#169 - Your Best Team Ever with David Burkus

Welcome to the Charismatic Leader Podcast. In this episode, Brett McDermott sits down with David Burkus, organizational psychologist, Columbia University professor, and best‑selling author whose research has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. David makes the case that talent doesn’t make the team—the team makes the talent.Together, Brett and David explore why leaders often get team‑building backwards, focusing too much on individual talent instead of the habits and norms that create culture. David shares the three elements that define high‑performing teams: common understanding, psychological safety, and pro‑social purpose. He explains how leaders can audit their team’s sense of purpose, outsource inspiration by bringing in customer stories, and make metrics meaningful. They also dive into the misconceptions around psychological safety, why treating everyone “equally” is not the same as treating them fairly, and how remote leaders can recreate unstructured moments of connection virtually.This episode is packed with actionable insights for leaders who want to stop chasing talent and start building cultures where talent thrives.Key Takeaways:Why talent doesn’t make the team—the team makes the talentThe three pillars of high‑performing teams: common understanding, psychological safety, pro‑social purposeHow to audit and clarify team purposeWhy leaders should outsource inspiration with customer storiesThe difference between fairness and equality in managementHow to build psychological safety through respectful conflict and candorWhat great remote leaders do to recreate unstructured moments of connection