Chapter 11: Using the Advice: Focus on Refugee and Immigrant Families

What did we learn about team leadership in extreme contexts? In terms of our theory of team leadership, we learned that the old LMX theory needed to be expanded to include the entire team network as well as the vertical alliances between unequals. Team leadership in harm’s way, we found, also was built upon more equal peer alliances. Thus the point of “Seal-team VI” was composed of six first responders and all possible alliances between team members were critical [N(N-1)/2=6x5/2=15 alliances]. All six needed to be committed to give up their life if necessary for their team brothers. Consequently, the new (2012) model of LMX is called “Leadership-Motivated Excellence. We learned that this is the best team leadership protection for the dangers of harm’s way. Finally, our comprehensive recommendations are suggested to protect our heroic first responders.