Understanding Emotions in the World of Business

Andrew Coatsworth
Ways of Feeling
1.26.16

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I. Introduction: Corporate Culture as a Microcosm of American Emotion

In the United States, the world of business has become known as a field where emotions
can hinder negotiations, create conflicts of interest when making strategic employment decisions,
and lead to financial ruin. It is commonly held that emotions simply have no place in business.
This is evident when considering the idiom strictly business. Strictly business implies that
one will stop at nothing in order to achieve a particular outcome. According to Ken Makovsky, a
contributor to Forbes, doing the right thing, businesswise, means acting on the best business
principles, not letting emotions get the best of you, thereby deterring you from the right course
(Makovsky). However, labeling the business world as an emotionless culture fails to capture the
entire picture. Although businesses have largely become global corporations, many have major
operations within the United States and are thus exposed to U.S. emotional culture. Anna
Wierzbicka writes that, There is a tradition within Anglo academic psychology which tends to
be hostile to emotions (Wierzbicka 17). Additionally, Wierzbicka discusses how AngloAmerican culture views emotions as a departure from [a] normal state of composure
(Wierzbicka 17). Furthermore, Wierzbicka stresses the importance of emotional control in
American culture and properly analyzing and verbalizing emotions in a self-controlled manner
(Hasada, 171). Considering the emphasis on emotional control in American culture, it is not
surprising that this sentiment has become entrenched in the world of business. However,
because of the demanding nature of business, emotions must be further controlled and
suppressed as to not interfere with strategic decision making. Yet the perceived need to control
and suppress emotions poses an issue for employees. Attempting to minimize emotions instead
tends to lead to amplification. A test conducted by Harvard professor Daniel Wegner confirmed
this idea. Wegner found that individuals tend to fixate on a given subject even when they are
instructed not to think about it (David and Congleton). Despite this issue, emotional control
remains a necessity for the majority of businesses. Business culture encourages the suppression
of emotions in order for individuals to stay in control, look strong, and keep things at arms
length (Sundheim). Yet, as a result of the complexities of the world of business, there is no
emotional code or commonly accepted standard for emotional expression. In turn, emotional
expression continues to influence business.

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II. Expression of Emotion in Corporate Culture

Although corporate culture encourages the suppression of emotion, emotions inevitably
influence business processes. However, it has been established that challenging thoughts and
feelings should stay out of the workplace. As a result, it is widely held that executives should
remain either stoic or cheerful despite the negative thoughts they may have. Expressing too
much emotion poses a threat to the professional appearance of a business. Yet emotion is a
vital and unavoidable aspect of human nature. While many attempt to suppress their emotions in
business, it is simply not possible to completely shut them off as anyone who has had sweaty
palms or a pounding heart during a heated conversation can attest (Shapiro). Additionally,
emotions are tied to aspects of the workplace such as recognition of personally added value,
connection with coworkers, autonomy, comparison to coworkers, and job titles. Every
employee, whether an intern or chief executive, is exposed to these areas (Shapiro). When
combined with the natural stress and demands of the business world, it becomes much more
difficult to maintain an appearance of strictly business. Common emotional challenges include:
struggling to achieve a positive work-life balance, jealousy of coworker success, fear of
rejection, and worrying about personal weaknesses (David and Congleton). Although
unavoidable, employees suppress these emotions rather than processing them. Individuals
attempt to disguise their emotions through positive affirmations, further prioritization, and
complete immersion in work (David and Congleton). A lack of true emotional expression leads
to sugar-coated, couched, and polished dialogue (Sundheim). According to Dan Sundheim,
We end up not saying what we mean or meaning what we say. We beat around the bush. And
that never connects, compels, or communicates powerfully (Sundheim). This idea of sugarcoating is an extension of the American expression of emotion. In his book, Against Happiness:
In Praise of Melancholy, Eric Wilson writes: Surely all this happiness cant be for real. How
can so many people be happy in the midst of all the problems that beset our globe Are we to
believe that four out of every five Americans can be content amid the general woe? (Wilson 6).
Just as Wilson questions the overall happy state in America, one can question the true nature of
emotions in the world of business.
The lack of true emotion in business creates a difficult situation for employees. There is
no explicit code for which emotions are acceptable and when they can be expressed.
Furthermore, since emotions are commonly suppressed, they often boil over leading to

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spontaneous outbursts. Also, the appropriateness of emotional expression varies based on

seniority. An intern would be chastised for a rage filled outburst at other employees, while this
behavior may be more common or even expected from an executive officer. In addition to
varying standards based on seniority, emotional expression in business has developed a gender
bias. In many cases, male employees will be labeled as tough, passionate, or open while women
are stereotyped as whiny, hysterical, or weak (Sundheim). As a result, employees tend to dismiss
emotions expressed by women more frequently than men (Sundheim). With these two double
standards in place, emotional suppression unfortunately plays a vital role in achieving success in
the workplace.
III. Implications of Emotional Suppression in the World of Business
After examining emotional expression in the world of business, it is evident that
corporate culture creates a difficult environment for employees. Employees are expected to
complete their jobs in a professional manner without letting their emotions interfere. This
culture views employees as assets rather than emotional beings. Overall, it can be concluded that
the main underlying assumption in the world of business is that the social responsibility of
business is to increase its profits (Friedman). If a business cannot earn a profit, it will fail.
Unfortunately, this pressure comes at the expense of employees and their ability to express their
emotions in the workplace. The lack of proper emotional expression leads to an unhealthy
corporate culture with lower employee satisfaction and as a result, decreased employee output.
However, in recent years, a new school of emotional thinking has emerged. In the current
volatile state of the economy, healthy emotional expression serves as a crucial source of value for
organization. While financial rewards may be scarce, positive emotional expression will lead to
upbeat and engaged employees (Shapiro). Yet eliciting positive emotional expression from
employees requires incredibly skilled leaders with high levels of emotional intelligence. These
leaders, rather than suppressing their emotions and feelings, mindfully analyze them in a values
driven fashion (David and Congleton). This skill has been coined emotional agility (David and
Congleton). Emotional agility allows individuals utilize their emotions through proper and
healthy management. In order to develop emotional agility, one must unhook themselves from
their emotions, recognize their personal patterns, understand and label their thoughts and
emotions, accept them, and act upon them in a values oriented manner. Understanding and
properly managing emotions rather than suppressing them allows for more constructive and

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powerful relationships among coworkers. Additionally, a study conducted by Sigal Barsade and
Olivia ONeill that surveyed over 3,000 employees in seven different industries supports this
idea. The study found that when individuals are able to express their affection, tenderness,
caring, and compassion for their coworkers, they experience higher levels of job satisfaction,
commitment to the organization, and accountability for their performance (Barsade and ONeill).
Despite the longstanding assumption that the sole responsibility of business is to increase
profits, potentially at the expense of employee happiness, corporate culture is undergoing a
period of introspection. Although these efforts are still profit driven, managers are beginning to
understand that emotions can be leveraged into business success. Companies such as Whole
Foods, PepsiCo, and Zappos have incorporated ideas including love, caring, and family in
their values (Barsade and ONeill). While it may be a slow transition, emotions are finding a
place in the world of business.
IV. Conclusion
Long-term business success requires strong relationships. Strong relationships require
true expression of emotion. These relationships fuel decision making when major issues are
assessed. They create familiarity among employees and develop high context cultures. Rather
than needing to verbally elaborate on a topic, executives with strong relationships can simply
glance at each other to understand what actions must be taken. Additionally, expression of
emotion can spark innovation, motivate teams, encourage loyalty, unify leaders, and promote
collaboration (Makovsky).
With the continued advancements in technology and widespread globalization, the world
of business has grown much more competitive. Organizations need to utilize any possible
advantage in order to fend off potential disruption. In response to growing demands,
organizations are better understanding the implications of corporate culture. There has been a
shift in focus from cognitive culture, the idea of teamwork and results, to emotional culture
(Barsade and ONeill). While some corporations will resist this change more than others, the
world of business is beginning to warm to the idea of emotional expression in the workplace.

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Works Cited
Makovsky, Ken. "Is There Emotion in Business?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 Dec. 2011. Web.
20 Jan. 2016.
Wierzbicka, Anna. "Introduction: Feelings, Languages, and Cultures." Emotions Across
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Print.
Hasada, Rie. "Cultural Scripts: Glimpses into the Japanese Emotion World." Ethnopragmatics:
Understanding Discourse in Cultural Context. By Cliff Goddard. Berlin: Mouton De
Gruyter, 2006. 171. Print.
David, Susan, and Christina Congleton. "Emotional Agility." Harvard Business Review. N.p., 01
Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
Sundheim, Doug. "Good Leaders Get Emotional." Harvard Business Review. N.p., 15 Aug.
2013. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.
Shapiro, Daniel. "Why Repressing Emotions Is Bad for Business." Harvard Business Review.
N.p., 01 Nov. 2009. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.
Friedman, Milton. "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits." New York
Times Magazine 13 Sept. 1970: n. pag. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.
Wilson, Eric G. "Introduction." Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 2008. 6. Print.
Barsade, Sigal, and Olivia A. O'Neill. "Employees Who Feel Love Perform Better." Harvard
Business Review. N.p., 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.