Military Psychology: Teams and Teamwork

1. Military Psychology:Teams and Teamwork Dr. Steven J. Kass

2. Military Psychology Importance of Teamwork Importance of Teamwork • Readiness – coordination/communication in stressful war environment • Adaptation – ability to adapt to changing demands of a wider range of missions • Task Complexity – teams are called upon to perform tasks that: • Require quick decision making in complex environs • Have severe consequences of error • Are performed under ambiguous situations

3. Military Psychology Team Defined Team – “…a distinguishable set of two or more people who interact dynamically, interdependently, and adaptively toward a common goal/objective/mission, who have each been assigned specific roles or functions to perform, and who have a limited life-span of membership” (Salas et al., 1992)

4. Military Psychology Team Characteristics • 2 or more members • Members possess multiple sources of info • Tasks are interdependent (sequential, pooled, or reciprocal) • Members must coordinate efforts • Members share compatible values/goals/objectives • Members have specialized roles • Team is hierarchically structured (team leader) • Communication crucial • Team develops strategies to adapt to change

5. Military Psychology Teamwork Teams must complete: • Taskwork – individual competencies (KSAs) necessary to do the job • Teamwork – competencies associated with being an effective team member • Motivating teammates • Providing backup/support • Monitoring one another • Self-correcting • Shifting strategy on demand

6. Military Psychology Team Competencies Identify team competencies through Team Task Analysis • Knowledge: • Task specific teammate characteristics • Shared task models • Teamwork skills • Skills: • Adaptability • Shared situation awareness • Mutual performance monitoring • Motivating team members/leadership • Communication • Assertiveness • Attitudes: • Collective efficacy (Potency) • Shared vision • Team cohesion Cannon-Bowers et al., 1995)

7. Military Psychology Measuring Team Performance • Focus on outcome may be rewarding flawed processes. • Assess both: • Taskwork and Teamwork • Outcomes (winning, accuracy, efficiency, etc.) and Process (communication, coordination, support, etc.)

8. Military Psychology Measuring Team Performance Measurement process • Describe individual and team behavior • Evaluate behavior • Diagnose causes of behavior

9. Military Psychology Team Performance Assessment Tools • Observational Checklists/Rating Scales • Content Analysis • Critical Incidents • Automated Performance Recording • After Action Reviews

10. Military Psychology Team Performance Measurement Effective Team Performance Measurement, should: • Identify processes linked to key outcomes • Distinguish between individual and team level contributions and deficiencies • Produce assessment to be used for providing feedback to team • Produce accurate and reliable evaluations • Be easy to implement

11. Military Psychology Team Training Techniques • Cross-Training – learn KSAs of other team tasks by rotating positions • Learn contribution of each task to “big picture” • Allows teammates to anticipate others’ actions • Helps provide backup and flexibility

12. Military Psychology Team Training Techniques • Aircrew Coordination Training – increase crew’s awareness of need for coordination • Provide crews with info about teamwork skills • Demonstrate behaviors via video recording • Provide opportunities to practice • Receive feedback on performance

13. Military Psychology Team Training Techniques • Guided Team Self-Correction – feedback to teammates by leader to allow team to identify its own problems • Feedback should: • Enable each member to perform his/her task • Demonstrate how individual’s performance contributes to that of other • Demonstrate how individual’s performance contributes to that of team

14. Military Psychology Team Training Techniques • Team Adaptation & Coordination Training – training method to help teams deal with stressful environment/task • Provide team member with info on how to best optimize: • Preplanning sessions • Idle periods • Info dissemination • Info anticipation • Redistribution of workload

15. Military Psychology Team Training Techniques • Assertiveness Training – training to improve team members’ willingness to state concerns assertively • Important for: • Providing feedback • Stating opinions • Offering solutions • Initiating action • Offering/Requesting help or backup

16. Military Psychology Team Training Techniques • Team Leader Training – training to help leaders in their position to monitor, control, and decisions on behalf of team • Involves managing team climate – norms & expectations of team members and their interactions