Informal coordination elements in a police special operations unit

Abstract

This article's objective is to better understand the elements of informal coordination in the management of high performance teams acting in complex and unpredictable scenarios. We present the results of an empirical study in a police special operations unit. We conducted a qualitative and quantitative research, respectively though oral history, in-depth interviews and survey. Our results show that the sense of a common mission, trust relationships and leadership quality are central elements to better explain informal coordination. We observed higher levels of trust between peers, as compared with trust in superiors and teams, as a fundamental constitutive element of the power of the bond found among members. Our analyses also indicate strong relationships between trust in superiors and affective and normative commitment, and the importance of loyalty and pride in membership.

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