The Emotionally Intelligent Team - by Vanessa Urch Druskat (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Great teams can sometimes feel like magic. It's hard to pin down just why they work so well. But what seems like magic is explainable, and replicable. It starts with team culture. Much has been written about the power of emotional intelligence at the individual level, but little has been said about the benefits of this concept for groups. In this book, applied social and organizational psychologist and professor Vanessa Urch Druskat combines thirty years of research and team development to present a model for building and leading emotionally intelligent teams. She offers practical advice on how to: Create a solid foundation of team norms and behaviors; understand how team members support one another to reduce toxic conflict, demonstrate caring, and build a sense of belonging; support expression, build optimism, and solve problems proactively; and increase team trust, psychological safety, and innovation. By reading The Emotionally Intelligent Team, leaders and aspiring leaders alike will learn how to develop a strong team culture that motivates and sustains improved team collaboration and performance"--

Book Synopsis

From a pioneer of "team emotional intelligence" comes a practical guide for building high-performing teams.

Great teams can sometimes feel like magic. So much so that it can be hard to pin down why they work so well. But such dynamics are explainable--and replicable. And at their heart is emotional intelligence.

While much has been written about the power of emotional intelligence at the individual level, little has been said about the benefits of this concept for groups. And it's not as simple as putting a number of emotionally intelligent people together and expecting them to work cohesively. Instead, leaders need to build a team culture around agreed-upon norms and habits.

In this book, social and organizational psychologist and professor Vanessa Urch Druskat combines thirty years of research and team development to present a model for building and leading emotionally intelligent teams. She offers practical advice on how to build a team where members:

• Help one another succeed through understanding, caring, and feedback
• Learn and advance together by reviewing team processes, supporting personal expression, building optimism, and solving problems proactively
• Engage stakeholders by building an understanding of the team's impact and developing external relationships

In reading The Emotionally Intelligent Team, leaders and aspiring leaders alike will learn how to develop a strong team culture that motivates and sustains successful collaboration and high performance.

Review Quotes

Advance Praise for The Emotionally Intelligent Team:

"Based on rigorous research, The Emotionally Intelligent Team is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their team. Readers will be pulled in by the vivid stories and the immensely practical suggestions. Don't miss this chance to learn from the leading expert on team emotional intelligence." -- Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School; author, Right Kind of Wrong

"In this groundbreaking book, Druskat reveals the secret to exceptional teams. Her pioneering work on team emotional intelligence is a game changer for leaders seeking to maximize innovation, resilience, and performance. Read this book if you want to transform your team from ordinary to extraordinary!" -- Rich Hua, Worldwide Head, EPIC Leadership, Amazon Web Services

"I have spent over three decades in Major League Baseball determining the factors that will optimize our talent. Druskat uses decades of research to provide a systematic approach to building a high-performing culture that unlocks a team's potential. An invaluable guide." -- Mark Shapiro, President and CEO, Toronto Blue Jays

"Vanessa Druskat has written a masterpiece! Filled with compelling anecdotes from real teams, this book illustrates how a deep sense of purpose within your team and a focus on its emotional life will make a difference in engagement, motivation, and sense of belonging." -- Richard Boyatzis, Distinguished University Professor, Case Western Reserve University

"'Culture' is one of the most frequently cited factors in both the success and failure of teams and organizations. Druskat offers deep insights into building culture at scale. Grounded in rigorous research, this book provides a practical, hands-on approach that leaders can apply to strengthen their teams." -- Angus Mugford, Senior Vice President, Player Development and Performance, New Jersey Devils

"The Emotionally Intelligent Team offers the perfect one-two punch. Packed with insights on how to build a team culture of clarity and performance, it works as a reference guide for anyone leading a team. I love this book!" -- Karen Atwell, CEO and Chief Strategist, Dynamic Perspectives; former Vice President, Leadership and Talent Development, First Command Financial Services

About the Author

Vanessa Urch Druskat is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of New Hampshire. A social and organizational psychologist, she has spent thirty years researching team collaboration and performance. She is an award-winning teacher and scholar, and her research investigating the differences between the norms and habits of high-performing teams and average ones led her to pioneer, with Steven B. Wolff, the concept of team emotional intelligence. Druskat consults globally with some of the world's most respected organizations and serves on the executive board of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations.