Episode #464 - Scaling High-Performance Teams with Psychological Safety and Cognitive Diversity – with Csaba Toth
Release Date: 03/19/2025
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info_outlineIn this episode of ScaleUp Radio, we explore the invisible forces that drive team success with Csaba Toth, the founder of ICQ Global. Csaba is an expert in psychological safety, cognitive diversity, and motivational drivers—three key factors that can make or break a scaling business.
ICQ Global operates in over 50 countries, with a network of more than 100 licensed partners, and is taught in 60 universities worldwide. The company focuses on measuring and optimising team dynamics to improve collaboration, innovation, and long-term performance.
Throughout our conversation, Csaba shares how businesses can build high-performing teams by fostering psychological safety, embracing cognitive diversity, and understanding the motivational drivers that fuel engagement.
Key Insights from This Episode:
🔹 Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams – It’s not just about trust; it’s about ensuring people feel safe to take risks, challenge ideas, and contribute without fear of punishment.
🔹 Cognitive diversity acts like a team’s immune system – When teams embrace different ways of thinking rather than just surrounding themselves with like-minded individuals, they make better decisions and drive greater innovation.
🔹 Intrinsic motivation (Motivation 3.0) is the key to long-term performance – Traditional reward systems often fail to drive creativity and engagement. Understanding what truly motivates individuals can unlock a team’s full potential.
We also discuss the scaling challenges that come with building a strong team culture, the risks of taking on investors without strategic alignment, and how leaders can balance passion with clear, practical communication.
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For now, continue listening for the full story from Csaba.
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Kevin's Latest Book Is Available!
Drawing on BizSmart’s own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.
More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/
Csaba can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/csabatothinterculturaldisc/
Resources:
Uncommon Sense In Unusual Times by Csaba Toth - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncommon-Sense-Unusual-Times-Csaba/dp/1951503082
Adam Grant - https://adamgrant.net/
Amy Edmondson - https://amycedmondson.com/
Daniel Pink - https://www.danpink.com/