Over the years I have had the pleasure of being a part of some phenomenal teams and some that were not so stellar however I can genuinely say there was something to be learned from all of them. The one aspect of the best team that I was a part of in saying good-bye was the feeling of loss. Although I have remained in contact with those of the meaningful teams I have been a part of, not being able to see them everyday, and our daily interactions was a big adjust. In my opinion high-performing groups are hardest to leave due to having and achieving a common goal in addition to creating and building a bond makes reaching a goal much more enjoyable. "Members of a group usually identify with one another because they have one or more goals in common" (O’Hair, Weimann, Mullin, & Teven, 2018, p. 238).
The group that was without a doubt hardest for me to leave was when I was an Admission Rep at a local college. Everyone there worked as one unit and the leadership was heavily involved however, there was no micro managing. Everyone worked to make sure our students were on track for their higher level learning. "When leaders are able to adapt their style to the needs of the groups they guide, they can enhance the productivity and satisfaction of group member in their day-to-day activities" (O’Hair, Weimann, Mullin, & Teven, 2018, p. 270). It was hard to leave the team because we worked extremely well together, there was a mutual respect, everyone was in full support of each other, and the best interest of the students was always the priority.
If there was a ritual that I had to begin or be a part of would probably be a final gathering and photo to have a visual of everyone from the team. Unfortunately for this program we can do neither of those to conclude this part of our journey. I think that as a result of the discussions with the colleagues in this program, I have added new knowledge, connections, and resources to leave this course feeling nothing less than elated. Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it is the point that the goal that brought the team together has been achieved. I think reaching a goal in most cases is generally a joyful time for everyone involved. The main goal of the adjourning stage are to achieve closure and conclude on a good note. According to Stein "team members may feel a variety of concerns about the team’s impending dissolution. They may be feeling some anxiety because of uncertainty about their individual role or future responsibilities. They may feel sadness or a sense of loss about the changes coming to their team relationships" (2020).
References
O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2018). Real Communication: An Introduction (4th. ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Stein, J. (n.d.). Using the Stages of Team Development. Retrieved from https://hr.mit.edu/learning-topics/teams/articles/stages-development
4 comments:
Hi Violanda,
I really enjoyed reading your post.I have had similar experiences with team situations ( positive and negative) and I find them all to be learning experiences. I love the image that you included about teamwork because it is very true. If all those aspects (working together, respect, trust, care) are present then I believe it will be very successful.
Violanda,
I LOVE THE QUOTE YOU POSTED!! The type of team you described where everyone works as one unit and the leadership is heavily involved and there is no micromanaging is the best team. Everyone can display their talents, and everyone is valued. You are right every group experience is a lesson. I think the best part of group work is learning lessons from your experience good or bad. Great Post, I enjoyed reading it!!
Hello Violanda,
I like how you say, “and the best interest of the students was always the priority.” This is norming, the stage of group development in which members establish agreed-upon norms that govern expected behavior (O'Hair et al., 2018, p. 242). I believe when a student succeeds the teacher has done his/her job. I thank you for being an educator that ensures all will be successful.
Reference
O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D.I., & Teven, J. (2018). Real communication: An introduction (4th. Ed). New York: Bedford? St. Martin’s
Great post Violanda
Teams create an environment of support and propel people toward implementation. A team environment can boost the confidence of individuals, allowing them to do their best work.
Good teams make the most of individual talents. Where one member may be weak, another might be strong and working together they provide the perfect resource for an organization(Wehbe, S 2017). The more people work together, the more they learn and step away to become better workers in their own jobs. Teams can create better communication and respectful relationships among employees.
Shada Wehbe (March 31, 2017) 5 Important Reasons Why Teamwork Matters! https://www.potential.com/articles/5-important-reasons-why-teamwork-matters/
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