The power of emotional appeals in promoting organizational change programs

Executive Overview In attempting to persuade employees to support an organizational change strategy, managers usually place their prime emphasis on the cognitive elements of persuasion, using mainly rational arguments. The central message of this article is that, in any change implementation program, the emotional elements of persuasion must be taken into consideration. The importance of emotions in organizations is discussed, and practical methods on how to use emotions in the change process are offered. These methods are organized around five domains: the core messages, how the messages are packaged, the characteristics of the change leaders, the interaction of change leaders with their audience, and the setting in which interactions with employees take place.