Business & Decision Making
It is not rocket science to acknowledge that we all prefer to do business with people we like.
There is plenty of research that has been around for decades showing that relationships matter.
In private medical practice in the States, clients have rated relationship as more important than expertise, which is taken as a given.
In parallel, people with high emotional intelligence have consistently fared at least as well as those with high IQ.
The key point: Expertise matters, but relationships, emotional intelligence and the way people experience an interaction can have a profound influence on business decisions.
So, What’s the Neuroscience Behind This?
The truth behind this may be surprising. Whilst we like to think we are objective creatures who analyse the evidence, this is a great misrepresentation of how the brain works.
95% of the information we process in the brain takes place at the subconscious level, and at this level the key drivers are our instincts and emotions.
We will take an instinctive view of a situation within seconds and this will taint the interaction thereafter.
First impressions matter: Our initial instinctive reaction can influence how we interpret everything that follows. This means the early stages of an interaction can have a disproportionate effect on the eventual outcome.
The Eleven-Second Rule
There is an eleven-second ‘rule’ in the world of estate agents which recognises that people make a choice to buy within that time frame.
The key at this point is that we need to be able to project ourselves, using our sensory intelligence, into a situation where we can see ourselves living in this place.
In our minds, the house becomes a home.
First impressions really do count, and making people feel at home is vital to psychological safety.
Why this matters in business: People are not simply processing facts. They are forming an immediate impression of the environment, the people involved and whether they feel comfortable enough to engage.
The Emotional Interchange
Quickly after the instinctive reaction follows the emotional interchange.
People want to feel acknowledged and listened to. This allows the brain to retain a state of emotional balance.
The result is trust, a key enabler to allow rational conversation to take place.
Trust comes first: When people feel acknowledged and listened to, they are more likely to reach a state where rational discussion and consideration of the facts can take place.
Only Then Do the Facts Come Into Play
Only at this stage do the facts come into play.
Of course, time could tell us that our initial instinctive and emotional perspective was wrong and we will change our position.
But it is the difference between swimming upstream or downstream.
Projected expertise has its role to play, but it will struggle against the currents of instincts and emotions.
Final takeaway: Expertise and evidence remain important, but they do not operate in isolation. Instinct and emotion shape the initial interaction, relationships create trust, and only then are people in the best position to properly engage with the facts.
By Clive Hyland, Consultant Head of Neuroscience & Leadership Strategy
Clive is an established business and leadership coach, with extensive experience in corporate businesses, including roles as CEO and COO of major companies.