The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups That Outperform the Rest by Vanessa Urch Druskat is a timely and insightful addition to the topic of organization culture, team dynamics and leadership. Emotional Quotient/Emotional Intelligence has become a buzzword in organizations and leadership development since some time and this book provides the much needed definition of emotional intelligent teams and the practical guidance to leaders on how to form one. This book shifts the perspective of emotional intelligence from the individual to the collective and offers practical examples, tips and guidance on how to build a culture of emotional intelligence. She argues that just hiring emotionally intelligent individuals does not guarantee an emotionally intelligent team – a leader needs to cultivate a team culture built on psychological safety and mutual support.

Druskat organizes the book into three clusters:
Help one another succeed focuses on building a supportive community.
Learn and advance together focuses on assessment, learning and adaptation.
Engage our stakeholders focuses on going beyond the team and building external relationships.

These are further classified into nine practical norms that high-EI teams consistently demonstrate, such as creating an emotionally safe environment by addressing unacceptable behavior, solving problems proactively and managing conflict constructively. Each chapter includes questionnaires to evaluate where your team currently stands, steps to improve and the process to sustain it.

Druskat includes real-world examples, diagnostic tools, and step-by-step guidance for building emotionally intelligent teams from the ground up. This book is a must-read for all new and seasoned leaders who are committed to building collaborative, resilient, and high-performing teams.

This was a perfect read for me as I stepped into my new leadership role! Drawing from over three decades of research in organizational psychology, Druskat offers a comprehensive guide to cultivating emotionally intelligent teams. The book emphasizes the significance of team culture and provides actionable strategies to:
- Establish foundational team norms and behaviors.
- Foster mutual support among team members to mitigate conflicts and enhance a sense of belonging.
-Encourage open expression, optimism, and proactive problem-solving.
- Enhance trust, psychological safety, and innovation within teams.
If you are looking for a book to develop yourself and boost team performance through emotional intelligence, look no more as this is perfect!