Effects of Leader Role and Task Load on Team Performance and Process in an AWACS Environment

摘要

We manipulated two variables predicted by models of team performance to affect team processes and performance: team organization and task load. In one team organization the team leader served as a manager only, without responsibility for prosecuting hostile tracks. In the other organization the team leader served as a player-manager. Task load was established by varying the number of hostile tracks. As hypothesized, teams performed at a higher level, that is took less time to act, when task load was low than high. Counter to predictions no performance differences were found between the two team organization conditions, but as anticipated, performance differed among team members by task load. Additionally, teams in which the team leader was a manager only were more proactive and transferred more information to other teammates without requests to do so, a communication pattern that has been shown to be indicative of high-performing teams.