**GENERAL** Many tasks and activities require a team, or are by
definition a team activity. Small boat operations share this
characteristic with many other professional settings, like orchestras,
sports, and assembly lines.

The role of the individual is crucial to the success of a team endeavor,
and individual effort needs to be coordinated with the activities of the
rest of the team, at the right time, and in the right way. Individual
action can also easily destroy the team's mission.

**OBJECTIVES** The purpose of this Module is to:

-   Establish the value of teamwork

-   Define seven elements of Team Coordination

-   Use these elements to analyze Team Coordination

-   Equip SBOs with concepts and tools to promote Team Coordination

**DEFINITIONS** A team is a collection of individuals working in pursuit
of a common mission (or goal, or objective). They are built around the
technical and designated capabilities of its members. And, each member
has assigned functions.

**The "Larger** The team itself is almost always part of a "larger team"
composed of

**Team"** other teams. In NOAA's case, this larger team may consist of:

-   The chain of command

-   Other agencies

-   NOAA "clients"

-   The public.

Like the boat crew, the larger team relies on the individual efforts of
the teams that compose it, and is essential in providing many practical
aspects of small boat operations, like:

-   Money, boats, and fuel

-   Missions

-   Help in fixing problems

-   Back-up and communications.

**Seven Elements** Observation and studies have revealed that
successful, coordinated

**of Team** teams display certain common characteristics. These are:

**Coordination**

-   Leadership

-   Mission Analysis

-   Adaptability and Flexibility

**DEFINITIONS**

**Seven Elements**

**(cont.)**

-   Situational Awareness

-   Decision Making

-   Communication

-   Assertiveness.

**1. LEADERSHIP** Not all teams have "designated" or "appointed"
leaders. Some orchestras, for instance, perform without a conductor.
Some teams function without any apparent leader at all, or the role of
leadership is performed on an ad hoc basis that may rotate among the
members. This kind of leadership might be called "implicit."

In NOAA small boat operations, however, there is always a leader at any
given time. He or she will fall into one of two categories:

-   Designated leader

-   Functional leader.

**Designated** Designated leaders are appointed, and given certain
authority and

**Leaders** responsibilities. They are responsible for the overall
safety and success or failure of the team. In addition to their own
specific functions, like driving the boat, they monitor the performance
of the rest of the team, and at NOAA, they are required to have some
training in and understanding of leadership principles.

SBOs and OICs are designated leaders.

**Functional** Functional leaders are temporary, and emerge or are
designated by the

**Leaders** SBO in response to special circumstances, or special skills
or information possessed by a team member. An obvious example is when an
engineer temporarily "takes over" to fix the engine, or the OIC (or even
a ship's captain) relies on someone with local knowledge (like a Pilot)
for navigation.

But, just like a Pilot on a ship, functional leaders who are temporarily
leading the team do not represent a "change in command." The SBO or OIC
is still responsible for the entire team, and neither their authority
nor responsibility is diminished.

Finally, functional leaders relinquish their leadership status when the
job they emerged to perform is completed.

**1. LEADERSHIP**

**Personal** Personal traits are important to how leaders perform their
jobs.

**Traits** Everyone knows that some people are easier to deal with than
others. Three personal characteristics have been identified among team
leaders that affect their effectiveness:

-   Personality. Some people are easier to get along with than others

-   Ability. Not everyone has the same ability in their specific
    functions (like driving the boat) or in leadership skills

-   "Style." Leaders have different ways of approaching their jobs.

Team leaders need to take their strengths and weaknesses into account

when dealing with team members. In any case, leaders need to be honest,
fair, safe, and in accordance with pertinent policies and regulations.

Although everyone is different, an important goal of TCT training is to
enhance at least a minimum proficiency in leadership and team
coordination by considering and using recognized leadership principles.

**Basic Role** The primary tasks of the Leader are to coordinate the
efforts:

-   Of individual team members towards performing the team's mission,
    and their tasks

-   The team's role in the Larger Team.

**Leadership** To do these things, a team leader needs certain skills.

**Skills** These include:

**Mission** It is typically the leader who collects and disseminates the
information

**Briefing** the team needs for any given mission, and describes the
mission in a pre-mission briefing. This includes promoting input from
the crew during the briefing and during the mission -- someone in the
crew may have information or ideas that the leader does not.

The leader ensures the team is fully informed about the mission,
including the "larger team."

Being informed includes, by definition, an assessment of risk and
alternatives before the mission starts.

**1. LEADERSHIP**

**Tasking** Translating objectives (like leaving the dock) into tasks
(release the lines on command) is the nuts and bolts of leadership on a
minute to minute basis. This also involves motivating team members to
perform their tasks, and assigning the right task to the right person.

Other tasking related skills include:

-   Preventing work overload by monitoring and preventing uneven
    distribution. Over reliance on a particular individual can be
    counter-productive in numerous ways

-   Keeping the team focused by watching for distractions, fixations,
    preoccupations, and burnouts. Leaders should also make team members
    responsible for staying focused

-   Looking out for team members by knowing and respecting their
    abilities and rights, matching them with the right task, and staying
    professional when resolving conflicts.

**Feedback** Team leaders should provide feedback -- otherwise there is
no team concept of where things stand either individually or
collectively. Feedback can be "negative," in order to correct mistakes,
or tell the team or individuals what to stop doing (or not to do again).

It can be "positive," meaning to communicate to the team or

individuals what to continue to do, and what to do next time in like
circumstances.

Leaders need to be continually assessing the situation and mission
progress while underway, focused on things both inside and outside the
boat. This includes watching for unexpected changes, loss of situational
awareness, and the emergence of new risks. These things should be
communicated to the team, whether they are positive or negative, helping
to keep the team on the "same page."

The entire team, particularly the leader, should spot (or even
anticipate) human error, correct it or minimize its impact, and
hopefully find ways to prevent it from happening again. This process
should be aimed at the error itself -- not the person involved. It
should be corrective, not accusatory.

**Post Mission** Leaders should make a habit of conducting timely
post-mission briefs.

**Briefs** To some, this sounds like a meaningless exercise, since
everyone knows how the mission went. However, successful teams and
leaders take the time to discuss missions after they are finished. The
brief should include:

**1. LEADERSHIP**

**Post Mission Briefs (cont.)**

-   Feedback from the team. Not everyone always sees things the same way

-   Specific feedback on what went right and what went wrong

-   General feedback on the entire mission.

The post-mission brief should occur immediately or not long after the
mission is completed.

**Summary** Designated leaders are part of the team. In addition to
their specific functions, they have generalized functions to perform
that can result in team coordination or team disintegration, and can
result in safe, successful missions, or a complete waste of time (and
sometimes, disaster). In summary, these generalized functions, based in
part on input from the crew, are:

-   Defining the mission and its risks

-   Assigning tasks to accomplish the mission

-   Monitoring and enhancing performance and safety while the mission
    progresses

-   Assessing the mission after its completion.

**2. MISSION** Obviously, the leader and the team need to know what the
mission is,

**ANALYSIS** and how it is going to be accomplished. An essential
leadership task is performing a Mission Analysis and a mission briefing.
To do this, the leader needs to collect information about the mission,
come up with a plan, get the crew together, and brief everyone on what
the team is about to try to do, including a standard safety briefing if
necessary.

The plan should be subjected to a risk assessment by the entire crew.
The leader and team should have an operational plan, contingency plans
(if they can be figured out), and emergency plans.

**Briefing** Analyzing the mission and formulating a plan should
include:

**Elements**

-   Verifying the information upon which the mission and plan are based

-   Stating objectives and assigning tasks

-   Risk Assessment.

Once a plan is formulated, it should be critiqued for hidden errors and
risks.

**2. MISSION ANALYSIS**

**Content** The analysis and briefing should also include these
attributes:

-   Clarification of responsibilities, accountability, and standards so
    that people can perform their tasks correctly and at the right time

-   Discussion of the resources to be used, including its condition and
    prognosis, and the availability of back-up equipment

-   A positive attitude toward the mission and the team

-   Promotion of a learning environment to allow crew members to
    practice and use their skills, and learn new ones

-   A timely debrief, including a self-critique.

Finally, a mission briefing should conform to NOAA Policy as presented
in Module 2: NOAA Small Boat Policy.

**3. ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY**

"Adaptability and Flexibility" is the ability to change plans or
behavior in response to changes in circumstances or, sometimes, changes
in the mission once it has started (or even the assignment of a new one
after starting the first one).

**Types of** Except for changes in the mission, which typically come
from the

**Changes** chain of command, the kinds of changes requiring
adaptability and

flexibility are usually:

-   Environmental (changes in the weather or water depth)

-   Mechanical (something goes wrong with the boat or equipment)

-   Personnel related (something goes wrong with the boat crew or
    mission personnel).

> Spotting changes in mission related circumstances requires situational
> awareness. Changing behavior or plans to adapt to new situations often
> also requires a new or modified risk assessment.

**Types of** The kinds of responses that may emerge to adapt to new
circumstances

**Responses** are almost limitless, but some common responses are:

-   Modifying the operational plan to accommodate the change

-   Changing to a contingency plan if there is one that meets the new
    conditions

**3. ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY**

**Types of Responses (cont.)**

-   Moving to a new operational area (like moving to calmer water where
    the mission can also be performed if the wind is interfering with
    the mission at the current site)

-   Canceling the mission

-   Leadership or team intercession. This is often a response if the
    detected change has to do with personnel -- like fatigue, poor
    performance, or changed mental state. Maybe it's simply time for a
    break.

> Adaptability and flexibility measures are constantly occurring while
> underway. They can be as simple as altering course due to vessel
> traffic, or redefining the entire mission. Observing changes and
> adapting to them as they occur is an essential part of Team
> Coordination, risk management, and mishap avoidance.

**4. SITUATIONAL** Every professional boat operator knows what this is,
or at least

**AWARENESS** when it is missing. The SBO who puts the boat in gear
before the lines are released from the dock; the crew member who
releases the dock lines before the engine is started; the boat that gets
caught in a storm or inside the surf, gets lost or has a collision or
runs aground -- all are examples of loss of situational awareness.

**Definition** Most simply, "situational awareness" is knowing what is
going around you right now, and its consequences on the future; but it
is also knowing what is going on inside of you. The first can be called
"External Awareness;" the second, "Internal Awareness."

**External** External Situational Awareness pertains to the obvious
factors that influence coordination of effort aboard a boat, the boat's
safety in the environment, and mission status. Every crew member needs
to have it in order to know if what they are doing -- or are about to do
-- conforms to the actions of the SBO and the other crew members. The
entire team needs to have it in relation to the environment (wind, seas,
temperature, time of day, relation to policy, etc.). And everybody needs
to know if they are doing the mission at the right time and place.

**Internal** Internal Situational Awareness is perhaps the easiest to
lose, and contributes to the loss of External Awareness. Internal
awareness is knowing when we are losing our focus through boredom,
fatigue, routine, familiarity, preoccupation with other matters, anger
or other emotions, overload, day dreaming, and so forth. It is
particularly hard to detect because its cause and effect are the same
thing.

**4. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS**

**Description** Situational Awareness of either kind is probably never
100%, requires

conscious effort to maintain, and its loss is a substantial contributor
to mishaps.

It pertains not only to operations and environment, but also to the
internal workings of the crew, and how their actions or prospective
actions relate to the rest of the crew members. It also requires
self-awareness on the part of everyone aboard.

**Detecting and** One method to judge one's status of situational
awareness at any given

**Maintaining** moment is by self-questioning. Before doing something,
any crew member, including the SBO, can ask themselves:

-   Is this the right thing to do?

-   Is it the right time to do it?

-   Should it be coordinated with what someone else is doing?

-   Do I know how to do it correctly?

Without being paranoid or delaying appropriate actions, the SBO and

crew members should always know the consequences of their next

deliberate action, particularly, what can go wrong if they do it.

**Clues to Loss** Studies and mishap analysis have identified clues to
the loss, or impending loss, of situational awareness. These include:

-   Confusion or a "gut feeling." Unless it is pre-arranged as part of a
    larger plan, when a team member is confused about the applicability
    of what they are doing, or has the feeling that something is wrong,
    it may be that the SBO or the team has lost contact with reality.

-   Using improper procedures or departure from policy. This amounts to
    "jerry rigging," which certainly has its place in small boat
    operations, but unconsciously reverting to improper or proscribed
    methods may indicate that something more fundamental is going wrong.

-   No look-out or fixation. Without a look-out, the boat's environment
    is unknown, and is an indication of a more fundamental problem
    aboard the boat -- since having a look out is a fundamental
    requirement of good seamanship, and the rules of the road. A fixated
    look-out almost amounts to the same thing.

**4. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS**

**Clues to Loss (cont.)**

-   Missing planned targets and unresolved discrepancies. If benchmarks
    are mysteriously missed (e.g., tardiness or incomplete work),
    something is probably wrong somewhere in the mission analysis or
    with the crew. Unresolved discrepancies or surprises are signs that
    the SBO and crew are at least partially, and maybe completely,
    ignorant of what is happening around them.

Situational awareness is virtually useless unless it is shared among
team members.

**5. DECISION** Decision Making is a product of Situational Awareness
and

**MAKING** Adaptability and Flexibility. Situational awareness lets us
know when things are changing. Being adaptable and flexible allow us to
change our behavior, plan, or equipment accordingly.

Decision Making is the process whereby we choose **what** to do
differently.

**Minor or** Obviously, not all changes require making a decision; and
not all

**Routine** changes represent problems. Sometimes changes are
unimportant to

**Changes** what we are doing, or even pleasurable -- like the sun
coming out and warming the air on a cold day. Other times the change
requires a routine or obvious response -- like changing course slightly
to give a better or drier ride, or because of vessel traffic.

**Problems** But if the change we perceive affects the mission, the
safety of the

boat or crew, team effectiveness, members of the "larger team," or in
some other way represents a problem, something needs to be done about
it.

Often, these kinds of changes are related to:

-   The environment (like weather or op area)

-   Mechanical problems

-   Crew problems (sickness, fatigue, conflict, etc.)

-   Supervisory or other input from outside the boat

-   Emergencies (in NOAA's boat or someone else's).

**Emergency** Emergency procedures for any NOAA boat should already be

**Procedures** familiar to the SBO and crew. The decision making process
is still inherent in activating and proceeding with emergency response.

**5. DECISION MAKING**

**Foreseeing** In almost all cases, the approach of a problem is
foreseeable. This

**Problems** allows the team to seek alternatives, and then choose one.

Mishaps are sometimes justified by reference to the emergence of
"immediate and unforeseeable" crises. A favorite example of this is the
infamous "Rogue Wave," or "Sneaker Wave," that somehow materializes out
of thin air, for unknown reasons, and damages or capsizes federal
vessels, but there are other, less mysterious phenomena that are
sometimes offered as specious excuses for accidents. These can range
from "sudden storms" to the unexpected bizarre behavior of a crewman to
ignoring the rules of the road by another vessel.

Except for earthquakes and space aliens, however, investigation will
usually reveal antecedent causes and missed clues that should have been
spotted by situational awareness -- or were spotted, but the crew did
not adapt to them -- indicating that the boat was approaching danger.

**Coping vs.** The situation proposed, then, is when the SBO and crew
are facing a

**Changing** current or approaching problem, and something needs to be
done about it. The choices basically boil down to either coping with the
problem, or deciding to make a change in response.

**Coping** People, and teams, cope with problems all the time. There is
nothing inherently wrong with coping with a problem. But coping has an
inherent disadvantage: by definition, it is harder to perform the
mission while coping with a problem at the same time.

If nothing else, this raises the stress and fatigue level of the crew,
and

often extends the mission. It can also give rise to new problems.
Running (hiking) with a blister is an everyday example of coping with a
problem. It hurts; it makes the blister worse; but maybe it works. On
the other hand, maybe it leads to an infection.

In any case, coping with a problem should be the result of a conscious
decision; in other words, it should be a chosen alternative from among
more than one. The choice should be monitored, should not result in
ignoring the problem (it's still there), and it should not be a
substitute for solving the problem if necessary.

**5. DECISION MAKING**

**Changing** In this context, changing is "deciding to make a change" in
response to changed circumstances that require it. The aviation industry
has developed a Five Step process for making decisions in response to
problems known as the "DECIDE" model.

**A. DECIDE** The purpose of the model is to *optimize* the
effectiveness of a decision

**MODEL** by considering the largest number of reasonable alternatives,
and weighing their consequences. These five steps are:

**(1) Detect** This refers to detecting the change that requires a
decision. It should occur naturally among the SBO and crew as a result
of situational awareness.

For example, let's say the boat is underway and the weather starts
turning nasty, and the engine starts making a funny noise at around the
same time.

**(2) Estimate** The team needs to estimate the effects of the changes.
Do they represent an impending problem? Do they require a responsive
change? This is generally where the decision to "cope" or "change" is
made.

In the example, the crew says they can't do their jobs right because of
the weather, and the engineer says she's heard this noise before,
usually around 15 minutes before the engine mysteriously stops running.

Everyone will probably agree that they are facing a problem that needs
to be fixed, and that continuing to do the mission in the present
changed circumstances is a bad idea.

**(3) Choose** This means choosing a new objective. It does not mean
simply choosing to do "something (anything) else." In many situations it
requires a bit of imagination, and the input of the entire crew should
be solicited.

The idea is to formulate a new operational objective that solves or
mitigates the problem, or is a first step in that process.

Working with your team, write a new objective (and its purpose) for the
example in the box below.

**A. DECIDE MODEL**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Choose a New Objective (with rationale)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**(4) Identify** Identify alternatives. Make the largest list of
reasonable alternatives that the crew can imagine -- in a reasonable
time. While doing this, intermediate action can be instituted. For
instance, since the mission has been temporarily cancelled, the SBO
might turn the boat toward home while alternatives are identified.

It is important in this step to avoid the pitfall of thinking that there
isn't time to think, or that what the team thinks doesn't matter. This
is probably only true in the midst of a sudden catastrophe, and sudden
catastrophes are very rare.

For your alternatives for your new objective below:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Identify Alternatives**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**(5) Do the Best** This means take action on the best alternative(s).
In other words,

**Alternative(s)** choose the best alternative that seems to solve, or
begins to solve, the problem, and which involves the least amount of
risk, and also complies with good seamanship, and applicable policy and
regulations.

From the alternatives listed above, enter in the box on the next page
those alternatives you have decided to do.

**A. DECIDE MODEL**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Do the Best Alternative(s)**

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

**(6) Evaluate** Evaluate the decision that was made after it has been
put into effect. See if it helps solve the problem or not. If not,
consider other alternatives. These may be new ones, or it may become
obvious that one of the earlier, discarded alternatives was better after
all.

In the Instructor's example, it is impossible to tell the outcome of the
decision. Maybe the boat went to safer water, the engineer fixed the
mechanical problem, the escort was cancelled, and the boat went home on
its own.

Maybe something else happened that presented a new problem.

What might have happened in your example?

**6. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION**

Every aspect of Team Coordination so far discussed relies upon

effective communication between team members. SBOs should

> remember that what a crewman or mission participant has to say can be
> as crucial as what the SBO may want to say.

**Sender and** Effective communication involves at least two people: the
Sender and

**Receiver** the Receiver. Either can prevent effective communication if
they don't do their jobs properly, and this can (and has) led to
disaster.

**The Sender** The "Sender" is the person who has something to
communicate to someone else. He or she should always bear in mind that
communication involves more than mere words. In boat operations,
communication is sometimes completely non-verbal anyway -- like using
hand signals or a nod of the head.

**6. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS**

**The Sender** The obvious basic elements in communication on a boat
include:

**(cont.)**

-   Words

-   Tone and volume

-   "Body language."

> All three can be significant barriers to communication between the
> leader and the team, within the team, and from the team to the leader.
>
> So the Sender -- whether SBO, crew member, or member of the larger
> team -- needs to consider not only what they mean to convey, but how
> they do so.

**Effective** The following attributes are useful in this regard,
whoever the Sender

**Methods** may be:

-   Providing information in accordance with SOPs and using standard
    terminology

-   Repeating and getting verification of understanding

-   Clarifying when required

-   Being comprehensive, but to the point

-   Stating one idea at a time in simple, unambiguous language

-   Getting feedback in the form of an acknowledgment that the message
    was received

-   Avoiding distracting or counter-productive tone or body language

-   Using tone (like urgency) appropriately.

The Sender should convey the message when the Receiver has time to

listen and can hear it. The message should be relevant, and be phrased

in correct terminology.

**The Receiver** The person receiving the message is more than simply a
passive

listener. Effective communication relies as much on the Receiver's

ability to understand as it does the Sender's ability to transmit -- and

the Sender needs to know that the message has been received.

So, Receivers should focus their attention on the message, collecting,

if possible, not only the words but the tone and body language of the

Sender. Receivers should keep an open mind about the

communication until the message is fully delivered. Pre-judging

messages before they are complete, like interrupting with the remark,

"I know where you're going with this ..." is simply a barrier. Get the

message first, then evaluate it.

**6. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS**

**The Receiver** And, of course, the Receiver should verify what was
heard. There are

**(cont.)** several common ways to do this:

-   Simple acknowledgment, like saying, "Roger"

-   Parroting: repeating the message back verbatim

-   Paraphrasing the message back: repeating the message in your own
    words.

> The Sender can also ask the Receiver for these kinds of responses to
> make sure the message has been received, or to make sure he or she
> gave the correct message.

**7. ASSERTIVENESS**

Assertiveness is a critical aspect of Team Coordination and
communication. It is the ability of all team members to state and
maintain a factually based position, even if it is contrary to the
positions of others. On the other hand, it entails the willingness and
ability to change a position if the facts indicate otherwise.

The leader has to be assertive to some degree to perform the leadership

function at all. Team members also need to be assertive in order for

them to coordinate their contributions to the team effort. Hence,
everyone, particularly crew members, need to be assertive enough to make
their contribution -- otherwise the whole concept of the team falls
flat, along with communication and feedback.

**Characteristics** In order for assertiveness to work, the team leader,
and the institution within which operations occur, must create and
maintain a climate that allows it to exist and be exercised. This
climate allows personnel to:

-   Express their own ideas

-   Be listened to seriously

-   Be treated with respect

-   Ask for information

-   Make mistakes.

**7. ASSERTIVENESS**

**Barriers** There are various barriers to assertiveness, even in the
proper climate, including the psychology of the individual involved and
personality:

-   Passivity, apathy, and fear can inhibit assertiveness. This includes
    people who don't really care enough to say anything, or fear
    reprisals for taking a contrary position on an issue, or appearing
    to question authority or being labeled as a trouble maker.
    Inexperience, ignorance, or even just shyness may produce reticence

-   Aggressiveness is also a barrier to assertiveness and communication.
    A hostile manner, or being argumentative, sarcastic, or intimidating
    while stating a position is counter-productive.

**When to Be** Assertiveness is similar to effective communication. It
is particularly

**Assertive** needed when anyone aboard:

-   Is unsure about what's going on or what they are supposed to do

-   Believes they have a solution to a problem, or needs to report a
    problem

-   Needs help

-   Perceives a safety issue or problem.

**Conflict** Occasional conflict within a team is inevitable. How it
plays out and

**Resolution** gets resolved (or otherwise handled) is related to
communication and assertiveness. Assertiveness allows conflicts to be
recognized, and it is far better for conflicts to be revealed and dealt
with than for them to be buried, since they have tendency to emerge on
their own anyway.

Conflicts, like assertiveness itself, should be based on facts, not

personalities or the desire to prove a point.

This means the leader and the team need to:

-   Avoid obduracy. All opinions or positions relating to a technical or
    professional conflict should be subject to change if the facts so
    indicate

-   Seek solutions by reconciling differences

-   Agree on the facts. Without agreement on the facts, those with
    conflicting positions will be comparing apples and oranges, and they
    will not be communicating very well either.

**7. ASSERTIVENESS**

> This is all very well, but sometimes consensus cannot be reached. Even
> the same agreed set of facts can lead to different interpretations of
> what they mean, or what the team should do.
>
> Eventually, the SBO or OIC may need to make or postpone a decision or
> resolution of the conflict without consensus. This kind of situation
> is a test of both the Leader and the Team.
>
> The Team needs to be able to continue to function effectively in the
> presence of unresolved conflict. The Leader needs to monitor his or
> her decision for veracity (from the DECIDE model, "Evaluate the
> decision"). Defending a bad decision is a waste of time for everyone,
> and sometimes dangerous. A good leader will recognize a bad decision
> if that's what the facts reveal -- and change it.

**Summary** Coordinated teams are more successful, safer, and usually a
lot more fun than teams that are unable to coordinate their efforts.
Boat crew leaders play a crucial role in harnessing and directing the
energy and efforts of the crew and mission personnel. Coordinating the
boat team's effort with the Larger Team is also efficient, and usually
makes life much simpler than the opposite.

The presence or absence of the other six aspects of Team Coordination
plays a significant role in achieving coordination of effort, which is
the basis for safe and efficient operations.

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