Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups

80 HARVARD trade REVIEW By instanter, nearly executives gull accepted that unres practised intelligence is as critical as IQ to an souls rough-and-readyness. scarce to a great extent than of the substantial ferment in schemes is do in squads. New query unc both overs what unrestrained intelligence at the sort fork out up direct realises analogous-and how to achieve it operate on the Emotioncil perception of separateings W by Vanessa Urch Druskat and Steven B. Wolff chick MANAGERS EIRST STARTED HEARING ABOUT the excogitation of aflame intelligence in the 1990s, scales slash from their eyes.The basic message, that effectiveness in organizations is at least as overmuch some(a)what EQ as IQ, resonated deeply it was something that masses k sassy-made in their good smell nevertheless that had never before been so well articulated. Most eventful, the persuasion held the potential for positive mixture. Instead of universe stuck with the hand they d been dealt, people could hold open back steps to enhance their senseal intelligence and dumbfound themselves more effective in their exert and personal lives. Indeed, the concept of aroused intelligence had received shock absorber.The altogether twoer is that so farther al closely aroused intelligence has been viewed only as an soulfulness competency, when the squ beity is that most proceeding in organizations is d unity by squads. And if managers admit wiz pressing need today, its to find slip commission to gain ground ag assorts work fvirtuosother. borderland 2001 81 Building the stirred up newsworthiness of Groups It is with real excitement, thitherfore, that we sh be these findingsfromour research individual emotional intelligence has a chemical concourse analog, and it is just as critical to separates effectiveness. root word ups flowerpot develop great emotional intelligence and, in so doing, boost their over e real per signifierance. why Should gatherings Build Their wound up cognition? No oneness would dispute the importance of making bases work more effectively. But most research ab give a demeanor how to do so has center on identifying the task processes that distinguish the most successftil aggroups-that is, specifying the need for cooperation, participation, commitment to goals, and so forth. The assumption expects to be that, once identified, these processes commode but be imitated by other groups, with similar effect.Its non avowedly. By analogy, think of it this way a piano student slew be taught to play Minuet in G, exactly he wont be sustain a modem-day live with erupt spoting music theory and being able-bodied to play with nubble. Similarly, the real source of a great police squads success lies in the fundamental conditions that leave dirty dog effective task processes to emerge-and that cause extremitys to engage in them whole contedly. Our research tells us that three conditi ons are essential to a groups effectiveness trust among members, a sense of group identicalness, and a sense of group might.When these conditions are absent, sledding with the motions of cooperating and participating is unsounded possible. But the group will non be as effective as it could be, because members will choose to cut back back kinda than fully engage. To be most effective, the group necessitate to create emotionally smart as a whip averages -the attitudes and conducts that eventually become habits-that support behaviors for mental synthesis trust, group identity, and group expertness. The outcome is complete engagement in tasks. For more on how emotional intelligence infiuences these conditions, see the sidebar A Model of aggroup Effectiveness. ) at more takes. To understand the differences, lets first look at the concept of individual emotional intelligence as defined by Daniel Goleman. In his definitive book Emotional news program, Goleman explains the chief characteristics of somebody with spunky El he or she is mindful of emotions and able to regulate them-and this k nowadaysingness and regularization are directed two inward, to ones self, and outward, to others. Personal competence, in Golemans words, comes from being cognizant of and rule ones accept emotions. Social competenceis apprisedness and regulation of others emotions. A group, however, moldinessiness attend to yet another(prenominal) take of sentience 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 extracurricular its boundaries. In this article, well explore how emotional incompetence at whatever of these levels crowd out cause dysfunction. Well as well as show how examineing specific group averages that create sensory faculty and regulation of emotion at these three levels elicit lead to better outcomes.First, well focus on the individual level-how emotionally good for you(p) groups work with their individual members emotions. Next, well focus on the group level. Andfinally,well look at the cross-boimdary level. Working with Individuals Emotions /(// Kasper, point in time ofher companys client service department, is course tapped tojoin a new cross-functional police squad focused on enhancing the customer experience she has extensive experience in and a real passion for customer service. But her squadmatesfind she commences little more than a bad attitude to the table.At an early brainstorming session, Jill sits silent, arms crossed, peal her eyes. Whenever the squad up starts to get energized somewhat 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 theyve been hearing intimately? Little do they go steady shefeels insulted by the truly formation of the team up up. To her, it implies she hasnt done her job well enough. deuce-ace Levels of Emotional Interaction Make no mistake a team with emotionally wakeless members does not necessarily trifle for an emotionally innate(predicate) group.A team, like any brotherly group, takes on its own character. So creating an upward, self-reinforcing spiral of trust, group identity, and group efficacy requires more than a a few(prenominal) members who exhibit emotionally keen behavior. It requires a team atmosphere in which the norms descriptor emotional capacity (the qualification to respond constructively in emotionally uncomfortable situations) and sour emotions in constructive ways. Team emotional intelligence is more complicated than individual emotional intelligence because teams act 82When a member is not on the same emotional wavelength as the rest, a team postulate to be emotionally skilful vis-ci-vis that individual. In part, that simply meaning being sure of the problem. Having a norm that encourages interpersonal reasonablenes s might facilitate an awareness that Jill is acting out of defensiveness. And spliting up on this defensiveness is necessary if the team Vanessa Urch Druskat is an supporter professor of organizational behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.Steven B. Wolff is an assistant professor of focus at the School of Management at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building the Emotional Intelligence of Croups A Model of Team Effectiveness better decisions, more yeasty solutions, higher productivity athletic field after study has shown that teams are more creative and productive when they flowerpot achieve high levels of participation, cooperation, and collaboration among members. But interactive behaviors (ike these arent easy to legislate.Our work shows that tbree basic conditions need to be present before such behaviors potentiometer occur mutual trust among members, a sense of group identity (a feeling among members that they belong to a unique and worthwhile group), and a sense of group efficacy (the rulingthat the team locoweed perform well and that group members are more effective working together than apart). At the heart of these three conditions are emotions. Trust, a sense of identity, and a feeling of efficacy heighten in environments where emotion is well handled, so groups stand to turn a profit by building their emotional intelligence.Group emotional intelligence isnt a question of dealing with a necessary evil-catching emotions as they bubble up and promptly suppressing them. Far from it. Its about bringing emotions deliberately to the surface and understanding how they affect the teams work. Its also about behaving in ways that build relationships both inside and outside the team and that sustain tbe teams cap world power to face challenges. Emotional intelligence means exploring, embracing, and eventual(prenominal)ly relying on emotion in work that i s, at the end ofthe day, deeply world. articipation, cooperation, collaboration trust, identity, efficacy group emotional intelligence wants to make her imderstand its desire to amplify her good work, not misrepresent it. Some teams seem to be able to do this naturally. At Hewlett-Packard, for instance, we intentional of a team that was attempting to cross-train its members. The idea was that if for each one member could pinch-hit on e realone elses job, the team could deploy efforts to whatever task required the most attention.But one member seemed very uncomfortable with learning new skills and tasks accustomed to being a top producer in his own job, he scorned not knowing how to do a job perfectly. Luckily, his teammates recognized his discomfort, and rather than being annoyed, they redoubled their efforts to support him. This team benefited from a group norm it had established over time emphasizing interpersonal understanding. The norm had bragging(a) out of the groups real ization that working to accurately hear and understand one anothers feelings and concerns improved member morale and a willingness to cooperate.Many teams build high emotional intelligence by fetching pains to consider matters from an individual members perspective. Think of a situation where a team of four must reach a decision three favor one steerage and the fourth favors another. In the interest of expedience, many teams in this situation would fail instantly to a maMARCH 2001 jority vote. But a more emotionally intelligent group would pausefirstto hear out the objection. It would also ask if everyone were completely behind the decision, even if there appeared to be consensus.Such groups would ask, Are there any perspectives we incurnt heard yet or thought through completely? post taking is a team behavior that teamwork experts question a great deal but not in terms of its emotional consequence. Many teams are trained to use perspectivetaking techniques to make decisio ns or solve problems (a putting green tool is relation diagramming). But these techniques may or may not improve a groups emotional intelligence.The problem is that many of these techniques consciously attempt to remove emotion from the process by collecting and combining perspectives in a robotic way. A more effective approach to perspective taking is to take care that team members see one another making the effort to cope with perspectives that way, the team has a better chance of creating the kind of trust that leads to greater participation among members. An executive team at the Hay Group, a consulting firm, engages in the kind of deep perspective taking were describing.The team has done role-playing exercises in which members adopt othersopinions and styles of interaction. It has also used a storyboarding technique, in 83 Building ttie Emotional Intelligence of Croups which each member creates a short government note representing his or her ideas. As team members will at test, these methods and others meet service of processed the group build trust and increase participation. Regulating IndividualsEmotions Interpersonal understanding and perspective taking are two ways that groups eject become more aware of their members perspectives and feelings.But just as of import as awareness is the ability to regulate those emotions-to hand a positive impact on how they are expressed and even on how individual team members feel. Were not lecture about imposing groupthink or some other form of manipulation here- all the way, the goal must be to balance the teams cohesion with members individuality. Were simply acknowledging that people take their emotional cues from those around them. Something that seems upsetting initially can seem not so bad o r ten times worse depending on whether ones colleagues are inclined to smooth feathers or buff flames.The most constructive way of regulation team membersemotions is hy establishing norms in the group for bo th confrontation and pity. in a meeting where one team member arrived angry because the time and place of the meeting was very inconvenient for him. When another member announced the sacrifice the man had made to be there, and give thanksed him, the mans attitude turned around 180 degrees. In general, a caring orientation includes displaying positive regard, appreciation, and respect for group members through behaviors such as support, validation, and compassion.Interpersonal understanding, perspective taking, confrontation, caring-these norms build trust and a sense of group identity among members. And all of them can be established in teams where they dont arise naturally. You may ask, But is it really worth all the effort? Does it make sense to spend managerial time fostering new norms to book a few prickly personalities? Of course it does. Teams are at the very foundation of an organization, and they wont work effectively without mutual trust and a common commitment to goals . Working with Group EmotionsChris couldnt believe it, but he was requesting a reassignment The team he was on was doing good work, staying on budget, and hitting all its deadlines though not always eleIt may seem illogical to advert that an emotionally gantly. Its draw, Stan Evans, just got a promotion. So why intelligent group must engage in confrontation, but its was being on the team such a dumper? At the finish major stanot. Inevitably, a team member will coddle in behavior tus meeting, they should halt been serving champagne -so that crosses the line, and the team must feel comfortable much had been achieved.Instead, everyone was thoroughly calling the foul. In one manufacturing team we canvas, dispirited over a setback they hadnt foreseen, which turned a member told us about the day she selfishly stubborn to out later to be no big deal. It seemed no matter what hapextend her break. Before long, one of her teammates pened, the group griped. The team even saw Stans pro mostormed into the break room, saying, What are you dotion in a prohibit light Oh, so I guess management wants ing in here? Get back out on the floor-your team needs to keep a closer eye on us and I hear Stans new boss you The womanhood had overstepped tbe bounds, and doesnt back this project. Chris she got called on it. There were had a friend on another team no hard feelings, because the woman knew the group valued Inevitably, a team member will who was able to put in a good word for him. The work was inher contributions. indulge in behavior that crosses herently less interesting but hey, Some teams also find that a at least they were having fun. little bumor stand bys when pointing out fallible behavior. Teasing Some teams suffer because someone who is habitually late they arent aware of emotions comfortable calling the foul. or meetings, for instance, can at the group level. Chriss team, make that person aware of how for instance, isnt aware of all it has achieved, and i t doesnt hold that it has fallen important timeliness is to the group. Done compensate, coninto a malaise. n our study of effective teams, weve frontation can be seen in a positive light its a way for found tbat having norms for group self-awareness-of the group to say, We want you in-we need your conemotional states, strengths and weaknesses, modes of intribution. And its especially important when a team teraction, and task processes-is a critical part of group must work together on a long-term assignment. Without emotional intelligence tbat facilitates group efficacy. confrontation, disruptive behavior can fester and grate Teams gain it both through self-evaluation and by solicita sense of trust in a team. ing feedback from others. Establishing norms that reinforce caring behavior is often not very unenviable and usually a matter of concenSelf-evaluation can take tbe form of a dinner gown event trating on little things.When an individual is upset, for or a constant activity. At Sberwin Williams, a group of example, it may make all the difference to make up group managers was starting a new initiative that would require members disclose that persons feelings. We saw this higher levels of teamwork. Group members hired a con- the line, and the team mustfeel 84 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building the Emotional Intelligence of Croups sultant, but before the consultant arrived, they met to assess their strengths and weaknesses as a team.They found that merely articulating the issues was an important step toward building their capabilities. A far less glob method of raising group emotional awareness is through the kind of activity we saw at the Veterans Health Administrations reduce for Leadership and Development. Managers there receive developed a norm in which they are encouraged to speak up when they feel the group is not being productive. For example, if theres a post-lunch lull and people on the team are low on energy, someone might say, Dont we look l ike a bunch of sad sacks? With attention called to it, the group makes an effort to focus. Emotionally commensurate teams dont wear blinders they have the emotional capacity to face potentially difficult information and actively seek opinions on their task processes, fall out, and performance from the outside. For some teams, feedback may come directly from customers. Others look to colleagues indoors the company, to suppliers, or to master copy peers. A group of decorators we studied routinely posts its work in progress on besieges throughout the building, with invitations to comment and critique.Similarly, many advertising agencies see yearbook industry competitions as a valuable source of feedback on their creative teams work. Croups are most creative when their members collaborate unreservedly. People encumbrance retention back when there is mutual trust, rooted in emotionally intelligent interactions. Regulating Group Emotions Many teams make conscious efforts to buil d team spirit. Team-building outings, whether purely social or Outward Bound-style physical challenges, are general methods for building this sense of collective enthusiasm.Whats going on here is that teams and their attractorship recognize they can improve a teams overall attitude-that is, they are regulating group-level emotion. And while the focus of a team-building exercise is often not directly related to a groups actual work, the benefits are highly relevant teams come away with higher emotional capacity and thus a greater ability to respond to emotional challenges. The most effective teams we have studied go far beyond the occasional ropes and rocks off-site. They have established norms that strengthen their ability to respond MARCH 2001 ffectively to the kind of emotional challenges a group confronts on a daily basis. The norms they favor accomplish three of import things they create resources for working with emotions, foster an affirmative environment, and encourage pr oactive problem solving. Teams need resources that all members can draw on to deal with group emotions. One important resource is a common vocabulary. To use an example, a group member at the Veterans Health Administration picked up on another members bad mood and told him that he was just sensitive today.The cranky term stuck and became the groups gentle way of letting someone know that their electronegativity was having a bad effect on the group. Other resources may include adjuvant ways to vent frustrations. One executive team leader we interviewed descri be intimate his teams practice of making time for a wailing wall a few minutes of whining and moaning about some setback. Releasing and acknowledging those damaging emotions, 85 Building the Emotional Intelligence of Croups the leader says, allows the group to refocus its attention on the parts of the situation it can control and wrinkle its energy in a positive direction.But sometimes, venting takes more than words. Weve seen more than one intense workplace outfitted with toys like well-situated projectile shooters-that have been used in games of cube warfare. Perhaps the most obvious way to build emotional capacity through regulating team-level emotion is simply to create an affirmative environment. Everyone values a team that, when approach with a challenge, responds with a can-do attitude. Again, its a question of having the duty group norms-in this font, favoring optimism, and positive images and interpretations over negative ones.This doesnt always come naturally to a team, as one executive we interviewed at the Hay Group knows. When external conditions create a cycle of negativity among group members, he takes it upon himself to change the atmosphere of the group. He consciously resists the temptation to join the kick and blaming and sooner tries to reverse the cycle with a positive, constructive note. One of the most effective norms we have seen for building a groups ability to respo nd to emotionally challenging situations is an emphasis on proactive problem solving.We saw a lot of this going on in a manufacturing team we sight at AMP Corporation. Much of what this team needed to hit its targets was out of its strict control. But rather than sit back and point palpates, the team worked hard to get what it needed from others, and in some cases, took matters into its own hands. In one instance, an alignment problem in a key gondola was creating faulty products. The team studied the problem and approached the engineering group with its own suggested objective for a part tbat might correct the problem.The device worked, and the number of defective products decreased significantly. Building Norms for Three Levels of Group Emotional Intelligence Group emotional intelligence is about the small acts that make a big difference. It is not about a team member working all night to meet a deadline it is about saying thank you for doir)g so. It is not about in-depth has h oution of ideas it is about asking a placidity member for his thoughts. It is not about harmony, lack of tension, and all members liking each other it is about acknowledging when harmony is false, tension is unexpressed, and treating others witb respect.The following sidebar outlines some of the small things tbat groups can do to establisb tbe norms that build group emotional intelligence. take them down a notch. And what was with that name, anyway? Some kind ofinsidejoke, Jim guessed. Too bad aught else got it The last kind of emotional intelligence any high-performing team should have relates to cross-boundary relationships, just as individuals should be mindful of their own emotions and others, groups should look both inward and outward emotionally.In the case of the Bugs, This kind of problem solving is valuable for many reathe team is acting like a refugee camp creating close emotional sons. It obviously serves the company by removing one ties within but ignoring the feel ings, needs, and conmore obstacle to profitability. But, to the point of our cerns of important individuals and teams in the broader work, it also shows a team in control of its own emotions. organization. It refused to feel powerless and was longing to take charge. Some teams have developed norms that are particularly helpful in making them aware of the broader organizational context.One practice is to have various team members act as liaisons to important constituencies. Many Jim sighed. The Bugs team was at it agair. Didnt they see teams are already made up of members move from different parts of an organization, so a cross-boundary perthat while they were high-fiving one another over their impressive productivity, the rest of the organization was paying spective comes naturally. Others need to work a little harder. One team we studied reahzed it would be imfor it? This time, in their self-managed wisdom, theyd deportant to understand the perspective of its labor union. ided to make a three monthssupply of one component. No Consequently, a team member from HR went to some rebirth meant no machine downtime and a record low lengths to discover the right channels for having a union cost per unit But now the group downstream was swamped with inventory it didnt need and worried about shortages of member appointed to the group. A cross-boundary perspective is especially important in situations where a something else. Jim braced himself for his visit to the floor. eams work will have significant impact on others in The Bugs didnt take criticism well they seemed to think they were flawless and that everyone else was just trying to the organization for example, where a team is asked to Working with Emotions right(prenominal) the Group 86 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups Individual Interpersonal understand 1. lock time away from group tasks to get to know one another. 2. Have a clog in at the beginning of the meeting that is, ask how everyone is doing. 3. Assume that undesirable behavior takes place for a reason.Find out what that reason is. Ask questions and listen. distract negative attributions. 4. Tell your teammates what youre thinking and how youre feeling. Perspective Taking 1. Ask whether everyone agrees with a decision. 2. Ask quiet members what they think. 3. Question decisions that come too quickly. 4. Appoint a devils advocate. Group Team Self-Evaluation 1. Schedule time to examine team effectiveness. 2. bring forth measurable task and process objectives and then measure them. 3. Acknowledge and discuss group moods. 4. Communicateyour sense of what is transpiring in the team. 5. Allow members to call a process check. (For instance, a team member might say, Process check is this the most effective use of our time right now? ) pursuit Feedback 1. Askyourcustomershowyou are doing. 2. Post your work and invite comments. 3. Benchmark your processes. Cross-Boundary Organizational Understand ing 1. Find out the concerns and needs of others in the organization. 2. Consider who can influence the teams ability to accomplish its goals. 3. Discuss the culture and politics inthe organization. 4. Ask whether proposed team actions are congruent with the organizations culture and politics. Norms That Create Awareness of EmotionsNorms That Help puzzle Emotions Confrortting 1. Set ground rules and use them to point out errant behavior. 2. think members on errant behavior. 3. Create playful devices for pointing out such behavior. These often emerge from the group spontaneously. honour them. Caring 1. Support members volunteer to help them if they need it, be flexible, and provide emotional support. 2. Validate members contributions. Let members know they are valued. 3. Protect members from attack. 4. Respect individuality and differences in perspectives. Listen. 3. Never be derogatory or demeaning. Creating Resources for Working with Emotion 1.Make time to discuss difficult issu es, and address the emotions that surround them. 2. Find creative, shorthand ways to acknowledge and express the emotion in the group. 3. Create fun ways to acknowledge and relieve stress and tension. 4. Express acceptance of members emotions. Creating an Affirmative Environment 1. Reinforce that the team can meet a challenge. Be optimistic. For example, say things like, We can get through this orNothing will stop us 2. Focus on what you can control. 3. actuate members of the groups important and positive mission. 4. Remind the group how it solved a similar problem before. 5.Focus on problem solving, not blaming. Solving Problems Proactively 1. Anticipate problems and address them before they happen. 2. Take the initiative to understand and get what you need to be effective. 3. Do ityourself if others arent responding. rely on yourself, not others. Building External Relationships 1. Create opportunities for networking and interaction. 2. Ask about the needs of other teams. 3. Prov ide support for other teams. 4. Invite others to team meetings if they might have a stake in what you are doing. MARCH 2001 87 Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups jut an intranet to serve everyones needs.Weve seen gaining the trust of outsiders, adopting an ambasmany situations in which a team is so enamored of its so- sadorial role instead of an isolationist one. lution that it is caught completely by surprise when othA manufacturing team we saw at KoSa displayed very ers in the company dont divide its enthusiasm. high social skills in working with its sustentation team. It recognized that, when problems occurred in the demonstrate, Some of the most emotionally intelligent teams we the maintenance team often had many activities on its have seen are so attuned to their broader organizational plate.All things being equal, what would make the maincontext that it affects how they instal and communicate tenance team consider this particular manufacturing their own needs a nd accomplishments. A team at the group a high priority? cognise a good relationship chemical- impact company KoSa, for example, felt it would be a factor, the manufacturing team worked hard needed a new piece of manufacturing equipment, but seto build good ties with the maintenance people.At one nior management wasnt so sure the purchase was a pripoint, for instance, the manufacturing team showed its ority. Aware that the decision makers were tranquillize on the appreciation by nominating the maintenance team for fence, the team decided to emphasize the employee safety Team of the Quarter recognition-and then doing all benefits of the new machine-just one aspect of its desirthe letter writing and behind-the-scenes praising that ability to them, but an issue of paramount importance to management.At a plant safety meeting attended by high- would ultimately help the maintenance team win. In turn, the manufacturing teams good relationship with level managers, they made the case that the equipment maintenance helped it become one of the highest prothey were seeking would greatly reduce the pretend of injury ducers in the plant. to workers. A few weeks later they got it. Sometimes, a team must be particularly aware of the needs and feelings of another group witbiin the organizaA Model for Group Emotional tion.We worked with an information technology comIntelligence pany where the hardware engineers worked distributively from the software engineers to achieve the same goalWeve been discussing the need for teams to learn to faster processing and fewer crashes. Each could achieve channel emotion effectively at the three levels of human only so much independently. When finally a hardware interaction important to them team to individual memteam leader went out of bis way to build relationships ber, team to itself, and team to outside entities.Together, with the software people, the two teams began to coopthe norms weve been exploring help groups work with erate and together, they achieved 20% to 40% higher per- emotions productively and intelligently. Often, groups formance than had been targeted. with emotionally intelligent members have norms like these in place, but its unlikely any group would unconThis kind of positive outcome can be facilitated by sciously come up with all the norms we have outhned. norms that encourage a group to recognize the feelIn other words, this is a model for group emotional intelings and needs of other groups.We saw effective norms ligence that any work team for interteam awareness at a could benefit from by applying division of AMP, where each it deliberately. inheritable seen many situations manufacturing team is responsible for(p) for a step in the manufacWhat would the ultimate in which a team is so enamored emotionally intelligent team turing process and they need one another to complete the look like? Closest to the ideal of its solution that it is caught product on time. Team leaders are some of the te ams weve there meet in the aurora to completely by surprise when seen at IDEO, the celebrated understand the needs, resources, industrial design firm.IDEOs and schedules of each team. If others in the company dont creative teams are responsible one team is ahead and another for the look and feel of products share its enthusiasm. is behind, they reallocate relike Apples first mouse, the sources. Members of the faster Crest toothpaste tube, and the team help the team thats behind and do so in a friendly typewriter ribbon V personal digital assistant. Thefirmroutinely wins way that empathizes with their situation and builds the competitions for the form and function of its designs and relationship. even has a business that teaches creative problem-solving techniques to other companies.Most of the examples weve been citing show teams that are not only aware of but also able to influence outThe nature of IDEOs work calls for high group emosiders needs and perspectives. This ability to regulate tional intelligence. Under pressure of client deadlines and emotion at the cross-boundary level is a groups version of budget estimates, the company must deliver innovative, the social skills so critical to individual emotional intel- aesthetic solutions that balance human needs with engiligence. It involves developing external relationships and neering realities. Its a deep philosophical belief at IDEO 88HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW Building ttie Emotional Intelligence of Croups that great design is best accomplished through the crerelationships with those individuals and groups. On disative friction of diverse teams and not the solitary pursuit play at IDEO is a curious model a toy truck with plastic of smart as a whip individuals, so its imperative that the teams at pieces on springs that pop out of the bed of the truck IDEO click. In our study of those teams, we found group when a loss is pressed. It turns out the model comnorms supporting emotional intelligence at all th ree levmemorates an incident that taught a variety of lessons. ls ofour model. The story centers on a design team that had been working for three weeks on a very complex plastic enclosure First, the teams at IDEO are very aware of individual for a product. Unfortunately, on team members emotions, and the Thursday before a Monday they are adept at regulating A team can have everything client deadline, when an engithem. For example, an IDEO deneer was taking it to be painted, signer became very preclude going for it-the brightest and it slipped from his pickup bed because someone from marketand exploded on ing was take a firm stand a logo be apmost qualified people, access to 70 mph.The team the road at was willing plied to the designers product, to work through the weekend to which he felt would ruin it visuresources, a clear mission but construct the part but couldnt finally. At a meeting about the prodish it without the help of the still fail because it lacks group uct, the team s project leader outside narrator it had used picked up on the fact that someemotional intelligence. on the original. Because they thing was wrong. The designer had taken the time to build a was sitting off by himself, and things didnt look right. The project leader looked into the situation and then initiated a dialog that led to a mutual solution. IDEO team members also confront one another when they break norms. This is common during brainstorming sessions, where the rule is that people must defer judgment and avoid shooting down ideas. If someone breaks that norm, the team comes down on him in a playful yet strong-arm way imagine being pelted by foam toys). Or if someone is out of line, the norm is to stand up and call her on it immediately.If a client is in the room, the confrontation is subtler- perhaps a kick under the chair. Teams at IDEO also demonstrate strengths in groupfocused emotional intelligence. To ensure they have a high level of self-awareness, teams constantly seek feedback from both inside and outside the organization. Most important, they work very closely with customers. If a design is not meeting customer expectations, the team finds out quickly and takes steps to modify it. Regulating group emotion at IDEO often means providing outlets for stress. This is a company that believes in playing and having fun.Several hundred finger blasters (a toy that shoots soft projectiles) have been placed around the building for employees to pick up and start shooting when theyre frustrated. Indeed, the design firms culture welcomes the expression of emotions, so its not uncommon for someone whether happy or angryto stand up and yell. IDEO has even created fun office projects that people can work on ifthey need a break. For example, they might have a project to design the company holiday card or to design the tourist stop displays seen by visitors.Finally, IDEO teams also have norms to ensure they are aware of the needs and concerns of people outsi de their boundaries and that they use that awareness to develop tWARCH 2 0 0 1 good relationship with the fabricator, its people were willing to go above and beyond the call of duty. The lighthearted display was a way for teammates to show the engineer that all was forgiven-and a reminder to the rest of the organization of how a team in crisis can get by with a little help from its friends. Where Do Norms Come From? Not every company is as dependent on teams and their emotional intelligence as IDEO.But now more than ever, we see companies depending on teams for decisions and tasks that, in another time, would have been the work of individuals. And unfortunately, we also see them discovering that a team can have everything going for it-the brightest and most qualified people, access to resources, a clear mission-but still fail because it lacks group emotional intelligence. Norms that build trust, group identity, and group efficacy are the key to making teams click. They allow an othe rwise highly mean and resourced team to fulfill its potential, and they can help a team faced with substantial challenges achieve surprising victories.So how do norms as powerful as the ones weve describe in this article come about? In our research, we saw them being introduced from any of five basic directions by formal team leaders, by informal team leaders, by courageous followers, through training, or ft-om the larger organizational culture. (For more on how to establish the norms described in this article, see the sidebarBuilding Norms for Three Levels of Group Emotional Intelligence. ) At the Hay Group, for example, it was the deliberate action of a team leader that helped one group see the importance of emotions to the groups overall effectiveness.Because this particular group was self-possessed of managers 89 Building ttie Emotional Intelligence of Groups from many different cultures, its leader knew he couldnt assume all the members possessed a high level of interpersonal understanding. To establish that norm, he introduced novelties like having a meeting without a tahle, using smaller groups, and conducting an inventory of team membersvarious learning styles. Interventions like these can probably be done only by a formal team leader. The ways informal leaders or other team members enhance emotional intelligence are typically more subtle, though often just as powerful.Anyone might advance the cause, for example, by speech up if the group appears to be ignoring an important perspective or feeling-or simply by doing his or her part to create an affirmative environment. Training courses can also go a long way toward increasing emotional awareness and showing people how to regulate emotions. We know of many companies that now focus on emotional issues in leadership development courses, dialog and communication workshops, and employee-assistance programs like those for stress management.These training programs can sensitize team members to the importan ce of establishing emotionally intelligent norms. Finally, perhaps more than anything, a team can be influenced by a broader organizational culture that recognizes and celebrates employee emotion. This is clearly the case at IDEO and, we believe, at many of the companies creating the greatest value in the new economy. Unfortu- nately, its the most difficult piece ofthe puzzle to put in place at companies that dont already have it. For organizations with long histories of employees checking their emotions at the door, change will occur, if at all, one team at a time. change state Intelligent About Emotion The research presented in this article arosefromone unbiased imperative in an era of teamwork, its essential to figure out what makes teams work. Our research shows that, just like individuals, the most effective teams are emotionally intelligent ones-and that any team can attain emotional intelligence. In this article, weve seek to lay out a model for positive change, containing the most important t3pes of norms a group can create to enhance its emotional intelligence. Teams, like all groups, operate according to such norms.By working to establish norms for emotional awareness and regulation at all levels of interaction, teams can build the solid foundation of trust, group identity, and group efficacy they need for true cooperation and collaboration-and high performance overall. 9 Reprint R0103E To order reprints, see the last page of Executive Summaries. To further explore the topic of this article, go to www. hbr. org/explore. (Al j-iywi 1 Im in a rut They throw the ball, I bring it back. They throw it again, I bring it back again. Whats the point of it ail? 90 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW