Because decision making teams are useful only to the extent that they are able to exchange and synthesize information (Hinsz, Tindale, & Vollrath, 1997), one important variable to examine is the way that teams communicate. Team decision making incurs a coordination cost over individual decision making (Brodbeck, Kerchreiter, Mojzisch, & Schulz-Hardt, 2007). Considering this, it seems justified to examine the processes that enable teams to outperform individuals. My dissertation therefore examines the antecedents and outcomes of elaboration. In the 1st chapter of my dissertation, I examine the role of emotional intelligence in affecting elaboration and performance in two contexts: informationally homogeneous and diverse settings. I find that emotional intelligence aids in elaboration and that this translates into better performance in diverse teams. In the 2nd chapter of my dissertation, I introduce the concept of representational gaps-fundamental incompatibilities in team members' definition of the problem and solution space (Cronin & Weingart, 2007)-and devise a new method for measuring them. I then theorize about how they may degrade elaboration and in turn performance. In the 3rd chapter of my dissertation I take a longitudinal lens and explore the outcomes of elaboration. Specifically, I examine how elaborating early on affects team performance over time. I find that teams who elaborate early on grow exponentially and that small advantages are translated into large gains over time. I use laboratory studies of ad hoc teams as well as student teams to examine my hypotheses. I discuss the implication of my findings in terms of what managers can do to improve team communication.