Tidbits, titbits or tipbits?

Want to change your mood around the office? It all starts with your actions.

Smile when you walk in the door and people will know you are ready to get things done. Look down at the floor and smirk at people waiting for that morning meeting and you're giving them the message that you'll be hiding in your cubicle all day. Sometimes, seemingly trivial facial expressions, minor activities, and routine habits can reveal your mood. But these habits can do more than just reveal your mood; they can also dictate your mood.

The best way to change your attitude, experience more joy in your work life, and spread a little of that happiness around the office is to adopt habits that foster a better mood. Sure, we all get a little cranky about the Starbucks barista who scoffed at the stain on our shirt or the taxi driver who smelled like yesterday's pizza. No worries. Try a few of these activities and develop habits to increase your happiness during the day.

Don’t ignore the problem

Too often these issues go unaddressed.  “Most performance problems aren’t dealt with directly,” says Weintraub. “More often, instead of taking action, the manager will transfer the person somewhere else or let him stay put without doing anything.” This is the wrong approach. Never allow underperformance to fester on your team. It’s rare that these situations resolve themselves. It’ll just get worse. You’ll become more and more irritated and that’s going to show and make the person uncomfortable,” says Manzoni. If you have an issue, take steps toward solving it as soon as possible.

It wasn't until I came across Adam Grant's book, Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, that I realized it wasn't about being nice or cutthroat.

1. Don't pretend you're not really in charge.

If the buck stops at your desk, acting like you're the same as everyone else won't work. It's a bit like parents who try to function as their children's friends, rather than as authority figures. It may be more fun in the short run, but will likely lead to bad results in the long run.

There are a very few exceptions--one is Morning Star, the tomato processor that has rigorously maintained a non-hierarchical structure since the 1970s. But that takes a lot of forethought, planning, and careful hiring of like-minded individuals. And even so, the company's non-CEO founder must occasionally serve as decider of last resort when employees are unable to resolve their conflicts.

If you're on the hunt for a new position that will let you shine, practice demonstrating these top seven traits that CEOs look for in star employees.

Your resume can get you the interview. But these traits can get you hired:

1. Happiness

No one wants to work with an unhappy person. Negativity, unnecessary drama, and melancholy attitudes can bring the entire company down, so although your own personal happiness may not seem important when applying for a job, it most certainly is. Happiness also reflects your ability to tackle challenges without becoming discouraged. If you show the hiring CEO that you're a positive, mentally healthy person, your chances of becoming the company's next star employee will vastly improve.

The most successful bosses and the ones employees respect and follow most easily, and who are most likely to be promoted--tend to share the following eight core beliefs:

1. Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield. 

Average bosses see business as a conflict among companies, departments, and groups. They build armies of troops to order about, demonize competitors as "enemies," and treat customers as territory to be conquered.

Great bosses see business as a symbiosis through which the most diverse company is most likely to survive and thrive. They create teams that adapt easily to new markets and can quickly form partnerships with other companies, customers, and even competitors.