

Make Money by Building Emotional Intelligence | Dr. Vanessa Druskat
Sep 4, 2025
Dr. Vanessa Druskat, an associate professor at the University of New Hampshire and expert in leadership, shares insights from her 30-year journey in studying team effectiveness. She highlights the three core emotional needs for team success: belonging, shared purpose, and sense of control. Vanessa discusses how entrepreneurs can nurture strong team cultures on tight budgets and reveals strategies for addressing 'bad apples' that threaten team dynamics. Her focus on emotional intelligence transforms how teams collaborate and innovate.
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First Job Built Work Ethic
- Vanessa earned her first money at 12 picking cucumbers and bought a ten-speed bicycle.
- Early manual work taught her the value of hard work and earning what she wanted.
Experience Directed Her Research Path
- Vanessa returned to school after many jobs with clear focus on team behavior.
- Real-world team experiences shaped her research on improving team environments.
Meet Three Core Team Needs
- Meet three core social needs: belonging, shared sense-making, and control.
- Build routines and habits that continually satisfy those needs so people can focus on tasks.