Contagious Momentum

I was in the Flint Hills of Kansas this weekend for the Flint Hills Rodeo, an annual tradition in my family for four generations. This year, my college-aged children brought friends for the weekend so we decided to do a hike at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve to see the bison roaming free on the land. 

We had a group of six hikers, four who have lived two decades and two who have lived more than five decades. And I use the term “hikers” loosely - we rode horses that morning, were still in our cowboy boots and jeans, decided to take advantage of a warm sunny break in the rain (cue humidity), and thought this would be a leisurely viewing of the bison. It started that way at least. 

After over a mile of a gradual uphill climb and boot blisters beginning to form, we hadn’t seen any bison. Like our Native ancestors, we started assessing droppings to judge how long ago the bison had been on this path. Based on our very novice scientific deduction, they were nowhere nearby.  

We paused at the base of a steep rocky hill to decide if we were up for continuing, or not. Half of the group was ready to turn around and call it a failed-bison-viewing excursion. Half of the group was willing to continue on to find the prize. 

As we pondered, two from our group offered to climb to the top and let us know if they could see anything. They climbed, we gladly waited. 

When they reached the top, we saw four arms go up in the air like a victory. Without discussion, the four of us started climbing with a new sense of momentum and motivation. 

I realized I was witnessing the psychological phenomenons of social contagion and vicarious motivation, I said to my husband, “this might be a Tuesday email in the making.” 

Researcher Sigal Barsade of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, published a landmark 2002 study called “The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion and Its Influence on Group Behavior.” It is said to be one of the most cited papers in organizational psychology.  

Barsade proved that momentum can be gained via observation and emotional contagion. The study found that mood transfer leads to momentum more than verbal instruction or command. The results showed that we follow the emotions of those around us and are motivated by the attitudes of group members, based on presence and actions, not words. 

Positive momentum and negative momentum were both found to be contagious. 

Can you think of examples of this ripple effect in your own personal or work life?

I could see it in our group on the hill: hot, sweaty, some of us with aches and pains more than others, ready to give up versus young, energetic, hopeful, and encouraging, ready to go further. Those ready to quit influenced the others to notice they were tired and hot too. Those willing to go on influenced the group to not quit after coming this far. 

We were influencing each other without words, creating a ripple effect from our attitudes. 

The young energetic ones kept us going and I’ll speak as a representative of the the hot, sweaty, achey ones who wanted to turn around…I’m glad they did! 

Their ripple effect was just what I needed. They made the steep climb look easy and their body language told me the view from the top was worth the climb. 

As the adages go: you didn’t come this far to just come this far and you didn’t come this far to stop now. 

To see bison roaming in the wild is pretty special. For miles, there was nothing man made in sight. I felt the presence of ancestors, indigenous people, Mother Nature, and the reward of contagious momentum. 

Then yesterday, I was meeting with a client who was telling me about her young children who won’t clean their rooms the way she wants them to. I asked if they are expected to do it all by themselves and she said yes. My theory was they might need some contagious momentum. 

We created a plan for her to go home, go into the room with them, and her job is to take all of the dishes and trash out to help them get started. She agreed to do it without any comments or judgement, just enthusiastic helpfulness. Then she would suggest they each select a color and pick up the items that are that color, then move to another color, and so on. 

I watched her demeanor shift from disappointment and frustration to hope and confidence that this might work if she got the contagious momentum started. 

She texted me last night with the words, “it worked” and as she was tucking her child into their bed, the child said, “thank you for helping me today mama.” 

Her child is like me at the bottom of that hill, we just needed a little contagious momentum. 

If you are feeling stuck, unmotivated, or overwhelmed, how could you create some contagious momentum for yourself?

Who could you ask to make the climb with you?

What do you need to get started or re-engage? 

Is there an opportunity where you could you go first and inspire someone else? 

How could you adjust your attitude or mood to create positive contagious momentum for those around you?

What ripple effect would you like to create?

We need each other. 

That’s what contagious momentum is about. Being human is hard, but it’s a lot easier with encouragers around you. 

If you feel like you don’t have that in your life right now, a Compassion Fix team member will cheer you on and guide you, read about the team here. 

You don’t have to do it alone. And, the view from the top is worth the climb.