Why Should Teams Build
Their Emotional Intelligence?
Their Emotional Intelligence?
No one would dispute the importance of making teams
work more effectively. But most research about how to
do so has focused on identifying the task processes that
distinguish the most successful teams – that is, specifying
the need for cooperation, participation, commitment to
goals, and so forth.The assumption seems to be that, once
identified, these processes can simply be imitated by other
teams, with similar effect. It's not true. By analogy, think
of it this way: a piano student can be taught to play Minuet
in G, but he won't become a modern-day Bach without
knowing music theory and being able to play with heart.
Similarly, the real source of a great team's success lies in
the fundamental conditions that allow effective task processes
to emerge – and that cause members to engage in
them wholeheartedly.
Our research tells us that three conditions are essential
to a group's effectiveness: trust among members, a sense
of group identity, and a sense of group efficacy. When
these conditions are absent, going through the motions of
cooperating and participating is still possible. But the
team will not be as effective as it could be, because members
will choose to hold back rather than fully engage. To
be most effective, the team needs to create emotionally
intelligent norms – the attitudes and behaviors that eventually
become habits – that support behaviors for building
trust, group identity, and group efficacy. The outcome is
complete engagement in tasks. (For more on how emotional
intelligence influences these conditions, see the
sidebar "A Model of Team Effectiveness.")
work more effectively. But most research about how to
do so has focused on identifying the task processes that
distinguish the most successful teams – that is, specifying
the need for cooperation, participation, commitment to
goals, and so forth.The assumption seems to be that, once
identified, these processes can simply be imitated by other
teams, with similar effect. It's not true. By analogy, think
of it this way: a piano student can be taught to play Minuet
in G, but he won't become a modern-day Bach without
knowing music theory and being able to play with heart.
Similarly, the real source of a great team's success lies in
the fundamental conditions that allow effective task processes
to emerge – and that cause members to engage in
them wholeheartedly.
Our research tells us that three conditions are essential
to a group's effectiveness: trust among members, a sense
of group identity, and a sense of group efficacy. When
these conditions are absent, going through the motions of
cooperating and participating is still possible. But the
team will not be as effective as it could be, because members
will choose to hold back rather than fully engage. To
be most effective, the team needs to create emotionally
intelligent norms – the attitudes and behaviors that eventually
become habits – that support behaviors for building
trust, group identity, and group efficacy. The outcome is
complete engagement in tasks. (For more on how emotional
intelligence influences these conditions, see the
sidebar "A Model of Team Effectiveness.")
Three Levels of Emotional
Interaction
Interaction
Make no mistake: a team with emotionally intelligent
members does not necessarily make for an emotionally
intelligent group. A team, like any social group, takes
on its own character. So creating an upward, self-reinforcing
spiral of trust, group identity, and group efficacy
requires more than a few members who exhibit emotionally
intelligent behavior. It requires a team atmosphere in
which the norms build emotional capacity (the ability to
respond constructively in emotionally uncomfortable situations)
and influence emotions in constructive ways.
Team emotional intelligence is more complicated than
individual emotional intelligence because teams interactmembers does not necessarily make for an emotionally
intelligent group. A team, like any social group, takes
on its own character. So creating an upward, self-reinforcing
spiral of trust, group identity, and group efficacy
requires more than a few members who exhibit emotionally
intelligent behavior. It requires a team atmosphere in
which the norms build emotional capacity (the ability to
respond constructively in emotionally uncomfortable situations)
and influence emotions in constructive ways.
Team emotional intelligence is more complicated than
at more levels. To understand the differences, let's first
look at the concept of individual emotional intelligence
as defined by Daniel Goleman. In his definitive book
look at the concept of individual emotional intelligence
as defined by Daniel Goleman. In his definitive book
Emotional
Intelligence, Goleman explains the chief characteristics
of someone with high EI; he or she is aware of emotions
and able to regulate them– and this awareness and
regulation are directed both inward, to one's self, and outward,
Intelligence, Goleman explains the chief characteristics
of someone with high EI; he or she is aware of emotions
and able to regulate them– and this awareness and
regulation are directed both inward, to one's self, and outward,
to others. "Personal competence," in Goleman's
words, comes from being aware of and regulating one's
own emotions."Social competence"is awareness and regulation
of others' emotions.
A group, however, must attend to yet another level of
awareness and regulation. It must be mindful of the emotions
of its members, its own group emotions or moods,
and the emotions of other groups and individuals outside
its boundaries.
In this article, we'll explore how emotional incompetence
at any of these levels can cause dysfunction. We'll
also show how establishing specific group norms that create
awareness and regulation of emotion at these three
levels can lead to better outcomes.First,we'll focus on the
individual level – how emotionally intelligent groups
work with their individual members' emotions. Next,
we'll focus on the group level. And finally,we'll look at the
cross-boundary level.
words, comes from being aware of and regulating one's
own emotions."Social competence"is awareness and regulation
of others' emotions.
A group, however, must attend to yet another level of
awareness and regulation. It must be mindful of the emotions
of its members, its own group emotions or moods,
and the emotions of other groups and individuals outside
its boundaries.
In this article, we'll explore how emotional incompetence
at any of these levels can cause dysfunction. We'll
also show how establishing specific group norms that create
awareness and regulation of emotion at these three
levels can lead to better outcomes.First,we'll focus on the
individual level – how emotionally intelligent groups
work with their individual members' emotions. Next,
we'll focus on the group level. And finally,we'll look at the
cross-boundary level.
Working with Individuals' Emotions
Jill Kasper, head of her company's customer service department,
is naturally tapped to join a new cross-functional team
focused on enhancing the customer experience: she has extensive
experience in and a real passion for customer service.
But her teammates find she brings little more than a bad attitude
to the table.A t an early brainstorming session, Jill sits
silent, arms crossed, rolling her eyes.Whene ver the team
starts to get energized about an idea, she launches into a detailed
account of how a similar idea went nowhere in the
past.The group is confused: this is the customer service star
they've been hearing about? Little do they realize she feels insulted
by the very formation of the team.To her, it implies she
hasn't done her job well enough.
is naturally tapped to join a new cross-functional team
focused on enhancing the customer experience: she has extensive
experience in and a real passion for customer service.
But her teammates find she brings little more than a bad attitude
to the table.A t an early brainstorming session, Jill sits
silent, arms crossed, rolling her eyes.Whene ver the team
starts to get energized about an idea, she launches into a detailed
account of how a similar idea went nowhere in the
past.The group is confused: this is the customer service star
they've been hearing about? Little do they realize she feels insulted
by the very formation of the team.To her, it implies she
hasn't done her job well enough.
When a member is not on the same emotional wavelength
as the rest, a team needs to be emotionally intelligent
vis-à-vis that individual. In part, that simply means
being aware of the problem.Having a norm that encourages
interpersonal understanding might facilitate an
awareness that Jill is acting out of defensiveness.
as the rest, a team needs to be emotionally intelligent
vis-à-vis that individual. In part, that simply means
being aware of the problem.Having a norm that encourages
interpersonal understanding might facilitate an
awareness that Jill is acting out of defensiveness.
82
harvard business review
Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups
Vanessa Urch Druskat
is an assistant professor of organizational
behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management
at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management
at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Steven B. Wolff
is an assistant professor of management
at the School of Management at Marist College in Poughkeepsie,
at the School of Management at Marist College in Poughkeepsie,
New York.
