Teamwork in Public Safety : Key Attributes and Strategies for Success
Although teamwork is a natural element of public safety , it ’ s easy for leaders to become complacent and fail to pay sufficient attention to team dynamics
By Rex M . Scism , ( Ret .) Content Developer , Lexipol
Reprinted with permission from Police1 , www . police1 . com .
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS :
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | November 2023
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In public safety , such as SWAT operations , the success of missions is heavily reliant on effective teamwork . It is not just about individual skills but the collective effort of the team . SWAT leaders should focus on fostering these characteristics within their teams . Understanding the dynamic nature of teamwork and adapting to diverse challenges is crucial for success . SWAT leaders should prioritize ongoing training and development for their team members . Training not only enhances individual skills but also builds trust and mutual support within the team .
I learned the value of working as a team early in life . My first experience occurred on the football field , where I realized that breakdowns in communication and coordinated efforts quickly led to defeat . My military experience reinforced the virtues of teamwork , which complemented the transition to work in public safety , where strength in numbers remains a fundamentally important aspect .
During my entire 32-year law enforcement career , I was involved in some level of collective effort . Whether conducting tactical SWAT operations or as the chair of our agency ’ s strategic planning committee , teamwork was the most valuable component of organization success .
Henry Ford was an innovative presence during this country ’ industrial revolution , and he recognized the value of teamwork when he said , “ Coming together is a beginning , keeping together is progress , and working together is success .” But what constitutes a team , and how can we better work together ?
Jan Schmutz and her colleagues define teamwork as “ a process that describes interactions among theam members who combine collective resources to resolve task demands .”[ 1 ] This definition clearly epitomizes the nature of public safety and our commitment to service and protection within the communities we serve .
Police officers don ’ t just depend on other officers to assist with their efforts . They rely on fire , EMS , corrections , dispatch and a multitude of other assets that possess similar goals and objectives to accomplish the mission . In the military , one occupational specialty is useless without the collective efforts of other support functions , branches and coalition forces .
4 CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL TEAMS Schmutz et al further define a team as an “ identifiable social work unit consisting of two or more people with several unique characteristics .”[ 1 ] Some of these characteristics include dynamic social interactions , shared goals , distributed expertise and clearly assigned roles and responsibilities . Let ’ s take a look at each of these characteristics more closely .
1 . Dynamic social interactions Research points out the dynamic nature of teamwork . I think this is especially true in public safety , where no two calls for service are ever the same . Each day contains new challenges both within and outside our respective organizations . When it comes to working in a team environment , the social aspect can make or break a team . Haas and Mortenson are quick to point out how “ today ’ s teams are different from the teams of the past : They ’ re far more diverse , dispersed , digital , and dynamic .”[ 2 ] Kirsten Weir ’ s research also identified how these social interactions correlate to an intuitive level of teamwork that features “ integrated thoughts , feelings , and behaviors of team members that enables them to work effectively together .”[ 3 ]
2 . Shared Goals Consider how different generations interact within the workforce . Our public safety organizations are comprised of diverse team members who share similar goals but communicate and identify priorities differently . Our shared desire to help others unites us , helping overcome our differences .
Shared values in turn help team members “ anticipate the needs of others ; adjust to other ’ s actions , and have a shared understanding of how a procedure should happen .”[ 4 ] Weir refers to as “ team cognition — what teams think , how they think together , and how well synchronized their beliefs and perceptions are .”[ 3 ] Team cognition allows tactical team members to conduct a high-risk search warrant efficiently , while using precisely choreographed movements during entry . The same occurs on the battlefield — an intuitive understanding of how another soldier will react or respond to a threat .
As Weir point out , “ team cognition [ is how ] teams … quickly adapt to dynamic circumstances without having the opportunity to communicate a lot .”[ 3 ] Kozlowski and Ilgen ’ s research echoed this sentiment . They note how “ collective efficacy is more likely to develop when team members are more interdependent and interactive and have to coordinate task processes .”[ 5 ] The shared experiences among team members provide a basis for producing desired or intended results , In other words , when teams work well together , they gain confidence and accomplish more .
3 . Distributed expertise Public safety organizations are full of extremely capable personnel who possess varying degrees of occu-
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