If the themes in these podcasts resonate, and you sense your mid-level managers could benefit from deeper reflection and peer exchange, consider joining our monthly online community. Hosted by Roddy Millar, it’s a relaxed yet purposeful space where leadership challenges are unpacked with insight and camaraderie. Each session offers structure without rigidity, and conversation without jargon. To learn more or explore joining, drop us a line at: admin@ideasforleaders.com

__________________________________________

In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar sits down with Vanessa Druskat, a renowned expert on team emotional intelligence. As an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the University of New Hampshire and author of the book The Emotionally Intelligent Team, Vanessa shares insights from her years of research on creating emotionally intelligent teams. She discusses the power of team norms, leadership, and how understanding the emotional dynamics within teams can drive performance and success.

Vanessa Druskat, a professor and expert in team emotional intelligence, shares her journey from studying psychology to becoming a leading researcher in team dynamics. She talks about her passion for understanding how team norms and emotions shape success, and how leaders can create environments that help teams thrive by focusing on respect, communication, and emotional intelligence.

Key Topics:

• The Power of Norms: How creating the right social norms within teams leads to better performance and cooperation.
• Caring for the Individual: The role of emotional intelligence in making team members feel valued and respected.
• The Emotionally Intelligent Leader: Why leaders should focus on building an emotionally aware environment to boost team success.
• The Importance of Feedback: How regular, respectful feedback helps teams grow and align with their goals.
• Team Culture and Leadership: How leaders shape team culture by focusing on relationships and interactions, not just tasks.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Teaser

[01:40] Vanessa shares her background and the experiences that led her to study team dynamics and emotional intelligence.

[04:45] How her upbringing in different cultures shaped her view on team norms and behaviors.

[12:18] How social norms in teams affect performance and the importance of creating the right environment.

[16:04] The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and how leaders can shape team dynamics by focusing on emotions.

[24:04] The concept of belonging and how it affects individual and team performance.

[27:25] The importance of leaders creating safe spaces for team members to share feedback and develop.

[31:56] The value of respecting team members and the power of understanding each person's strengths.

[33:31] Addressing poor behavior through team-agreed norms

[41:30] How "outlier" or disruptive behavior can be a source of...