In this episode of Discovering You, Victoria sits down with Dr. Vanessa Druskat—award-winning researcher, professor, and co-creator of the Team Emotional Intelligence model. Known as the “Jane Goodall of Teams,” Vanessa brings decades of research and real-world experience to help leaders build collaborative, high-performing groups.

From her childhood in Kenya to her groundbreaking studies on team culture, Vanessa shares how belonging, caring, and psychological safety transform team performance. You’ll hear powerful stories—from NASA’s culture shifts to Pete Carroll’s love-based coaching—that reveal why team norms matter more than individual grit.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome back: Season 4 kicks off with summer reflections, DISC as university programs, and a new puppy named Mac.

03:30 – Meet Dr. Vanessa Druskat: Introduction to her groundbreaking research on team emotional intelligence.

06:00 – Childhood in Kenya: How early experiences with culture and code-switching shaped her research lens.

09:00 – The foundation of belonging: Why being known is essential to team success.

11:00 – Caring & respect: Pete Carroll’s “secret sauce” of love in coaching and why it isn’t soft.

15:00 – Lessons from NASA: What went wrong in the Challenger and Columbia disasters, and how team culture—not individuals—was the villain.

20:00 – Communication beyond words: MIT research on nonverbal signals and what predicts high-performing teams.

23:30 – Creative abrasion: Why constructive debate sparks clarity, innovation, and better decisions.

27:00 – Practical tools: “Wine cards,” shakers, and light-up hats to help every voice be heard.

31:30 – Team size & dynamics: How the EI model works with teams as small as 6 and as large as 23.

33:00 – Overcoming skepticism: How to win over reluctant leaders and teams.

36:00 – Introversion as a strength: Why being an observer made Vanessa the “Jane Goodall of Teams.”

39:00 – Researcher vs. implementer: Bridging the gap between theory and practice.

42:00 – Personal team experiences: Memorable lessons from research collaborations and real-world teams.

43:30 – Closing thoughts: A blueprint for building emotionally intelligent, high-performing teams.

Notable Quotes

• “It’s really impossible to belong if you don’t feel known.” – Dr. Vanessa Druskat
• “Love isn’t soft—it’s critical for high performance.” – Dr. Vanessa Druskat
• “The villain is group culture.” – Dr. Vanessa Druskat

Resources & References

• Dr. Vanessa Druskat’s book: The Emotionally Intelligent Team: Building Collaborative Groups That Outperform the Rest
• Mark Brackett – Permission to Feel and the Mood Meter framework
• Angela Duckworth – Grit
• Sandy Pentland’s MIT research on team communication

If you're interested in learning more about team building, coaching, strategic hiring and onboarding, let's connect!

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