"Unlocking team performance: How shared mental models drive proactive problem-solving"

Published in Human Relations
Authors: Michela Carraro (Technical University of Munich), Andrea Furlan (Department of Economics and Management), and Torbjørn Netland (ETH Zurich)
Do shared mental models support proactive problem-solving? Research on shared cognition suggests that shared mental models aid team performance by improving coordination between team members’ actions. However, these models can also lead to groupthink, potentially diminishing team members’ proactive problem-solving behaviors. Based on social identity theory, this study examines how shared mental models influence proactive problem-solving at the individual and team levels. The authors propose that shared mental models about work tasks and team dynamics are crucial for promoting proactive problem-solving behaviors and coordinating team efforts. To test their theory, they conducted multilevel path analyses with survey data from 266 individuals across 48 teams in 13 Italian manufacturing companies. Their results indicate that the degree to which individuals align their task- and team-related mental models impacts both their tendency to proactively solve problems and their ability to coordinate team problem-solving. They also find that the adoption of proactive problem-solving behaviors and team effort coordination are linked to enhanced team performance.
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