Teamcast

Paddy Steinfort, a performance psychologist and former elite Australian rules footballer, blends athletic experience with psychology. He explores training mental skills for high-pressure performance. Short, practical talks cover managing chronic stress, building in-event toolboxes for attention and action, and embedding psychological work into team culture.

Dr. Art Finch, an operational psychologist and former military psychologist, reflects on selection, assessment, and leadership in special operations. They compare psychological models with rites-of-passage, weigh cadre wisdom against scientific methods, and explore selection designed as a mission microcosm. Conversations touch on peer evaluation, attrition types, machine learning limits, and how programs drift without intentional leadership.

This week’s Recast is from April 2020. Why This Episode Matters Now:In 2022, the war in Ukraine revealed something our partners had been experiencing but we hadn't fully articulated: the traditional model of intact, homogeneous teams wasn't sufficient for the emerging operational environment. Individuals with diverse expertise, geography, language, and allegiances needed to rapidly converge into what we call Tactical Swarms—heterogeneous cross-functional units that form, solve emergent problems, and disperse.Our recent white paper, The Fourth Generation of Military Special Operations Selection & Assessment, explores this evolution in depth. But six years ago, Preston laid the foundational concepts in this conversation with Coleman.What the Research Shows:Many operators who excelled at teamwork—performing with known, homogeneous teams—struggled with teaming: the ability to rapidly build cohesion within heterogeneous groups. This episode examines why routine versus critical communication and field observations across special operations, emergency medicine, and other high-stakes environments. In this episode, Preston and Coleman describe how tactical swarms and X teams differ from traditional team structures, and they distinguish between routine and critical communication and when teams must shift between them. Recent Research:Cline, P.B. (2026). The Fourth Generation of Military Special Operations Selection Assessment: A Community of Praxis [White paper]. Mission Critical Team Institute. DOI 10.13140/RG.2.2.28255.73121. https://missioncti.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/The-Fourth-Generation-of-Military-Special-Operations-Selection-Assessment_Final_2-Feb-26.pdf Falk, D., Cline, P., Donegan, D., & Mehta, S. (2023). A Novel Framework for Routine Versus Critical Communication in Surgical Education—Don’t Take It Personally. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 31(3), 115–121. https://doi.org/10.5435/JAAOS-D-22-00912 https://missioncti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/FINAL-A-Novel-Framework-for-Routine-Versus-Critical.pdf If you find value in this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up to date on future episodes is to subscribe and leave us a quick rating or review. It helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.This episode contains a term that may be offensive; it is used to describe gendered communication dynamics. We have included it to accurately represent the event, and it is intended for educational purposes only.

When a patient's heart or lungs fail, ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) technology can keep them alive—but only if the team operating it works flawlessly under pressure. In this episode, Thomas Preston draws on over 30 years of experience in cardiopulmonary care to reveal what it takes to manage these life-sustaining systems.This Teamcast episode covers the specialized roles within ECMO teams, the critical relationship between perfusionists and other medical staff, and strategies for navigating crisis moments when seconds matter. Thomas discusses how trust, constant vigilance, and ongoing training form the foundation of successful outcomes in some of medicine's most intense situations. If you value this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up to date on future episodes is to subscribe and leave us a quick rating or review. It helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

What happens when life-and-death decisions must be made by a team rather than an individual? In this episode, Dr. Mark Ramzy — cardiothoracic intensivist, emergency physician, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of REBEL EM — joins Dan to explore how teams think, decide, and act under pressure inside the ICU.If you value this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up to date on future episodes is to subscribe and leave us a quick rating or review. It helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

Dr. Dawn Kernagis, Scientific Director at DEEP and an expert in human performance under extreme conditions, joins the discussion on team cohesion in high-pressure aquatic environments. They delve into the importance of safety-focused aquanauts, the challenges of integrating diverse team members, and the vital role of effective communication. Dawn shares practical tips for optimizing readiness through nutrition and hydration, and discusses the significance of rituals in building trust. Emotional transitions after missions also take center stage as they explore finding new purpose post-mission.

This week’s episode is a Recast as we review a fundamental conversation between Preston and Coleman Ruiz (MCTI’s co-founder and former Director of Performance) on the concept of "Residue"—the psychological and emotional substance left behind after immersion in high-stakes environments.As we approach the end of the year, we are revisiting this episode to help our listeners navigate the transition from one year to the next and to continue or begin a ritual of reflection. Coleman and Preston explore how the "residue" of our experiences is neither good nor bad, but rather a byproduct that must be processed. Without intentional routines, this residue can "harden," inhibiting our ability to move into a new year with clarity.The conversation covers various aspects of professional and personal life, including the impact of extreme experiences, the importance of intentionality and self-compassion, and the value of a 'third thing' to help balance life. This thought-provoking discussion is essential for anyone involved in mission critical fields, as it emphasizes the need for better tools and self-awareness to manage the residue of intense experiences. Whether you are coming off a high-intensity deployment or simply looking to reset after a demanding year, this episode offers a framework to help you leverage your past to build a more resilient self.Find the featured paper on our website: https://missioncti.com/resources/If you value this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up to date on future episodes is to subscribe and leave us a quick rating or review. It helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

In this episode, our Chief Medical Officer Dan Dworkis works with Alex Hodson, a seasoned critical care physician assistant, to explore the dynamics of high-functioning multi-professional healthcare teams, the training pipeline for APPs, and the importance of feedback and teamwork across disciplines. Gain insights into the challenges and rewards of working in high-stress environments and understand how multidisciplinary and multi-professional collaboration shapes effective patient care.

Dr. Art Finch, a retired U.S. Army colonel and psychologist, shares his insights into the unique psychological profiles of special operators. He discusses their high intelligence and emotional compartmentalization that help them thrive in high-risk environments. Art addresses the challenges of transitioning back to civilian life, the impact of low anxiety on relationships, and the critical roles spouses play in family dynamics. He also offers practical advice for managing emotions and adapting to life after missions, making this conversation rich with valuable perspectives.

Martin Jones, sport and exercise psychologist and sleep specialist who’s worked with elite athletes, military and leaders. He discusses translating sports methods into defence, tackling sleep culture and banking sleep, the rule of thirds for psychological uptake, using practical stories to map demands, and integrating psychology with training and recovery.