The reading selection included for Unit 1 focuses heavily on the purposes and conceptions behind teams. One of the components of this which I found the most helpful was the Appendix. The Appendix functions as an amalgam of information about the functions and performances of teams, including: evaluations, strategies, and plans to enhance the team experience.
It makes a large amount of sense for this to be the first selection of readings we cover, as it really provides a basis for the course and informs the class on teams. This information will surely prove to serve as a foundation for the rest of the semester. I feel that the information about teams’ and students’ opinions on them will prove advantageous, and allow for us to have a better awareness of where our teammates may be coming from when we disagree. The TILT blog features a number of pieces of advice for student teams and how to function as a team. A number of these are similar to concepts mentioned in our literature and could easily be incorporated into our teams. One of the more useful components of this is the section on skills for managing conflicts in teams. An example of this is using past teams as an example or by giving the whole room an example of a problem and having them solve it.
Given the information which we have covered and now processed, we can begin to look forward in the course. One of the largest components of our grade is the semester long project. After covering all of this information on how to work well in teams, our team should be able to coalesce and overcome any differences which we have. Another TILT blog talks about the successful usage of teams in projects. This article talks about a number of ways to engage in team work as we prepare for our project. An interesting article I found on the Leadership Freak Blog contains sets of questions and pieces of advice that seems similar to those in the appendix. One thing which it adds that the Appendix was lacking is a set of rules of engagement for teams. These rules of engagement include adjectives like respect and honor, but also other things teams might encounter like milestones. As a whole, these pieces of team advice will be helpful in encouraging our teamwork and also keeping us on our toes by avoiding the negative signs mentioned. Since we have laid the foundation for our academic success in this class, it is time for us to begin to lay the foundation for our team success. If our team adheres to the lessons that this first selection has taught us, I have no worries about our ability to work together.
Nick's Team Leadership Blog 