Why Emotion?

Historically, the role of emotion in management and other aspects of organizational life has been largely ignored. Emotion was often seen as a source of irrational behavior, and conventional wisdom advised managers to create an emotion-free environment to eliminate disruptive behavior which interfered with productivity.  

In recent years, however, this has begun to change. People now realize that emotion is a necessary element within the workplace. Depending upon how it is managed, it can have a positive influence on performance.

Watch the video below, then think about the relationship between what Bennis discusses in the video and this lesson's readings. Click the white arrow to launch the video.