What the research says

How do emotions affect organizational change?

The short answer

In the studies we mapped, they shaped whether managers backed, ignored or resisted a change, and three of the six studies here are rated high strength. In two long case studies, emotions tied to managers' group identities, and to how they judged their leaders' legitimacy, saw them back an initiative, quietly brush it off, or move toward resistance. At Nokia, fearful middle managers shared less bad news upward and leaders grew overly optimistic. Interviews found trust and distrust in change leaders came loaded with emotion. One paper argues that much apparent shared understanding during a large change was emotional contagion.

Based on 6 studies from the Atlas of the Middle: 3 rated high strength, 0 medium, 3 low. Designs: qualitative case (3), qualitative interviews (1), other (1), survey (1).

Group identities stir emotion

In a three-year case at a large tech firm, executives treating strategy as a purely task-focused job unintentionally stirred middle managers' group identities, and the resulting emotions saw managers back or quietly brush off an initiative. In another three-year case of radical change, middle managers' emotional reactions fed rising resistance as they reassessed whether their leaders were legitimate.

Huy (2011) · qualitative case · HighHow middle managers' group‐focus emotions and social identities influence strategy implementationIn a three-year case at a large tech firm, executives treating strategy as a purely task-focused job unintentionally stirred middle managers' group identities around tenure and language; the resulting emotions saw managers, even ones executives promoted, back or quietly brush off an initiative.Huy et al. (2014) · qualitative case · HighFrom Support to Mutiny: Shifting Legitimacy Judgments and Emotional Reactions Impacting the Implementation of Radical ChangeOver three years of a radical change, middle managers went from supporting their top leaders to mutiny as they reassessed whether those leaders were legitimate, and their emotional reactions fed rising resistance.

Fear changes what gets said

At Nokia, fearful middle managers shared less bad news upward while top managers did not fully reveal how serious the outside threat was, and leaders grew overly optimistic.

Vuori & Huy (2016) · qualitative case · HighDistributed Attention and Shared Emotions in the Innovation ProcessAt Nokia, fearful middle managers shared less bad news upward while top managers did not fully reveal how serious the outside threat was; leaders grew overly optimistic and the smartphone effort suffered.

Trust is felt

Interviews with 24 people about workplace change found trust and distrust in supervisors and senior change leaders came loaded with emotion, distrust most intensely, and that perceived fairness built or eroded that trust.

Smollan (2013) · qualitative interviews · LowTrust in change managers: the role of affectInterviews with 24 people about workplace change found that trust and distrust in supervisors and senior change leaders came loaded with emotion, distrust most intensely, and that perceived fairness built or eroded that trust.

Emotion spreads, and emotional skill goes with readiness

Applying video analysis to middle managers during a large strategic change, one paper argues that much apparent shared understanding was emotional contagion, carried by bodies as well as words. In a survey of 109 middle managers in India's service sector, those scoring higher on emotional intelligence also tended to score higher on readiness for change.

Gylfe et al. (2016) · other · LowVideo methods in strategy research: Focusing on embodied cognitionApplying a video-analysis toolkit to middle managers during a large strategic change, the authors argue that much apparent shared understanding was emotional contagion, carried by managers' bodies as well as their words.Sharma & Singh (2021) · survey · LowRelationship of emotional intelligence with cultural intelligence and change readiness of Indian managers in the service sectorAmong 109 middle managers in India's service sector, those scoring higher on emotional intelligence also tended to score higher on cultural intelligence and readiness for change.

What I take from it

My read is that a change plan that only covers tasks is missing much of what managers react to. Before asking whether people understand a change, I would ask which groups it touches and what people may be afraid to say.

This is my reading, Gabriel Lopez's, not a finding of the studies above.

Common questions

Why do emotions matter in organizational change?

In a three-year case at a large tech firm, executives treating strategy as a purely task-focused job stirred middle managers' group identities, and the resulting emotions saw managers, even ones executives promoted, back or quietly brush off an initiative.

Does fear affect how a change goes?

In the Nokia case, fearful middle managers shared less bad news upward, leaders grew overly optimistic, and the smartphone effort suffered. That is one case, though it is rated high strength.

Free guideThe 12 core answers in one 15-page PDFWhat the research says about change in the middle, with how strong the evidence is.Get the guide

Every summary on this page was written by Unfrozen from the study's abstract or full text and checked twice by independent AI reviewers. Loop coding is exploratory and AI-assisted, pending human verification. Spot an error? Email info@unfreeze.us and it gets fixed.