Surgeons operate most quickly when they feel little interpersonal tension

Surgeons operate together most quickly when they experience low interpersonal tension; other interpersonal emotions such as relaxation, nervousness or laziness do not play a significant role: This is the result of a study by Prof Dr Hendrik Wilhelm from Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) together with colleagues from the University of Toronto, INSEAD Business School and the University of Hanover, which has now been published in the internationally renowned journal Academy of Management Discoveries: https: //journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amd.2018.0095.

The study investigated the relationship between various interpersonal emotions that surgeons experience in their collaboration and the time it takes them to perform the operation.

Other factors have no influence

Firstly, the study shows that of all the emotions investigated, only interpersonal tension has an influence on the duration of the operation. Other negative (such as interpersonal nervousness) or positive (such as interpersonal relaxation) emotions had no comparable effect. Prof Wilhelm explains the correlation as follows:

"Interpersonal tension is apparently particularly problematic during operations, because fine-tuning between the surgeons is crucial during a surgical procedure. We have found that tension between surgeons makes this coordination more difficult. The surgeons are then more reserved in their communication and the procedure takes longer."

A longer operation is often associated with greater physical stress for patients and should therefore be avoided. Secondly, the study shows that this tension is reduced as soon as surgeons deliver a single joint peak performance. Studies on the specific emotions that arise between two individuals and influence their joint performance are scarce. Many studies either examine emotions that individuals experience without reference to specific other people, or studies on emotional climates in groups. "What is new about our study is that we bring together concrete interpersonal emotions with joint performance," says Prof Wilhelm, explaining the approach.

Results can be transferred to pilots and company management

According to the researchers, these results can also be transferred to other work contexts in which two people work together on a precisely defined task, e.g. pilot and co-pilot, chef and sous-chef, CEO and COO deciding on the next steps in their company.

"Or Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra lecturing the jazz standard 'Moonlight in Vermont' as a duet," says Prof Wilhelm, expanding the scope of the study. The study shows that the reduction of interpersonal tension should be at the centre of such tasks. In order to achieve this goal, people should work together who have already performed very well together at least once in the past - this is not necessary more often. "It is therefore not necessary to look for people who have consistently delivered top performances together," says Prof Wilhelm, summarising the transferable ideas.