The Rhythm of Teamwork: Discovering a Complex Temporal Pattern of Team Processes

摘要

Objective: The recurring phase model of team processes suggests the existence of a rhythm of team task accomplishment, which refers to a repeated sequence of transition and action phases over time. Drawing on this model, we provide the first empirical investigation of whether different types of teamwork rhythm emerge, whether the rhythm varies according to the type of task, and whether the rhythm is related to team performance. Method: We observed and videoed student teams (N = 48) working on two different tasks (a creative task and a construction task) in a laboratory setting. Team processes were coded and assigned to transition or action phases using a custom algorithm. The rhythm of teamwork for each team was determined using the four parameters of tempo, regularity of tempo, focus (transition vs. action), and variability of focus. Results: Latent profile analysis revealed three distinct rhythms of teamwork across both tasks: a slow and action-oriented rhythm, a fast and regular rhythm, and a changing-focus rhythm. The results also show that the majority of the teams (63.04) changed rhythm type between the tasks. Moreover, for the creative task, a changing-focus rhythm was predictive of lower performance (g = 0.25-0.48), whereas for the construction task, no association was found between rhythm and performance. Conclusions: The study provides a methodological procedure for analyzing the rhythm of teamwork and offers some initial insights into the types of teamwork rhythms and their association with type of tasks and levels of performance.