Competencies supporting high-performance translational teams: A review of the SciTS evidence base

Abstract

A translational team (TT) is a specific type of interdisciplinary team that seeks to improve human health. Because high-performing TTs are critical to accomplishing CTSA goals, a greater understanding of how to promote TT performance is needed. Previous work by a CTSA Workgroup formulated a taxonomy of 5 interrelated team-emergent competency “domains” for successful translation: 1). affect, 2). communication, 3). management, 4). collaborative problem-solving, and 5). leadership. These Knowledge Skills and Attitudes (KSAs) develop within teams from the team’s interactions. However, understanding how practice in these domains enhance team performance was unaddressed. To fill this gap, we conducted a scoping literature review of empirical team studies from the broader Science of Team Science literature domains. We identified specific team-emergent KSAs that enhance TT performance, mapped these to the earlier “domain” taxonomy, and developed a rubric for their assessment. This work identifies important areas of intersection of practices in specific competencies across other competency domains. We find that inclusive environment, openness to transdisciplinary knowledge sharing, and situational leadership are a core triad of team-emergent competencies that reinforce each other and are highly linked to team performance. Finally, we identify strategies for enhancing these competencies. This work provides a grounded approach for training interventions in the CTSA context.

Temporal development of high-performance translational teams

“…A recent scoping review of the SciTS evidence base identified 15 team-emergent competencies whose expert application leads to enhanced team performance (listed in Table 1) [14]. In this analysis, observable behaviors of the KSA were described along a continuum from "novice" to "expert."…”

“…Shown are the TT competency domains[4]; specific competencies supporting each[14] are also listed, with a description of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.Journal of Clinical and Translational Science…”

A leadership model supporting maturation of high-performance translational teams

“…Affect is a state where TT members share concern, empathy, and regard [11,12], which in turn increases team members' commitment [13] and overall team performance [14]. Within this domain, we identified three foundational competencies necessary for Affect - (1).…”

“…Idealized influence promotes Communication by empowering team members to establish communication lines with other team members and to seek out their expertise [33]. Additional behaviors include articulating a vision and conducting team building activities that foster communication and knowledge sharing [16,34]. A study of project management teams has shown that transformational leadership behaviors promote within-team knowledge sharing by establishing cooperative norms for how information is exchanged [35].…”

“…These behaviors are essential for engaging in collective team learning, which in turn supports team goals and improves team processes [53][54][55]. Inclusive leadership practices are also positively linked with innovation on business teams [58,59] and potentially support stakeholder engagement in TTs [16]. One inclusive leadership approach, "perspective-taking" [60], is when leaders and the team members adopt "both-and" approaches that accept and integrate competing viewpoints, an approach shown to increase team proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity [61].…”