“Nothing helps a bad mood like spreading it around.”
Bill Waterson
We all know that bad moods catch like colds at work and can affect both individual and team performance1.
As Daniel Goleman states in his book Social Intelligence, leadership really boils down to a series of social exchanges. In our own previously published research, we have duplicated what others have also shown–interpersonally ineffective bosses create more dissatisfaction with employees, increase stress and enhance the likelihood that turnover will be high2.
New research tends to suggest that bosses with the highest intake of omega-3 fatty acids had the most gray matter in key brain areas associated with mood–fatheads may actually cause positive emotional contagion conducive to enhanced morale and performance.
In a study of 106 healthy volunteers, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that participants who had lower blood levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were more likely to report mild or moderate symptoms of depression, a more negative outlook on life and be more impulsive. Those with higher blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more agreeable(easier to deal with interpersonally).
Comparisons were made by analyzing levels of omega-3 fatty acids in participants’ blood and comparing that data to the participants’ scores on three accepted tests for depression, impulsiveness and personality. The amount of omega-3 circulating in blood reflects dietary intake of the fatty acid. The study did not require participants to make changes in their normal diet habits3.
Conklin and her colleagues interviewed 55 healthy adult participants to determine their average intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Grey matter volume was evaluated using high-resolution structural MRI. The researchers presenting at the American Psychosomatic Society’s Annual Meeting reported that participants who had high levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake had higher volumes of gray matter in areas of the brain associated with emotional arousal and mood regulation (bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, the right amygdala and the right hippocampus).
For those nutritionally challenged, omega-3 is a polunsaturated fat that is important to overall health. The best sources come from cold water fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and herring. You can also find it in plants in walnuts, crushed flaxseeds, and canola, soybeand and flaxseed oils. For those who don’t like to eat fish, a fish oil supplement can be an easy way to get this brain-stimulating nutrient.
The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests two to three meals of fatty fish a week to increase the two components of omega-3 fatty acid molecules (EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid which helps alleviate inflammation and prevent clotting and DHA: docosahexaenoic acid which contributes to retinal and brain maintenance and growth.
Recent research from UCLA Professor Fernando Gomez Pinilla also supports the strong influence of omega-3 intake and mental health4.
So, maybe leaders who are “fatheads” and have levels of emega-3 in their gray matter might actually garner better results from their talent by being more agreeable and having a positive mood.
I’m sure some new research soon will come out and make me eat my words…But for now, Be well…..
Technorati Tags: omega-3, mood depression, fish oil, diet, gray matter, fmri, stress, health, job burnout, mood, job performance, mental health, neuroplasticity, leadership, Envisia, Envsia Learning, kenneth nowack, ken nowack, nowack
- Sy, T. (2005). The contagious leader: Impact of the leader’s mood of group members, group affective tone and group process. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 295-305 [↩]
- Nowack, K. (2006). Emotional intelligence: Leaders Make a Difference. HR Trends, 17, 40-42 [↩]
- Conklin, S. (2007). High w-6 and Low w-3 fatty acids are associated with depressive symptoms and neuroticism. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69, 932-934 [↩]
- Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2007). The influences of diet and exercise on mental health through hormesis. Ageing Research Review [↩]