Communication Skills

Emotion

People are emotional, not rational, beings. The part of our brain dealing with emotion is far older (in evolutionary terms) and more deeply entrenched than the part dealing with logical thought. If logic and emotion clash, emotion will normally win.

This insight is crucial for effective communication. Suppose you are trying to persuade a client to switch to your product from a rival product. She likes your product, but is frightened. If she switches to your product and there is a problem, she will be blamed, while if she sticks with the old product any problem will not be her fault. While she connects her fear with your product, it will be very hard to succeed. You must replace this fear with a more positive emotion, say excitement, before you can sell to her.

When Paul came to Shanghai Jiaotong University, he introduced new, interactive teaching techniques that encouraged students to think for themselves and develop their own skills, rather than just memorize the ideas of others. In this, and many other ways, he helped students to learn about Western culture and to thrive in an increasingly international world.

- Yu Ning, PhD Candidate, Shanghai Jiaotong University,

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Armstrong-Taylor Consulting

Communication Skills

Emotion