Primal Teams: Harnessing the Power of Emotions to Fuel Extraordinary Performance

Barretta, founding partner of Nura Group, explores the role of emotions within a team, digging into the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and quantum physics to provide an accessible and practical guide to utilizing emotions to drive performance. Ultimately, she discovers that team “superperformance” depends on the creation of a work dynamic that harnesses the power of our feelings. Barretta explains how to spark the “creative brain[s]” of employees, as well as how to deepen impact and emotion. In addition, she examines “primal emotion[s],” the source of motivation, and the importance of play. She guides readers through the process of battling negativity and fear, which includes “creating a diversion,” “enliven[ing] the positive,” and “arous[ing] positivity.” Most importantly, she shows how to bring about a team’s emotional coherence by using “emotional contagion.” Offering insight into “detecting emotions,” she directs readers to employ empathy, “understand how emotions affect decisions,” and know where to draw the line. Barretta also covers “primal IQ,” building emotional bonds, and restraining overblown egos. This innovative book will help business leaders build emotional bonds on their teams and maximize results. Agent: Michael Snell, Michael Snell Literary Agency. (Oct.)