| This dissertation examined the behavioral and cognitive mechanisms through which team leaders can promote effective team process and adaptive team performance. The effect of sense-making behavior provided to the team by the leader was examined as an antecedent of strategic team mental models, team processes, and outcomes in both routine and novel performance environments. This research was conducted through the use of a low-fidelity interactive team tank simulation within which participants performed two twenty minute missions. Prior to and at the completion of each mission the leader provided sense-making behavior for the team, through scripted pre-mission briefings and debriefing sessions. At the beginning of each mission and at mission completion participants completed several paper-and-pencil measures related to cognition, affect, motivation, and teamwork processes. Findings indicated that leader sense-making significantly impacted the development of accurate strategic team interaction models that were shared among team members. Although, leader sense-making also impacted the development of sharedness among members' mental models, it had its greatest impact through the development of accurate models. Findings also indicated that the relationship between leader sense-making and team communication was fully mediated by the development of accurate mental models that were shared. Furthermore, team communication partially mediated the relationship between accuracy of mental models and coordinated team performance. Moreover, the level (components included) of sense-making was found to differentially effect team cognition, process, and performance dependent on the type of environment the team was operating in. Specifically, the level of sense-making, components included, needed for coordinated performance was different than that needed for adaptation. |
