How Good Are You on a Bad Day?
Stephen Vaughan is a leadership development expert with over 20 years of experience. He specialises in designing & delivering bespoke programmes & coaching sessions & is due to complete his PhD, Resilience in Leaders, in 2025.
If I’m not in the best of moods, so what? We’ve all been there. You wake up on the wrong side of the bed, spill coffee on your shirt, get stuck in traffic, or receive that one email that just pushes you over the edge. But as long as you keep it to yourself, it doesn’t matter, right?
How many of us have had that internal dialogue? Probably more than we’d admit. But the truth is, it might be time to have a different conversation with ourselves.
Back in 2014, James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis conducted research into the ripple effect of human emotions, specifically happiness and sadness, and what they found was revealing:
Spend time with someone who’s happy, and you’re 25% more likely to feel happy yourself.
Happy people cluster together. So do sad people.
The bottom line? Moods are contagious. Whether you realise it or not, whatever you’re carrying, enthusiasm or frustration, optimism or despair, spreads.
I still remember travelling to a meeting with an executive team when I got a call saying the CEO had pulled out and the meeting would be cancelled. Naturally, I asked why. The reply? “It’s not going to be a good day here today.” “How do you know?” I asked. “Oh, Steve, trust me. Everyone knows.”
That’s the thing about mood, even when we think we’re hiding it, we’re not.
Leadership consultant Joseph Folkman’s research backs this up. He found that 38% of leaders who described themselves as disengaged had teams that were also disengaged. Those teams weren’t just a little flat, they were frustrated, checked out, and more than half were actively looking for another job. When you began reading this, you might have believed your mood was yours alone. But the evidence is hard to ignore.
Our emotional state leaks out in small but undeniable ways. We get snappy when we’re tired. Disinterested when we’re sad. Careless when we’re angry. And if you’ve noticed a colleague who’s irritable, unmotivated, or procrastinating, it’s worth asking, "Are they catching something from you?"
Now, let’s be realistic. None of us can be in a brilliant mood every day. Life happens. Challenges blindside us. Plans fall apart. People disappoint us. So the goal isn’t to pretend everything’s fine when it isn’t.
The real question is this: How good are you on a bad day?
We judge ourselves by our intentions. Others judge us by our impact. On your best days, showing up well is effortless. On your worst days, it becomes character.
So how do we be the best version of ourselves when we’re off track?
1. Let people know
This isn’t about oversharing. It’s about setting expectations. Saying, “I’m not at my best today, I’d appreciate a bit of patience,” isn’t weakness. It’s self-awareness.
2. Put things in perspective
3. Change your scenery
Research shows that changing your surroundings or your physical state can quickly shift your mood. A walk. A different workspace. A moment outside. Sometimes a new view really does change your view.
4. Speak to your go-to person
The people who “get you” can help you reset, empathising without letting you spiral. Moods spread, so seek out the ones worth catching.
5. Write down what you love
Gail Matthews’ 2014 research found you're 42% more likely to achieve something if you write it down. So, put pen to paper, "What do you love?" "What are you looking forward to?" "Who lifts you up?" This simple act can shift your emotional centre.
Voltaire once said, “The most important decision you make is to be in a good mood.” We don’t need to dive into the philosophical debate about choice right now. What matters is recognising that your mood, good or bad, doesn’t stay contained. It spills, it spreads, it shapes the people and the world around you.
So on the good days, get out there and spread the good. And on the bad days? No hiding. No excuses. No blame.
Just be the best version of yourself available in that moment. You can be good on a bad day. Remember that.
Read more from Stephen Vaughan
Stephen Vaughan, Leadership Development Expert
Stephen Vaughan is a world-class facilitator, executive coach, and MD of Fabric Learning. With a background in professional sports and academics, and now over 20 years of experience in learning and development, he specialises in designing & delivering bespoke development programmes for organisations ranging from small not-for-profits to large multinational organisations all over the world. The majority of his work centres around leadership, whether that be executive boards, high potentials, or first-time leaders, empowering individuals to achieve increased performance & results, deliberately encouraging a sense of fun, which makes effective learning a far more enjoyable experience. He describes himself as a pracademic.
