How Emotional Intelligence Helps Employees Speak Up at Work - Yolonda Tonette Sanders

Full transcript and show notes: https://www.sharnafabiano.com/2026/07/29/how-emotional-intelligence-helps-employees-speak-up-at-work-yolonda-tonette-sanders/

Many organizations say they want honest feedback and better ideas — but creating teams where people feel confident enough to question, challenge, and contribute requires more than asking for input. Dr. Yolonda Tonette Sanders explores how emotional intelligence influences the way people participate on teams and why leaders benefit from understanding the behaviors that help others speak up.

Dr. Yolonda Tonette Sanders is co-founder of Traction, an organizational change consulting company, and holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University. Her research examines the relationship between emotional intelligence and patterns of team contribution, building on her experience as a CEO, board member, program director, author, and educator.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How emotional intelligence affects the way people contribute within teams
• Why employees with strong judgment still need environments where they can speak up
• How leaders can encourage constructive challenge instead of passive agreement
• Why the best ideas often come from people without the final decision-making authority
• What emotionally intelligent teams do differently when solving problems

Episode References 

Robert Kelley, Power of Followership 

Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower

Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence

Barbara Kellerman, Followership

Connect with Dr. Yolonda Tonette Sanders

Traction, an organizational change consulting company

Research Gate Scholarship Page

Amazon author page

Faith and Fellowship Book Festival