Date of Award

Spring 1-31-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

David Andrews, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Bendta Friesen, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Margaret Klein, Ed.D.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify and describe how senior military general officers and flag officers (GOFOs) used the three competencies of high-performance teams (HPTs; clarity, connection, and communication) to achieve objectives in their organizations. The second purpose of this study was to determine the degree of importance that senior military GOFOs perceived the three high-performance team effect (HPTE) core competencies impacted their leadership for creating HPTs.

Methodology: This mixed methods study identified and described nine senior military officers’ perceptions of strategies to lead HPTs while focusing on the three core competencies: clarity, connection, and communication. The study participants were purposively and conveniently chosen based on specific criteria and recommendations from expert military personnel. I collected data, identified themes, and analyzed the data from the qualitative and quantitative data.

Findings: This mixed-methods study of nine senior military GOFOs highlights clarity, connection, and communication as critical for cultivating and sustaining HPTs in military contexts. Clarity, foundational to alignment, goes beyond removing ambiguity to ensure shared goals, roles, and visions. Connection fosters cohesion and innovation through cognitive diversity, trust, and shared purpose, with the human aspects of leadership—intentionality, care, and rapport—emphasized as vital to resilience. Communication, the linchpin, requires tailored, candid dialogue, repetition, mutual language use, and decisiveness to enhance cohesion and efficiency. The dynamic interplay of these competencies shifts with situational demands, and the absence of one undermines success, though compensatory strategies can mitigate gaps. These insights offer actionable strategies for leaders in complex environments.

Conclusions: The study’s findings underscore the critical independence of clarity, connection, and communication in fostering HPTs within complex, high-stakes environments. Leaders who strategically cultivate these core competencies, balancing accountability, interpersonal connection, and transparent communication, lay the foundation for cohesive, adaptable, and resilient teams, ensuring organizational success despite challenges.

Recommendations: The study recommends that leaders prioritize leadership accountability, collaborative engagement, and tailored communication strategies to foster clarity, connection, and communication within HPTs. By emphasizing diversity, interpersonal connection, situational awareness, and role flexibility, leaders can adapt to dynamic environments, mitigate challenges, and sustain resilient, cohesive, and effective HPTs.

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