The value of emotion in policy

What value does emotion add to our conversations about other people? Emotion makes conversation, well… human. But, where does emotion get us when we’re making decisions for others? And not just one or two other people, but a collective. What is the value of emotion, when we’re making decisions for an organization, a city, a country, or the world?

There clearly isn’t a black or white answer to this question. But I think this exercise, asking ourselves what value our emotions bring to decisions about many others, is worth thinking about.

Listening to others

When we’re having conversations, emotions can be as powerful as the words themselves. Tone can differentiate comedy from cruelty, or desire from despise. It can stay with us, change us, in a way an emotionless conversation cannot.

Clearly, emotion is a valuable asset to good conversation. It directs our attention in powerful ways.

Conversations about policy

The conversations that lead to decisions affecting many people are never easy. It is often the case that the decision generating the most impact is the most expensive. There are always trade offs.

The best decisions are ones that understood the whole picture. Better still if those involved can be honest and transparent; accepting the compromises they made to push for progress in their sphere of influence.

Greater impact decisions take longer to make, as more voices are heard. This is why large companies move slow & startups move fast. It is also why governments take so long to make change (on top of their human resources completely changing every 4-8 years - but that’s another topic).

Using our emotion

Our policies are made by humans. Whenever humans are making decisions for other humans, the bias of those making the decision is omnipresent. A healthy decision process will acknowledge this, and try its best to reduce bias. But our cognitive bias is a nasty bugger. Even if we pay attention to possible gotcha’s in our minds-eye, our subconscious will apply our bias to our emotions.

To remove our bias from decisions, we need to turn off our emotions.

Can they hear you?

Without emotion, the round table of decision makers is one where everyone’s opinion can change. Without bias, everyone should also be a better listener.

But without emotion, how well are new ideas heard? Can the decision makers empathize properly if they’ve turned off their emotional antennas? Likely not very well.

Clearly, there remains a need for emotion at the decision table.