Cited by 1,635Team Dynamics and PerformanceOrganizational Learning and LeadershipInnovative Education and Learning Practices

Speaking Up in the Operating Room: How Team Leaders Promote Learning in Interdisciplinary Action Teams

Edmondson, Amy C.·2003·Journal of Management Studies

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines learning in interdisciplinary action teams. Research on team effectiveness has focused primarily on single‐discipline teams engaged in routine production tasks and, less often, on interdisciplinary teams engaged in discussion and management rather than action. The resulting models do not explain differences in learning in interdisciplinary action teams. Members of these teams must coordinate action in uncertain, fast‐paced situations, and the extent to which they are comfortable speaking up with observations, questions, and concerns may critically influence team outcomes. To explore what leaders of action teams do to promote speaking up and other proactive coordination behaviours – as well as how organizational context may affect these team processes and outcomes – I analysed qualitative and quantitative data from 16 operating room teams learning to use a new technology for cardiac surgery. Team leader coaching, ease of speaking up, and boundary spanning were associated with successful technology implementation. The most effective leaders helped teams learn by communicating a motivating rationale for change and by minimizing concerns about power and status differences to promote speaking up in the service of learning.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1111/1467-6486.00386

Cites

59 of 59 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Sustainability is likely to be more successful when placed in an organizational culture that values EBP and has leadership that facilitates team participation and psychological safety.

    “Sustainability is likely to be more successful when placed in an organizational culture that values EBP and has leadership that facilitates team participation and psychological safety (Edmondson 2003a; b).”
  • A study of surgical teams found variations in membership stability but no association between stability and 'implementation success'.

    “A study of surgical teams found variations in membership stability but no association between stability and “implementation success” (i.e., composite measure based on number of uses of new technique, proportion of uses, and changes in use) [48, 49].”
  • Psychological safety and ease of speaking up were associated with implementation success.

    “Edmondson and colleagues found that psychological safety and ease of speaking up (i.e., interpersonal climate that allows members to share questions and concerns) were associated with implementation success [48, 49].”
  • Inter-team communication, specifically speaking up and learning from other teams (boundary spanning), was identified as a critical part of team learning processes associated with successful implementation.

    “Inter-team communication, specifically speaking up and learning from other teams (i.e., boundary spanning), was identified as a critical part of team learning processes associated with successful implementation [48].”
  • Psychological safety was closely related to learning behavior within the team, including speaking up with questions and concerns.

    “Psychological safety was closely related to learning behavior within the team, including speaking up with questions and concerns [48, 49].”

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Authors
Edmondson, A. C.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Edmondson, Amy C.
Venue
Journal of Management Studies
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2003-08-04
Volume
40
Issue
6
Pages
1419-1452
ISSN
  • 0022-2380 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-6486
OpenAlex
W1993517542
Cited by
1,635
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 54 · 2025: 77 · 2024: 80 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 107 · 2021: 115 · 2020: 118 · 2019: 81 · 2018: 100 · 2017: 102 · 2016: 96 · 2015: 94 · 2014: 89 · 2013: 90 · 2012: 80
FWCI
22.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Journal of Management Studies (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Organizational Learning and Leadership
  • Social Sciences › Human Factors and Ergonomics › Innovative Education and Learning Practices
Keywords
speaking up, team leadership, team learning, surgical workforce, boundary spanning, organizational context, team effectiveness

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