Temporal development of high-performance translational teams

Abstract

Successful translation involves the coupled application of knowledge-generating research with product development to advance a device, drug, diagnostic, or evidence-based intervention for clinical adoption to improve human health. Critical to the success of the CTSA consortium, translation can be more effectively accomplished by training approaches that focus on improving team-emergent knowledge skills and attitudes (KSAs) linked to performance. We earlier identified 15 specific evidence-informed, team-emergent competencies that facilitate translational team (TT) performance. Here, we examine the SciTS literature describing developmental, temporal dynamics, and adaptive learning stages of interdisciplinary teams and integrate these with real-world observations on TT maturation pathways. We propose that TTs undergo ordered developmental phases, each representing a learning cycle that we call Formation, Knowledge Generation, and Translation. We identify major activities of each phase linked to development goals. Transition to subsequent phases is associated with a team learning cycle, resulting in adaptations that enabling progression towards clinical translation. We present known antecedents of stage-dependent competencies and rubrics for their assessment. Application of this model will ease assessment, facilitate goal identification and align relevant training interventions to improve performance of TTs in the CTSA context.

Is team science valued in the academic promotions process? A mixed-methods case study

“…Furthermore, within the criteria of what constitutes team science, building in sufficient time flexibility that acknowledges and takes into account that some types of team science may take longer to conduct and generate the types of scientific results or products that are traditionally recognized in the promotion process, may also be necessary. Greater consensus about the pathways toward achieving excellence in team science may be achieved by the development of trainings for junior faculty and their mentors, supported by new and evolving models such as those recently published by Brasier, et al, and by formal adoption or endorsement of resources developed by NIH [18][19][20][21]. Junior faculty who engage in team science may require guidance on ways to ensure the team has welldefined roles that can be described and evaluated, and that their unique contributions can be clearly recognized in ways that enhance their career development.…”

A leadership model supporting maturation of high-performance translational teams

“…Despite extensive evaluation of the impact of transformational leadership on team performance, it most clearly impacts teams early in the Formation phase and during new member onboarding [10]. Thus, the transformational leadership model is of limited use for the needs of a TT over its full maturation cycle.…”

“…Leadership behaviors promoting CPS. The transformational leadership practice of "intellectual stimulation" empowers team members to apply CPS techniques in response to disruptive events, which in turn triggers cycles of team adaptation, learning, and maturation [56]. Specifically, leadership behaviors that encourage team members to reflect, review, and/or identify deficiencies in their approach result in collective team learning [57].…”

“…During the Knowledge Generation phase, team members conduct activities that support research projects by developing/testing and refining hypotheses. Unanticipated experimental results can be disruptive, challenging the team to adopt new processes or experimental approaches [56], promoting new discipline involvement and sharing knowledge (Fig. 2).…”

“…From a generic taxonomy of functional leadership, we provide an integrated framework of leadership behaviors linked to supporting the needs of TT maturation at these phases of team development. Finally, because empirical studies of TT maturation have shown that leadership styles are stable over time [3,10], we propose a multi-layered evaluation framework that reinforces continual improvement and reflection on leadership skills and practices.…”