Study Finds Rapport Key to High-Stakes Team Success

Researchers show interpersonal coordination is critical for complex, interdependent tasks like piloting a plane.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:32am

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A new study from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business found that interpersonal rapport, particularly coordination, is a critical factor in the successful performance of complex, high-stakes team tasks. The researchers followed 41 pilots across 203 flight simulator sessions and found that while all three components of rapport (positivity, mutual liking, and interpersonal coordination) correlated with performance, only interpersonal coordination was a significant predictor of expert-rated performance.

Why it matters

The findings challenge the notion that technical skills are the sole determinant of success in high-stakes team environments like aviation. Instead, the study highlights the importance of interpersonal dynamics and the ability of team members to establish a subtle, coordinated connection, even when nonverbal cues are limited.

The details

The study found that even in environments where nonverbal cues are limited, such as a cockpit, team members establish connection through complex conversational patterns and shared vocalizations, such as laughter. These subtle interpersonal coordination cues are not just "noise" but are tied to the team's ability to coordinate, especially when dealing with complex tasks.

  • The study was published in March 2026.

The players

Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks

A professor of management and organizations at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and the co-author of the study.

University of Michigan's Ross School of Business

The institution where the study was conducted.

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What they’re saying

“It was very insightful to us that this subtle interpersonal coordination could matter even in this type of context, where you think it's all about the technical aspects of the task.”

— Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, Professor of management and organizations

The takeaway

This study challenges the notion that technical skills alone are the key to success in high-stakes team environments. It highlights the critical importance of interpersonal dynamics and the ability of team members to establish a subtle, coordinated connection, even in settings where nonverbal cues are limited.