Mirror mirror

Imagine this: You’re well rested. You’re singing your favorite song  in the car on the way to work. And the weather is perfect for the drive; brilliant blue skies and hot sunshine

As you walk into your office, you run into your grumpy boss. You try to avoid him but he grumbles to you: “I hate mornings when the sun is so bright! I can’t ever see when I’m driving to work.. And jeez, I hate that someone left dishes in the sink again!”

What’s your mood at this precise moment?

If you’re like most people, your mood will go down, if only slightly. You will subconsciously start to mimic his mood. Why?

It’s a process called mirroring.

You start to imitate the behavior of your boss as a way to show empathy. It’s a habit wired in our brains. You copy him, even if you don’t want to. I mean you’re having the best morning of your life! Why would you want to go to a low state?

The reality is that, when you’re the leader – everyone mirrors you. Subconsciously, people look to you for clues to see how they should behave. Consider it a hangover from our caveman days. We looked to the leader of the tribe for guidance on how we should act in a given situation.

So if you’re the leader and you’re worried, the rest of the team notices. You can’t hide it. They will start to feel on edge. The team’s mood is a reflection of your mood.

Be very careful of what emotions you project.

Mirror, mirror.