Managing With Power

15

Symbolic Action: Language, Ceremonies, and Settings

Given the choice of influencing you through your heart or your head, I will pick the heart. It’s your head that sends you off to check Consumer Reports when you are thinking of purchasing a new car. It’s your heart that buys the Jaguar, or the Porsche. It’s your head that tells you that political campaign speeches cannot be believed or trusted, but it’s your heart that responds to the best oratory, and makes you refuse to vote for people who come across as “dull,” as though that were a reason to vote or not vote for a governmental representative. “People are persuaded by reason, but moved by emotion.” ¹ We exercise power and influence, when we do it successfully, through the subtle use of ...