Change through emotions

Feelings as an important driving force for innovation

March 09, 2023

With the progress being made in digitalisation and automation many companies see themselves confronted by elementary changes. Frequently it is not facts but feelings that prevent these processes from being adopted. In her keynote speech on the Green Stage at ITB Berlin the life coach and trainer Daniela Roeske explained why emotional transformation and resilience are so importance, and how they can succeed.

In evolutionary terms the brain stem is the oldest part of the human brain. It controls functions and reflexes such as respiration and blood pressure, for example in dangerous situations. According to the expert in emotions, fear fulfilled an important warning function in human evolution. However, it can also present an obstacle when changes need to be made. Professionally and privately Daniela Roeske supports people in utilising their emotion in order to try out something new and build up an emotional resilience.

The trainer uses numerous examples to show just how important feelings are: advertising uses them to persuade people to buy products. The emotions generated by pictures directly affect bodily functions, for example heart rate and body temperature, and are much more powerful than pure factual knowledge. This makes them essential for purchasing decisions.

The same applies for transformation processes. Anyone setting out to introduce something new to their life or company often experiences fears. According to Roeske these can only be overcome by a powerful emotional opposite number, such as love. Once someone senses advantages in something new this sets them in motion. However, the trainer issues a reminder: if one wants to take a chance on an innovation do not just be excited about the end result but also about the process of getting there. The combination of the powerful feelings of love and fear creates a more powerful network between different parts of the brain, and produces the enthusiasm to keep going forward.