If your team is smart, talented, and experienced – but still isn’t performing as they should – this episode is your wake-up call. Because the problem isn’t your people… it’s the norms driving how they interact.
Today, you’re going to learn how to build team emotional intelligence on demand — the kind that unlocks trust, psychological safety, and fast alignment. If you want to lead a top 1% team, this is the playbook.
In this must-listen episode, Oliver is joined by Dr. Vanessa Druskat, organizational psychologist, long-time collaborator of Daniel Goleman, and co-author of The Emotionally Intelligent Team – one of the most important leadership books of the year.
We unpack why focusing on individuals is no longer enough, how to embed emotional intelligence into your team’s daily habits, the 3 essential norms that separate average teams from extraordinary ones, and how to measure and improve your team’s EQ, starting now.
Vanessa offers a science-backed, deeply practical framework to create high-performing, human-centered teams – even in high-pressure, fast-changing environments.
⏰ CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
01:33 - Meet Dr. Vanessa Druskat & The Power of Team Emotional Intelligence
04:25 - Why Individual EQ Isn’t Enough for Teams
07:20 - The Relationship Between IQ and EQ
10:09 - What Should Leaders Look for When Hiring?
13:09 - The Three Essential Team Norms
15:46 - Norm 1: Building Belonging & Trust
19:22 - Norm 2: Creating Shared Purpose & Direction
22:11 - Norm 3: Reaching Outside the Team
25:20 - Is Team EQ Catching On?
28:18 - How to Measure and Improve Team EQ
31:00 - The Impact of Leadership and Culture Change
34:00 - The Future: AI, Teams, and Emotional Intelligence
37:00 - Vanessa’s Best Communication Advice
39:00 - Wrap Up & Where to Learn More
Enjoy the episode!
Leave us your comments and ideas. We want to know what you think.
You can find the "Team EI Quick Survey" mentioned in the episode here: https://www.vanessadruskat.com/resources
Get your 50 Presentation Hacks from Oliver: https://eoipsocommunications.com/newsletter/
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