Teamcast

Mission Critical Team Institute
  • 4.8 (100)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Dr. Preston Cline, Dr. Dan Dworkis, Dr. Art Finch and Harry Moffit of the Mission Critical Team Institute share research and explore the questions vexing the most elite teams in the world, from Special Operations soldiers to Firefighters, from Trauma Medics to Professional Athletes, and from Astronauts to Tactical Law Enforcement.

  1. 6D AGO

    S6 Ep4 Swarms, X-Teams, and Routine vs. Critical Communication (Recast)

    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.

    46 min

  2. FEB 9

    S6 Ep3 ECMO, Expertise, and Trust

    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.

    48 min

  3. JAN 26

    S6 Ep2 How Teams Decide in Crisis

    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.

    46 min

  4. JAN 12

    S6 Ep1 Team Cohesion in Extreme Environments with Dr. Dawn Kernagis

    In this episode, Preston discusses mission critical teams with Dr. Dawn Kernagis, the Scientific Director at DEEP. DEEP is an extreme environment technology and exploration organization with a mission to "Make Humans Aquatic." They explore the complexities and dynamics of individuals and teams working in undersea habitats and submersible systems. Dawn shares insights from her extensive experience, including participation in NASA's Extreme Environment Mission Operation (NEMO) project as a crew member for mission 21 and research on optimizing human performance under pressure. Preston and Dawn cover an array of topics, including the importance of team cohesion, situational awareness, and the psychological and physiological challenges these teams face. Dawn also emphasizes the critical role of effective communication and leadership in maintaining team safety and performance. The episode concludes with practical advice for building and managing resilient, high-functioning teams. 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.

    1h 25m

  5. 12/29/2025

    S5 Ep18 Residue (Recast)

    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.

    1h 2m

  6. 12/15/2025

    S5 Ep17 Multiprofessional Critical Care

    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.

    49 min

  7. 11/17/2025

    S5 Ep16 The Psychological Profile of an Operator with Dr. Art Finch (Recast)

    This week, we’re revisiting a conversation between Preston and Dr. Art Finch, a veteran psychologist from the US Special Operations Command. This episode (previously published in 2020) covers the unique psychological profiles of mission critical teams.  Channel a beginner's mind and re-explore why some individuals choose the extraordinary path of high-risk, immersive environments while others opt for more conventional lives. Listen to Art share his experiences and insights from working with special operations units, highlighting the exceptional intelligence, low anxiety, and emotional compartmentalization abilities of operators. Consider the impact of these traits on personal relationships and daily functioning, offering valuable perspectives for both operators and their families, foundational knowledge for the recent Teamcast and accompanying workbook “On Coming Home”.  The episode also touches on the challenges of transitioning back to civilian life and the importance of understanding and leveraging one's unique cognitive and emotional strengths. If you find value in this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up-to-date with 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.

    1h 8m

  8. 11/03/2025

    S5 Ep15 Harnessing Stress & Sleep with Martin Jones

    In today’s Teamcast, Harry and Martin Jones discuss the role of psychologists as servants in high-performance environments, the rule of thirds in learning, psychological performance and speed cameras, and how high-quality sleep is still a work in progress and is not the last thing we do at night, but the first thing we do in our day. Martin is a sport and exercise psychologist. He is also a sleep specialist with over 20 years of experience supporting coaches, performance directors, elite athletes, military personnel, business leaders, and recording artists. He holds postgraduate degrees in sport psychology from Loughborough University and sleep medicine from the University of Oxford. Martin has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and taught at universities in the UK and Canada. He holds an honorary professorial position at Hartbury University and is the creator and co-host of the Optimising Human Performance podcast. Check out Martin’s own podcast – Optimising Human Performance – at https://www.ophp.co.uk/. If you find value in this discussion, the best way to support our work and stay up-to-date with 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.

    1h 16m
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About

Dr. Preston Cline, Dr. Dan Dworkis, Dr. Art Finch and Harry Moffit of the Mission Critical Team Institute share research and explore the questions vexing the most elite teams in the world, from Special Operations soldiers to Firefighters, from Trauma Medics to Professional Athletes, and from Astronauts to Tactical Law Enforcement.

Information

  • Creator
    Mission Critical Team Institute
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    66
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Mission Critical Team Institute
  • Show Website
    Teamcast

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