In a recent Justjobs.com post, How to Increase Your Creativity and Be Promoted at Work, the theory is put forth from a Rice University study that grumpy people are more creative problem solvers in the workplace. The study hoped to determine why some people move up corporate ladders faster than others and what traits distinguished those who advanced quickly from those who advanced slowly or not at all. The post explains the study conducted by Jing Zhou, a professor at Rice:

Zhou surveyed 161 employees and their supervisors at a large oil-field services company and found that grumpy workers are the most creative problem solvers, while happy and cheerful employees tend to believe that all is well and no problems need to be solved. As a result, cheerful people are not as forward looking and usually do not see problems until they become crises, she concludes.

As an often-cynical and occasionally grumpy person, I am happy to hear this confirmation that these traits make me a more creative person. I will not remain happy about it for long, as I have new problems to solve.

Tags: creative employees, hiring better employees, problem solving

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