How can Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) quickly and effectively develop team cohesion given its fast-paced schedule, numerous competing requirements, and limited cognitive development resources? ARSOF units are often regarded as the most elite teams within the military, yet they lag in one critical area that the majority of high-performing teams implement regularly: team dynamics training. Consistently high-performing teams across the business and sports worlds recognize the importance of team dynamics training in improving team cohesion, which in turn enhances their team’s effectiveness. This capstone project identifies four foundational characteristics that high-performing teams build to achieve greater cohesion: communication, feedback, trust, and unified commitment. This project provides a guidebook with various tools and techniques to develop these four foundational characteristics. Using this guidebook, ARSOF tactical leaders will be able to build upon their unit’s cohesion as they strive to make their unit a more effective fighting force.

Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Includes Supplementary Material

Major, United States Army