Military Review English Edition November-December 2015 | Page 109

LEADING SOLDIERS

team member who displays high levels of narcissism
likely does not possess effective communication skills
or well-functioning interpersonal relationships.
Developing new and meaningful interpersonal
relationships is paramount to serving effectively in the
military. Soldiers routinely interact with people, often
without the benefit of an existing relationship. They
need to be able to jump start effective working and
social relati onships; active channels facilitate a good
foundation for both. This is especially true for new
soldiers, who typically join the service between the ages
of eighteen and twenty. They often find themselves far
from their homes and established social networks.
Patti M. Valkenburg and Jochen Peter conducted a
review of research literature regarding the Internet and
social consequences, published in 2009.8 They cite studies indicating a positive relationship between Internet
communication and a sense of social connectedness
and well-being among adolescents. However, they highlight that this positive relationship was found primarily
in adolescents maintaining previously existing relationships. When it came to creating new friendships
or communicating with strangers, the positive effects
between Internet communication and social connectedness did not hold. This finding supports the idea that
a strong connection may not readily form between, for
example, a new soldier and a team leader having no
prior relationship if their interactions rely heavily on
communication technology.
Technological advances make communication more
rapid and efficient, but speed and efficiency do not
guarantee that communication will be more meaningful or beneficial to teamwork and cohesion. Direct
communication and interpersonal skills are vital to
developing a strong dynamic among team members.
Further research supports that an emphasis on direct,
active communication has a generally positive effect on
social cohesion. For example, Yuhyung Shin and Kyojik
Song conducted a field study of forty-two student
groups to assess the relationship of communication
channel and time, cohesion, and task performance.9
The two communication modes studied were computer-mediated communication and face-to-face communication. Previous studies were cited that supported
the notion that “when group members are … close to
one another, they are more likely to help one another
frequently.”10 Shin and Song’s study demonstrated that
MILITARY REVIEW  November-December 2015

(Photo by Claire Heininger, visual information specialist, Fort Drum PAO)

A soldier from 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), communicates using
a Nett Warrior device during the Mountain Peak training exercise 19
April 2013 at Fort Drum, New York . Nett Warrior, a handheld situational awareness and messaging tool, is a key component of Capability Set
13, which extends the tactical network down to the dismounted soldier.

more time spent in face-to-face communication had
a positive effect on group social cohesion, while more
time spent in computer-mediated communication
had a positive effect on group task cohesion.11 Results
also supported that face-to-face communication had a
positive effect on how well groups performed tasks.12
Computer-mediated communication presented some
value, particularly when it came to specific group task
performance. However, social cohesion and group
ability to perform in any context were most positively
influenced by face-to-face communication.
Effective, direct communication—and the cohesion
it subsequently produces—is crucial in a unit’s ability
to handle high-stress environments. Military units
frequently serve in stressful operational environments,
in combat or in garrison; other professions also work
in high-stress environments. A network analysis of
communication in a medical emergency department,
conducted by Daniel P. Patterson et al. in 2013, illustrates the importance of communication and cohesion
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