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Swift trust in leaders in temporary military groups

Peder Hyllengren (Department of Leadership and Management, Swedish National Defence College, Karlstad, Sweden)
Gerry Larsson (Department of Leadership and Management, Swedish National Defence College, Karlstad, Sweden)
Maria Fors (Department of Leadership and Management, Swedish National Defence College, Karlstad, Sweden)
Misa Sjöberg (Department of Leadership and Management, Swedish National Defence College, Karlstad, Sweden)
Jarle Eid (Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway)
Olav Kjellevold Olsen (Department of Leadership Development, Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, Bergen, Norway)

Team Performance Management

ISSN: 1352-7592

Article publication date: 18 October 2011

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Abstract

Purpose

The study seeks to illuminate factors that benefit, or do not benefit, the development of swift trust towards leaders in temporary military groups.

Design/methodology/approach

The study group comprised 50 Norwegian cadets, 34 Norwegian military officers, 317 Swedish cadets, and 190 Swedish military officers. Data were gathered using a questionnaire which included two open‐ended questions on aspects which contribute to swift trust (and lack thereof) towards leaders, as well as Likert‐scale questions on temporary group characteristics, and a personality inventory.

Findings

A qualitative clustering analysis of the open‐ended responses yielded a hierarchical model of aspects which contribute to swift trust (or the lack thereof) with the following two superior categories: individual‐related characteristics such as emotional stability and relationship‐related characteristics such as encourage involvement and creativity. The latter superior category covaried most strongly with ratings of the groups' performance.

Research limitations/implications

The results need to be substantiated by further research in other professional groups and cultures.

Practical implications

The findings can help leaders of temporary groups become more conscious of how they may affect the group members' development of swift trust.

Originality/value

The hierarchical and detailed model of aspects which contribute to swift trust in leaders of temporary groups is new.

Keywords

Citation

Hyllengren, P., Larsson, G., Fors, M., Sjöberg, M., Eid, J. and Kjellevold Olsen, O. (2011), "Swift trust in leaders in temporary military groups", Team Performance Management, Vol. 17 No. 7/8, pp. 354-368. https://doi.org/10.1108/13527591111182625

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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