Abel James Show How to Create High-Performing, High-Trust Teams with Dr. Colin Fisher
Mar 26, 2026
01:01:19
Have you ever sat in a pointless meeting wondering, "what am I even doing here?'
Imagine if meeting up with fellow humans felt less like a slow-motion train wreck… and more like a great jam session—where everyone’s locked in, connected, and creating something truly inspirational none of you could have created alone.
Some call this concept the mastermind, when your group becomes more than the sum of its parts, creating something altogether much more expansive and, at its best, transcendent.
On today’s show, we’re here with Dr. Colin Fisher, professor, jazz trumpet player, and author of The Collective Edge, talking about the real science of group dynamics, creativity, and leadership. Dr. Fisher has spent his career studying why some teams become far more than the sum of their parts… while others spiral into dysfunction, groupthink, and soul‑sucking meetings that could have easily been an email.
If you’ve ever watched a brilliant team of superstars underperform and fail spectacularly, this conversation will give you a totally new lens on how human dynamics actually work, and how to build teams that launch you into the stratosphere.
In this episode, we dig into:
You can also join Substack as a free or paid member for ad-free episodes of this show, to comment on each episode, and to hit me up in the DM’s. Join at abeljames.substack.com. And if you’re feeling generous, write a quick review for the Abel James Show on Apple or Spotify. You rock.
This episode is brought to you by:
Tonum Health – Go to Tonum.com/WILD and punch in code WILD for 10 % off your first order.
Imagine if meeting up with fellow humans felt less like a slow-motion train wreck… and more like a great jam session—where everyone’s locked in, connected, and creating something truly inspirational none of you could have created alone.
Some call this concept the mastermind, when your group becomes more than the sum of its parts, creating something altogether much more expansive and, at its best, transcendent.
On today’s show, we’re here with Dr. Colin Fisher, professor, jazz trumpet player, and author of The Collective Edge, talking about the real science of group dynamics, creativity, and leadership. Dr. Fisher has spent his career studying why some teams become far more than the sum of their parts… while others spiral into dysfunction, groupthink, and soul‑sucking meetings that could have easily been an email.
If you’ve ever watched a brilliant team of superstars underperform and fail spectacularly, this conversation will give you a totally new lens on how human dynamics actually work, and how to build teams that launch you into the stratosphere.
In this episode, we dig into:
- How to handle the person who sucks all the air out of the room (without making it personal)
- Why 60% of a team’s performance is decided before the first meeting even happens
- What jazz improvisation can teach us about flow, trust, and spontaneous collaboration at work
- Why the “lone genius” is a myth of marketing
- Why we desperately need to talk about what AI is already doing to our teams
- And much more..
- Website: ColinMFisher.com
- Book: The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups
- Substack: https://colinmfisher.substack.com/
- Instagram: @ColinMFisher
- Instagram: @TrumpetFisher
- YouTube: @DrColinMFisher
- LinkedIn: @ColinMFisher
You can also join Substack as a free or paid member for ad-free episodes of this show, to comment on each episode, and to hit me up in the DM’s. Join at abeljames.substack.com. And if you’re feeling generous, write a quick review for the Abel James Show on Apple or Spotify. You rock.
This episode is brought to you by:
Tonum Health – Go to Tonum.com/WILD and punch in code WILD for 10 % off your first order.