Evaluating teamwork development in combat training settings: An exploratory case study utilising the Junior Leaders'...

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Military Science
• Human Factors

Background:

• Effective teamwork is critical in high-stakes environments like military operations.
• The 'Big Five' teamwork model provides a framework for understanding key teamwork components.
• Assessing teamwork in practical, demanding training scenarios presents unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and utilize a behaviorally-anchored observational rating scale (BAORS) for assessing teamwork in a UK military field gun competition.
• To evaluate the teamwork development of newly-formed teams during a week-long residential training program.
• To explore the relationship between teamwork development and performance in a tactical drill.

Main Methods:

• A behaviorally-anchored observational rating scale (BAORS), based on the 'Big Five' teamwork model, was adapted for a military combat training setting.
• Sixteen newly-formed teams participated in a week-long residential training program culminating in a field gun competition.
• Teamwork was assessed using the adapted BAORS at the beginning and end of the training program.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed across all teamwork process dimensions assessed.
• The greatest improvement was noted in teams' shared understanding of teamwork roles and strategies (shared mental models).
• No significant association was found between the degree of teamwork development and the final drill performance.

Conclusions:

• The adapted BAORS is a potentially useful tool for assessing teamwork in demanding military training environments.
• While teamwork processes improved, this did not directly translate to enhanced performance in the specific field gun competition.
• Further research is needed to explore the utility of this measurement protocol in diverse settings and its correlation with performance outcomes.