Transcript Problem Solving 1 - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Team work – what it is…
Zsuzsanna Szabo, Ph.D.
What is a Team Anyway?
A team is a small group of people with
complementary skills who are
committed to a common purpose,
performance goals, and approach for
which they hold themselves mutually
accountable.
Groups vs. Teams
Groups = individuals working together to
accomplish a given task
Teams
a group that has reached a higher level of
quality
has developed cohesiveness among its
members
strive for a magnified impact of results
members are collectively responsible for the
performance outcome
Groups vs. Teams
 Groups
 Roles evolve in time
 Goals developed in
discussions
 Members interact and
develop methods of
working
 Relative interdependence
among members
 Rules and norms evolve
as the group meets
 Teams
 Assigned roles
 Clearly defined goals
 Members formally
collaborate and
coordinate their efforts
 Members are
interdependent
 Rules and norms are
explicitly discussed and
developed in order to
coordinate the work
Why Teams? Do you remember?
Working in groups enhances
activities in Active/Collaborative
Learning.
Team skills are valued by industry.
Engineers work in teams.
Team development stages
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning
Forming
Know each other
Define the task
Decide on information resources
Determine how to begin
Storming
Emergence of conflicts
Sacrifice of personal needs
Resistance to leadership
Experience of negative emotions
Conflict
Norming
Feelings of belonging
Increase of cohesiveness
Groupthink = too high cohesiveness!
Development of norms (informal rules)
Performing
Members work synergistically
Time management very important!!!
Teamthink
Adjourning
End of task
Unexpected member withdrawal
External constrains (organizational,
downsizing, etc.)
Perception of loss
Team members – The Process of Transition
This can
work
and be
good
Denial
At Last
something’s
going to
change !
What
impact will
this have?
How will it
affect me?
This is bigger
than I
thought!
Can I
cope ?
Change?
What Change?
withdraw
I’m off!!
… this
isn’t for
me!
I can see
myself
in the
future
Moving
Forward
Did I
really do
that
Who am
I?
Happiness
Anxiety
Gradual
Acceptance
Fear
Threat
Guilt
Depression
Hostility
© 2000-3 J M Fisher. Not to be sold or published. Sole risk with user. A free resource from www.businessballs.com.
I’ll make
this work
if it kills
me!!
Important Team Roles
Facilitator - The facilitator is responsible
for leading the discussion, keeping focus,
and moving the meeting along.
Recorder - The recorder is the person
responsible for doing the writing of the
team whenever group work is being done.
This should maximize participation by the
rest of the team, since no one else needs
to worry about it.
Important Team Roles
Time Keeper - The time keeper has the
responsibility of keeping track of time, as well as
keeping the team moving so that they can finish
the task at hand. The time keeper is also
responsible for making sure that team members
are on time.
Gatekeeper - The encourager/gatekeeper has
the task of giving encouragement to all the other
team members. The person also has the
responsibility of maintaining a balanced level of
participation for all the members. They will
encourage the silent members and try to hold
back the verbose, dominate members.
Important Team Roles
Devil's Advocate - The devil's advocate
takes a position opposite to that held by the
team to ensure that all sides of an issue are
considered. This responsibility should be
undertaken by all team members.
Common Team Problems
One of my teammates never comes to class.
One of my teammates never participates.
No one comes to our meeting prepared to
work.
One of my team members is very rude.
Most of my teammates just want to rush to
accomplishment.
REPORT TEAM PROBLEMS EARLY!!!
CONFIDENTIAL PEER EVALUATION!!!
Code of Cooperation
The agreed upon rules governing
the behavior of team members, as
well as any appropriate rewards
and sanctions.
Exercise
INDIVIDUALLY, based upon your
experience as part of a team, use 2
minutes to write down the following:
What 2 elements would you like to see
in your teams Code of Cooperation?
Items to Consider
Team Attendance in Class
Team Communications
Individual Attendance at Team Meetings
Team Meetings
Additional Items
Exercise
AS A TEAM use 5 minutes to discuss your
individual Code of Cooperation elements
and come to an agreement as to the ones
everyone would like to include in your
team’s Code of Cooperation.
Code of Cooperation
Team Attendance
The team will make a concerted effort to attend every
class and be on time.
Team Communications
The team members will communicate with one another
via email/phone/BlackBoard.
Individual Attendance
Each team member will attend every team meeting
outside of class.
Team Meetings
Team meeting will normally take place in ____________
during the ___________________ hours.