Chapter 8We Forget that Emotions Trump Logic Every Time
‘Emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it.’
Vincent Van Gogh23
We think we are rational beings. We aren't. Our decisions are driven by our emotions.
Logic may indeed be the foundation of every change initiative (at least, let's hope so!) but just laying out the logical and rational reasons for the change will never, ever be enough to convince people that the change is worthwhile. In order to help someone make a decision to change, we must appeal to their emotions.
When preparing for a meeting or a negotiation, how much time do we spend gathering the facts, developing the supporting analysis and preparing the logical arguments versus understanding the motivations of those with whom we are meeting?
And yet, we all instinctively know that emotions, instinct and ‘gut feel’ are significant components of almost every decision we make. In fact, the ability to make decisions without possession of all the facts to hand is one of the skills admired in great leaders.
Even billion-dollar investment decisions are made, to a significant degree, on emotion. Portfolio managers are swamped with financial data and analysis about every aspect of the stock or country or sector in ...
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