Why the “superstar” myth might be holding us all back | Dr. Vanessa Druskat | TEDxPortsmouth
What do championship sports teams, rebel heroes, and high-performing nonprofits all have in common? It’s not a superstar—it’s the team. In this energizing and insightful TEDx talk, organizational psychologist Dr. Vanessa Druskat reveals the emotional intelligence habits that help teams collaborate, innovate, and thrive.
Drawing on personal stories—including her childhood in Kenya—and decades of observing team dynamics in action, Druskat shares three powerful, learnable habits that every team needs: build belonging, encourage constructive debate, and seek outside insight. Through science-backed strategies and relatable humor, she helps us understand how small changes in behavior can build resilient, high-performing teams.
Whether you're leading a staff meeting or tackling global challenges, this talk will shift how you think about teamwork—and why the “superstar” myth might be holding us all back.
Vanessa is a leading expert on team leadership and a pioneer of the team emotional intelligence (Team EI) model. Unlike traditional team development models that focus on fixing people, Vanessa teaches leaders how to build social systems that address the emotional needs of team members, fostering authentic collaboration and innovation. An award-winning researcher and teacher, Vanessa advises teams at some of the world’s top organizations. She has taught at the University of New Hampshire for 22 years and lives in Durham. Her forthcoming book, The Emotionally Intelligent Team, will be published by Harvard Business School Press in July 2025. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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