ABSTRACT
At the most basic level, team performance involves two primary classes of behavior: taskwork and teamwork. Taskwork refers to the task-specific behaviors that directly support a team’s mission. For example, these may involve flying an airplane, extinguishing a fire, or performing surgery. Teamwork, on the other hand, refers to a broad class of interaction-based behaviors that allow the team members to effectively coordinate their individual tasks. Although several taxonomies of teamwork behaviors have been developed (e.g., Fleishman and Zaccaro, 1992; Prince et al., 1992; SmithJentsch et al., 1998), most include four primary dimensions: communication, information exchange, fostering a supportive team environment, and leadership. As might be expected, teamwork behaviors apply to all types of teams, regardless of their specific mission.
