UXO Team Leadership

Abstract

THE PROBLEM

The primary purpose of this study was to provide an analysis of the effectiveness of leadership through the interpersonal relationship between a team leader and a team. This research paper attempted to define "how" leaders create and handle effective teams. Specifically, this study was focused on UXO teams in a UXO environment performing a UXO clearance project still in progress. It was the aim of this study to provide information that will be beneficial to team leaders and will contribute to improvement of UXO team leadership techniques.

METHOD

This research evaluated the relationship between the leadership demonstrated by team leaders and the effectiveness and productivity of the teams. Adoption and use of Frank LaFasto and Carl Larson's (2001) six key dimensions (focus on the goal, ensure a collaborative climate, build confidence, demonstrate sufficient technical know-how, set priorities, and manage performance) provided the basis for this study. Frank LaFasto, Ph.D. and Carl Larson, Ph.D. developed the survey instrument adopted for this study, known as the Collaborative Team Leader Instrument, from an evaluation of approximately 600 team leaders and measures team leader effectiveness across the six key dimensions.

FINDINGS

The findings identified in this study provide some empirical support and insight into the strengths and weaknesses found in one case study. The findings revealed positive correlation in many of the researched areas within each hypothesis in the relationships and perceptions between team leaders and team members. However, the findings also indicated considerable negative correlation within one of the dimensions, the demonstration of sufficient technical know-how, which was actually expected to be one of the strongest. Overall it is concluded that this research has made an important contribution towards defining: how a leader creates and handles an effective unexploded ordnance team. The findings of this study should be beneficial to team leaders and contribute to improvement of UXO team leadership techniques.

About the Author

Dr. DeMetropolis has over 26 years of experience in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) fields. He has led various types of teams in both the military and civilian fields performing unexploded ordnance clearances.