Team Building
Preamble
(Adapted from “Teamwork That Works” by Carol Marchetti, April 17, 2018)
An important part of "Connections," one of the KEEN 3Cs is about learning how to best form and work on a team is a necessary skill for each individual to acquire. Teams use “Curiosity” to identify problems and develop solutions, and they “Create Value” with the output they deliver.
Research shows that by working together in small teams, you can develop critical thinking skills, exchange knowledge, share expertise, increase motivation, and improve your attitude toward learning. So why might you not like team-based work? Common complaints include:
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- Unequal workloads -- due to freeloaders or do-everything control takers
- Group members who work independently rather collaboratively
- Many individuals don’t know yet how to work effectively in a team.
We will provide a framework and process to make this a successful cooperative learning experience. You will learn:
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- To promote personal interaction and team building, and have every team member obtain interpersonal skills and learn about group processing.
- About communicating the value of working together, and that the purpose of involving individuals in a team is related to the successful outcome assessment for the course.
- To acknowledge and appreciate that group dynamics are important.
We will give you tools and tips to establish and improve how this process works. Some tips:
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- These are teams, not groups. A group consists of people who coordinate their individual efforts. A team, however, has a common purpose and a shared responsibility for success. And although it may sound corny, having a team name is the first step to thinking as a team.
- By creating a name for your team, you will start developing a group identity. Exchange information about each other. You can create and use a shared document to answer several questions about yourselves.
- Use the Team Contract provided to set expectations for team members' behavior, and to set up a set of ground rules (such as “everyone must participate”) and processes for conflict resolution (vote, flip a coin, etc.). This will let you address key components of successful teamwork such as positive interdependence, individual accountability, and interpersonal skills. Ground rules are an important tool for helping people function together as a team by recognizing that, in addition to getting the work done, how the work gets done is key. Ground rules reflect what is important to the members of the team, and details how they will work together and show respect for each other. They help teams hold members accountable for their actions. Since after all, each team member agreed to the rules at the start of the exercise.
- Having a mechanism for accountability is especially important when other social dynamics such as gender or seniority may be at play. They can help to address issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Choose a temporary team leader for the first few meetings, then select a permanent one.