Expertise in soccer teams: A thematic inquiry into the role of Shared Mental Models within team chemistry

Abstract

Aims:The purpose of the current study was to establish a conceptual framework of team chemistry components in sport with an emphasis on Shared Mental Models (SMM).Method: Elite soccer coaches (n = 6) and players (n = 3) were interviewed using a semistructured interview guide. An inductive thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data.Results: Four themes related to team chemistry components were identified: (1) members' characteristics (i.e., demographic data, on-field characteristics, and member's ego), (2) coachplayers interactions (i.e., professional interaction and emotional intelligence of coaches), (3) interactions among the players (i.e., professional understanding, efficacy beliefs, team cohesion, players' emotional intelligence, team roles, and goals), and (4) interactions with environmental factors (i.e., owners, management, fans, and media). Conclusions:The cognitive components of the team chemistry model were clustered to establish a conceptual framework of SMM. Furthermore, the cognitive-affective-social-behavioral linkage of team chemistry and athletic performance is examined in light of the emerged model and conceptual framework. Implications and future directions are also discussed. Expertise in Soccer Teams: A Thematic Inquiry into the Role of Shared Mental Models within Team ChemistryIndividuals frequently collaborate to enhance their team's performance (Colin, 2003). Such collaborations have been acknowledged as especially important in situations in which a broader knowledge foundation and different skills are necessary for efficient decision-making (Kellermanns, Floyd, Pearson, & Spencer, 2008). In their conceptual framework on expert teams, Eccles and Tenenbaum (2004) emphasized social (e.g., communication) and cognitive (e.g., shared cognitions) components to be crucial for reaching coordination in the pursuit of superior Team Chemistry 3 collective performance. Specifically, the concepts of teamwork and taskwork knowledge have been proposed to underlie team coordination (Cannon-Bowers & Salas, 1998;Klimoski & Mohammed, 1994;Mclntyre & Salas, 1995). Teamwork knowledge refers to implicit knowledge of actions made by other teammates. Taskwork knowledge centers on the team member's knowledge pertaining to the performance requirements of a specific role in the team (Mohammed, Ferzandi, & Hamilton, 2010). Eccles and Tenenbaum (2004) have exemplified the application of taskwork and teamwork knowledge in sports such as football, and the differences between them. Accordingly, taskwork was represented by the quarterback's ability to execute a pass that reaches its targeted destination in space and time. Yet, to complete the task successfully, the quarterback depends on teamwork (e.g., teammates blocking the defensive line from reaching him, the running back faking receiving the ball, and other potential receivers distracting the opponents from identifying the real target). As players transfer teams, their taskwork knowledge mostly holds. Nevertheless, new teamwork elements of the task ...

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