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

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.

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.

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

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

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