace. The joining of companies has a significant impact on employees at all levels. In "Sizing up the Target's Top Managers," [Mergers and Acquisitions, 41(10), pp. 28-32, 2006] Joan Harrison discusses the importance of an acquiring company's assessment of the acquisition's management team. In her introduction, Harrison says: "It only makes sense to look into the past backgrounds and performance of those who would be managing the acquired business and handling its money." Tips and strategies are provided that will provide guidance with your investigation of the management team.

 

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