Creating adaptive teams: Investigating antecedents of effective team performance in dynamic environments

This dissertation examined team performance in both routine and novel performance environments. Team interaction training and leader briefings were examined as antecedents of team mental models, processes, and outcomes. This research was conducted using a low-fidelity team performance simulator in a research laboratory setting. Measures were repeated three times over three performance episodes that varied in novelty of performance environment. Findings indicated that leader briefings and team interaction training significantly improved the quality and similarity of team member mental models. Team mental models predicted team coordination processes and team performance in both routine and novel domains. This research has laid the groundwork for further investigation of team performance in dynamic and novel environments.