Whistling While We Work: Why Good Moods Improve Job Performance

Tom Goddard — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:28:23 -0500

As even Snow White knew, good moods in the workplace are to be encouraged. It is not news, either to Walt Disney or to organizational psychologists, that positive moods not only feel good, but also improve task performance. What is not fully understood is why that is so. Why is it that positive mood generally improves performance? Tsai, Chen, and Lieu think that it is a combination factors both intrapersonal (motivational) and interpersonal (giving help to and receiving help from co-workers) that provide the key link.

Note to Entrepreneurs: Planning, Not Just Brains and Guts, Holds a Key to Your Organization’s Success

Tom Goddard — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:20:18 -0500

There is a widely held belief, among both entrepreneurs and researchers, that the world of entrepreneurship is best navigated by instinct, not careful, elaborate planning. However, Frese and his colleagues at Justus-Liebig-University, in Giessen, Germany, would disagree. As it turns out, “elaborate and proactive planning” is significantly related to entrepreneurial success.