Written by Friend and futurist Simon Waller invited me to explore the future of acting on his podcast, The Future with Friends. It led me to a surprising place. The conversation evolved into a discussion about the importance of emotion in navigating life as a human being.
It led me to reflect on how emotion shapes communication. Not as something that drives us irrationally as a holdover from our distant past, but as the feature that has allowed humanity to thrive in increasingly complex societies.
It is a popular idea that our brains were designed for a life of prehistoric survival rather than the whirlwind of social media, global markets, and 24-hour connectivity. I do recognise that there are problems, and there are dark sides to all our creations, particularly tools like social media. However, modern neuroscience shows that our brains have not only adapted but excelled at managing these new challenges. We process vast streams of information, interpret subtle social cues and coordinate with thousands of unrelated people every day. It is our very cognitive architecture and capacity for emotion that remains our most significant competitive edge. In other words, emotion is a feature, not a bug, of our operating systems.
Emotion as a Driver of Cultural Complexity
Comparative research demonstrates that humans possess a far richer suite of social motivations than any other primate. Silk and colleagues (2023) showed that while many mammals exhibit basic social emotions, such as parental care, distress calls, and affiliative bonding, humans have evolved additional emotional drivers, including moral outrage, collective pride, and aesthetic appreciation. These expanded emotional motivations enable us to cooperate on a massive scale. Like constructing cities to co-authoring scientific papers and creating global artistic movements. When individuals feel moral indignation over unfair treatment, they rally others to address social issues. Like the collective joy shared at a sporting match or a concert unites strangers and cements cultural identity. Emotions such as pride, shame and empathy are the invisible glue that binds large groups together. This gives humans a decisive advantage over species whose emotional range limits cooperation to small, kin-based bands (Silk et al., 2023).
Empathy and Competitive Coalitions
Biological research into empathy further illustrates how emotion has co-evolved with our drive to compete and collaborate. De Waal’s work, as cited in Nettle (2019), traces the roots of empathy to maternal care among early mammals. Mothers who responded to their offspring’s distress enjoyed higher survival rates, ensuring that sensitivity to another’s suffering conferred a significant evolutionary benefit. Over time, this empathic wiring extended beyond kin to larger social groups. As our ancestors formed hunting parties, defended territories and traded resources, empathic concern for non-kin enhanced group cohesion. Groups whose members were motivated by genuine emotional connection rather than mere self-interest outperformed more aggressive or solitary competitors. Empathy became a cornerstone of human competitive strategy, allowing us to coordinate complex tasks with minimal friction and to out-organise rival tribes (Nettle, 2019).
Emotion in Storytelling and Collaborative Endeavours
Storytelling is a prime example of how emotion underpins our collective success. From stories shared around campfires to modern films and immersive theatre, we rely on emotional resonance to captivate audiences. Actors invest painstaking effort in mastering emotional nuance because audiences are drawn to authenticity. When we watch a character’s struggle or triumph, our emotional circuits activate in a mirror fashion. That shared feeling forges empathy, teaches us vicarious lessons and motivates us to act. In professional settings, a presentation infused with genuine enthusiasm or heartfelt concern inspires stakeholders more powerfully than a purely factual report ever could. By tapping into shared emotions, we not only convey information but also build trust, spur creativity and galvanise collaborative action.
On Plato
Thousands of years ago, concerns arose about written words replacing oral communication. The philosopher Plato worried that reading words would replace face-to-face exchange, eroding the depth of conversation.
From Plato’s Phaedrus, commenting on the invention of writing:
Here, O king is a branch of learning that will make the people of Egypt wiser and improve their memories. My discovery provides a recipe for memory and wisdom. But the king answered and said, ‘O man full of arts, the god-man Toth, to one it is given to create the things of art, and to another to judge what measure of harm and of profit they have for those that shall employ them.’
The trend of feeling distracted by written communication has not let up. We continue to struggle with digital distractions and overwhelm. The fact that we can continue making sense of all these messages is down to one thing. Emotion. We rely on signals, such as tone, emphasis, and empathy, to process all of this content. Of course, there are problems associated with being on the receiving end of all the communication. However, that means it is more important than ever to understand the impact of emotion in communication.
Key Takeaways for Strategic Communication
In business communication, the impulse is often to remove language that feels too descriptive or emotional. We assume that by stripping out feelings, we become more objective and professional. In truth, emotions help recipients process information and understand its impact, whether positive or negative. Strategic communicators who incorporate emotional cues enhance clarity, foster trust, and drive action. Keep these guidelines in mind when communicating:
- Acknowledge Positive Impacts Clearly
- If your organisation has achieved a win, be explicit about how stakeholders feel. For example, “Our clients were so pleased with the change that the feedback was immediate.” This phrasing helps readers sense the enthusiasm and imagine the positive outcome for themselves.
- Signal Negative Consequences Honestly
- When an unexpected challenge arises, do not hide behind neutral language. For example, “Unfortunately, this was unexpected” acknowledges the setback and validates the reader’s concern. Clarity about negative impacts builds credibility and creates space for solutions.
- Balance Emotion with Professionalism
- You do not need to become overly sentimental. Simple, precise phrases that convey emotional undertones are sufficient. For instance, “We appreciated your patience as we resolved this issue” communicates gratitude in a way that data alone cannot.
- Use Emotion to Guide Decision-Making
- Emotional stakes in a proposal, such as how change could alleviate stress or boost morale, are more likely to engage the audience. For example, “This new process will ease current stressors and improve job satisfaction” uses emotion to frame the rationale.
- Embed Emotional Touchpoints in Key Documents
- In reports, memos, or presentations, include sentences that convey emotions about significant developments. Phrases like “We felt a sense of relief when the project launched” or “Team members expressed frustration during testing” help audiences understand the human context behind the project.
By weaving emotional clarity into business messages, communicators transform information into content that directly applies to someone’s life. Emotion is a strategic tool for ensuring that every message resonates, informs and inspires action. Your capacity to feel and convey complex emotions has enabled us to become the most cooperative species on Earth.
References
Silk, J. B., House, B. R., & Roberts, M. (2023). Emotional Drivers of Human Cooperation and Cultural Complexity. Journal of Human Evolution, 176, 103234.
DOI link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103234
ScienceDirect link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-human-evolution/vol/176/suppl/C (turn7search0)
Nettle, D. (2019). The Evolution of Empathy and Its Role in Human Cooperation. Oxford University Press.
Publisher’s page: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-evolution-of-empathy-and-its-role-in-human-cooperation-9780198842796 (doi:10.1093/oso/9780198842796.001.0001)
Storytelling Built For Innovation 