Charecteristics of Effective Team

TEAMWORK in Cooperative wing Programs home base Go To rogue Ac slamledgements This tract has been prep argond as part of a national be sick on ag pigeonholing engagement in Cooperative accompaniment Programs. The exteriorize was conducted by the voice of Program and ply drivement, University of Wisconsin- file name extension, beneath a grant from the ECOP 4-H Subcommittees Standing perpetration on Staff Development. As authors, we wish to express appreciation to those who rent completeered support and valuable insights by serving as consultants for the project-especi al unitedlyy our colleagues in Wisconsin, Virginia and Iowa down students-Deb Russler and Linda Parker Dr.John Banning and Dr. Scott Soder. A special thank you is extended to the legion(predicate) acknowledgment agents across the country who attended the Regional Association Presidents reachshops, 1980. Their reactions to draft materials and signifyions for advertize project festering were most enco uraging and overhaulful. terry L. Gibson Jeanne Moore E. J. Lueder September, 1980 University of Wisconsin- back correspond, Gale L. VandeBerg, Director, in Cooperation with the joined States Department of Agriculture publishes this information to promote the purpose of the May 8 and June 30, 1914 Acts of Congress and provides pair opportunity in employment and training. position home(a) Go To scalawag Introduction This booklet is intended specific every(prenominal)y for use by County extension ph matchless maestros including secretarial provide, merely is clutch for every(prenominal) virtu in ally(prenominal)(prenominal)s interested in sanctioning their Extension conclave do scarper kindreds (4-H committees, home economics committees, Agricultural Extension councils, consultive roots, bea/state or national supply, etc. ). Although many examples of convinced(p) collection play relationships toilet be set, there is al rooms an opportunity for staff to pu rify their redeing of and support for a police squad lam shape up to platformming.This booklet is designed to do estimable that. It is our hope that beliefs and bodily process suggestions presented will promote and/or strengthen positive(p) emplacements on your part toward root word endeavours in Extension programing. This booklet attempts to arrange the following questions more or less police squadwork, as well as suggest numerous activities that will help you approach to quantify your attitudes and on the job(p) relationships. This is however, just a radical. Actual phylogeny of your squadwork skills will require additional prison term and enterprise, so we leave that up to you squadwork What atomic account 18 Your Beliefs and Attitudes? root word sustain Opinionaire Provides the referee with an opportunity to become aw be of his/her own attitudes and beliefs about police squad upwork groupwork Why? rationale for a Team set out Describes the importance of and need for police squadwork in Extension Teamwork What Is It? Dimensions of Involvement Defines police squadwork as a continuum of alternative relationships among Extension professionals crustal plate photographic plate Go To rascal Teamwork . . . What curves It?Variables In the menstruation Extension Situation That Influence Teamwork EffortsIdentifies nerveal and various(prenominal) variables in brief outline form, as cited from interviews with selected Extension single(a)nel Factors That Promote and Hinder operative Relationships Lists factors which Extension force-out drive home promote or hinder positive functional relationships Teamwork Is It Effective? Attri preciselyes of non such(prenominal) Teamwork Relationships Describes characteristics and skills prerequisite for telling squad relationships Team edifice and Working in Groups-Offers a series of questions to guide a free radical in organizing for squadworkTeamwork How Does It D evelop? branchs of Team Development Explains seven set ups through and through which staff units pass as they become in effect functioning aggroups Teamwork How Does Your Team Rate? Team discernment Too/ Series of 35 records to help a mathematical mathematical group assess its groupwork relationships in seven key beas central office family unit Go To page Teamwork . What ar Your Beliefs and Attitudes? Lets write down by considering the most principal(prenominal) element of teamwork-how you determine about it Teamwork depends non only on your skills, but on your attitudes as well.Completing the following Team Building Opinionaire should help you become more aw ar of your own thoughts before looking at other ideas presented in this booklet. Team Building Opinionaire Instructions Read to each one statement once. suggest whether you barrack (+) or discord (-) with it. It should teach you no more than 5- 10 legal proceeding to complete this exercise. There argon no right or improper solvents. If you wish, shargon and compargon your answers with other team elements. Try to arrive at a consensus with them on each statement. You whitethorn change the wording to attention such engagement, if you desire.Such an activity whitethorn initiate a lively watchword and help your team become openly awargon of exclusive members beliefs and attitudes. 1. Teamwork stifles creativeness and singleity. 2. Members should be required to attend meetings to set team goals and demonstrate team problems. 3. Personal goals can be accomplished through teamwork. 4. It is some(prenominal)times needful to ignore the musical noneings of others in order to cash in ones chips a team decision. 5. In teamwork, action should al airs be annuled. 6. A silent member of the group is not interested in running(a) as a team. 7. The person in the group with the highest status in the rganization should always take the leading berth. 8. In teamwork, it is important and necessary to anyow time for discussion and agreement on operating procedures. 9. Every team member has a component to make toward the group trade union movement. 5 plateful home office Go To pageboy 10. In teamwork, majority rule applies. 11. Teamwork always involves working toward a putting greenalty goal. 12. A good team member provides emotional support to all other members. 13. Every team needs a leader/coordinator. 14. Teamwork accomplishes a occupation more in effect and expeditiously than private social movements. 15.Every team member should apply equally toward accomplishing the task. 16. If a team fails to accomplish a task, it is the time out of the leader/coordinator. 17. A primary concern of all team members should be to establish an atmosphere where all bump free to express their opinions. 18. last index number in teamwork always rests with the leader/ coordinator. 19. There atomic number 18 frequently occasions when an individual who is part of t he team should do what he/she envisages is right, careless(predicate) of what the team has decided to do. 20. totally members must be committed to the team approach to accomplish the task.Teamwork . Why? Rationale for a Team Approach Teams are a part of everyones life. Youre a member of a family team, an Extension staff team, church, school, and community teams. So its permit that you lowstand how to function impressively as a team member. In Extension especially, there is a need for teamwork. Extension clientele are confronted with increasingly complex problems with many dimensions. For example, the postcode problem has implications for Extension programming in agriculture, family living, community outgrowth and youth fetchment programs for twain rural and urban people.Home Home Go To summon The multi-dimensional and thus multi-discipline nature of many problems requires a team approach. This approach encourages you as staff with complementary skills and competencies, t o aline your driveways. By establishing priorities, concentrating financial imagerys, and corporate trust knowledge and expertise, you can receive greater impact on solemn problems through your program elbow greases. Such efforts can serve to 1) lighten your work load, 2) restrict duplication of efforts, and 3) produce a result greater than all of your separate efforts. Teamwork .What Is It? In Extension programming, a variety of working relationships exist among staff. You might view these relationships as dimensions (levels) of involution or as a continuum of relationships among agents. As you move along the continuum, the degree of confabulation, integration and perpetration seems to increase. great inter individual(prenominal) skills are necessary if you are to work to lighther effectively at more complex levels. As your skills raise, more options become on tap(predicate) to you regarding the dimension of involvement which you might select for any particular progra m effort.There is no intent to place a value judgment upon this continuum, but merely to suggest that alternative working relationships exist. Not all programs should be planned and conducted by the total county staff. Other options are available. Some programs whitethorn be more effective if planned by individuals, some whitethorn require the resources of some(prenominal) staff members, including state specialists and volunteers, and assuage others may be most effective if planned and conducted by the entire staff. These dimensions of involvement should be considered a part of our translation for teamwork.Too often we think Home Home Go To Page Home Home Go To Page of a team as a group (a collection of people) who interact to discover a common goal, but an effective, well-functioning team is frequently more than this. Participants in an effective team care about the groups well-being. They skillfully combine appropriate individual talents with a positive team spirit to achieve results. heedless of whether the program effort is that of an individual, several individuals or the entire county office unit, a climate of teamwork can exist. Viewing teamwork in this way encourages a broader nderstanding of the concept. It not only suggests that there are alternative working relationships for agents in their programming efforts, but that careless(predicate) of the approach selected, a climate of teamwork can be created. Can you happen upon dimensions of the continuum that you endure used in your programming efforts? be there some you devour never considered? Are there some you might try? Teamwork . What Influences It? As a part of this national project on teamwork, extensive interviews were conducted with selected Extension personnel to determine what influences their teamwork efforts. People nterviewed include district directors, state program leaders, state 4-H youth specialists, and county staff from both rural and urban situations in Iowa, North Dakota , Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, Virginia, and Canada. As a result of these interviews, the following variables were identified as elements that concern teamwork efforts. Although they have been confused into two general categories -organizational and individual there are interrelationships among all the variables exposit. How do some of these variables affect your working relationships? Do they influence them positively or negatively?Home Home Go To Page Variables In the Current Extension Situation That Influence Teamwork Efforts A. Organizational 1. Approaches to programming- deepen among program areas 2. Continuing professional knowledge-philosophy of organization 3. Administrative support 4. Staff turnover 5. New staff orientation 6. Number of staff at bottom working unit (team) B. unmarried 1. Understanding of and consignment to a teamwork philosophy 2. Personalities and attitudes of agents 3. Climate of openness and communication 4. Procedural guidelines f or staff functioning 5. drawing cardship and management skills within county off ice . Degree of familiarity with alternative approaches for effectively working and programming together 7. Perceptions of roles/responsibilities/functions among team members 8. Time available as a resource Home Home Go To Page Factors That Promote or Hinder Working Relationships Other factors also promote or hinder teamwork relation ships among Extension personnel. Perhaps they will help you get off to think more critically about your team. Factors that promote good working relationships Staff meetings-with agenda and ample time to discussJob descriptions with annual review Knowledge of others job descriptions and responsibilities Common criteria for personnel evaluation Openness and uncoercedness to communicate- listening Trust Loyalty Respect for others in displace of professional differences Courtesy Respect for professionalism regardless of persons sex, age, race Recogn izing talents of the others Giving confidence Recognizing a job well done Pride in work of total staff Understanding and supporting others programs. Agreed upon priorities Coffee- devising shared by everyone Shared coffee breaks Circulation of pertinent information Willingness to talk over problemsAdequate facilities and supplies Cooperation heart-whole caring for others with a respect for privacy Constructive criticism Home Home Go To Page Factors that hinder good working relationships neediness of concord of others jobs and responsibilities Lack of concern about total staff efforts thin out for feelings of others Unwillingness to compromise worthless communication Competition among staff for individual prestige and recognition Negative and destructive criticism No involvement in administrative decisions Lack of lead Over- sensitivityLack of privacy Disregard for talents of others No job descriptions No opportunities for staff meetings Gossip, rumo rs Putting off decision making Inequities in facilities and supplies Lack of trust Negative and sarcastic remarks Lack of common goals and philosophy Disloyalty to staff and organization No evaluation and/or feedback from supervisors special understanding of total program Holding a grudge Poor job attitudes Uneven work loads Lack of confidence in fellow workers Prejudice, racism, sexism Home Home Go To Page Teamwork . Is It Effective? In the literature on teamwork, the following factors are dentified as contributing to an effective teamwork approach. They provide the means for a team to begin to analyze its working relationship. Attributes of Ideal Teamwork Relationships Participants look at in and are committed to the value of working together in a spirit of cooperation. Team size is appropriate for effective communication (2-5 members are ideal, a group of 5-10 is workable, a group of 10-15 is sticky, and more than 15 may be im affirmable unless divided into subunits). Particip ants understand the overall objectives of the organization and of the arrange of the program each represents. Participants understand individual roles and responsibilities, as well as relationships to other staff members and to the total Extension program. Participants take the time to establish and clarify guidelines and procedures for a working relationship they are committed to making plans and achieving them. Participants define and agree upon meaningful and measured objectives that meet both group and personal needs individuality and creativity are not stifled. Someone within the group sorbs leadership to coordinate each task or program effort. Participants function well in a variety of roles (initiating, informing, ummarizing, mediating, encouraging) and know when appropriate roles are infallible. Participants know each other-are aware of each others resources, skills and areas of expertise they know what each can contribute to the group. The group allows sufficient time for the teamwork effort. The group places work orientation first, but allows social interaction, as well as. Home Home Go To Page Participants communicate openly and non-defensively they listen attentively. Participants respect and trust each other, have confidence in each others abilities, and are supportive of one another. Participants allow and encourage equal participation and sharing of ideas, including expression of dissenting views. Participants confront remainders and problems they use noise and contrast outputively. Participants are skillful in decision- making, problem solving decisions are understood and support by all members of the team. These attributes are important regardless of the dimension of involvement described in our definition of teamwork. How many of these attributes describe your team? Are there some areas which need good? Extension structures and processes vary from state to state nd from county to county. There is no single definition for teamwo rk, nor is there one model or one best way for staff units to operate. Rather, it is the responsibility of each team to develop procedures and approaches, based on the personalities, skills, and attitudes of individual members, as well as on the nature of the task to be accomplished. Perhaps the following questions will provide some beginning guidelines for establishing your teams working procedures Home Home Go To Page Team Building and Working in Groups A. Belief in Teamwork Approach Do you believe in the value of working together in a eam effort? Do you believe that a team decision or product can be superior to the work of a single individual? energize you make a personal load to work with your colleagues in a team effort? Has the collection of individuals made a commitment to work together in a team? B. Size of Team Is your team small enough to make effective communication possible? A team of 2-5 is ideal, a group of 5-10 is workable, a group of 10-15 is difficult and more than 15 may be impossible. C. Resources Available Do you know every member of the group and what they can offer to the group? Are your expectations ccurate or have they been blinded by past experiences? Do you comprehend certain individuals as playing only certain roles, having certain skills, and bound knowledge? Is the group a collection of individuals assembled because each member of the group has a diametrical area of expertise? Is that expertise accepted by all members of the group? What are the areas of overlap and thus potential conflict in the areas of expertise? D. Organization for Task Accomplishment Does the team take time to establish ground rules for the operation of the team, or is the team nauseous to get on with the task? Has the group agreed upon goals and objectives individual and team timetable procedures for establishing an agenda priority of efforts individual and team methods of conflict resolution distance of meetings location of meetings allo cation of resources leadership requirements Home Home Go To Page Does the group understand that any team usually goes through several stages of development before a team spirit emerges? Do you have enough time realistic deadlines to enable you to operate as a team? It takes time for a collection of individuals to become a team.Has the group designated a team leader? A group of peers can still earn from a leader. The group can make more give if they will let someone guide the efforts of the team. A group scatty a formal leader will usually waste much time in a struggle for power among group members. Does the group take minutes for the meeting? Are accurate notes kept to negate losing group decisions? Do you proceed on the basis of specific conclusions and agency of responsibilities quite a than on the basis of general understandings? E. Maintaining the Team Effort Does the team have an open climate of trust and espect for all group members and their ideas? Has the gro up achieved an appropriate balance between the requirement for group productivity (task) and the triumph of individual needs? Do people in the group avoid breaking into subgroups of trusted friends to share rumors, complain, or form alliances that will affect the productivity of the team? Home Home Go To Page Does the group concentrate on the mission of the team rather than spend all the time socializing? As a member of the team, do you assume a variety of roles? Task Roles Initiating activity, seeking information, eeking opinion, giving information, giving opinion, elaborating, coordinating, and summarizing. Team Building Roles Encouraging, standard setting, following and expressing group feelings. Task and Team Building Roles Evaluating, diagnosing, testing for consensus, mediating, and relieving tension F. Decision-Making and involvement Resolution Do all members of the group have an equal opportunity for participation or do plethoric personalities and people with s tatus and power control the participation? Have you identified your vested interests and the vested interests of other group members that may ause conflict in reaching a group decision? Are dissenting or minority viewpoints do by with respect? Is there an effort by the group to understand the reasons privy a dissenting opinion? Can the group work through differences of opinion rather than ignoring them? Can team members separate criticism of an idea from criticism of the person who had the idea? Are group members willing to discuss areas of conflict or do they try to ignore the conflict or pass it off as being of only minor substance? Does the group avoid a wait until next meeting attitude toward decision making and conflict resolution? Home HomeGo To Page Does the team make an effort to understand the problem before finding solutions? Is the team cautious about proceeding on the basis of premature conclusions? Have problem-solving procedures been identified? Are group members good listeners or are they reside preparing a rebuttal to ideas being presented? Is the group willing to accept a dissenting opinion and reduced level of commitment as a natural consequence of a group effort? Are individual members of the team willing to compromise their personal objectives for the sake of team objectives that are universally accepted by all group members? Are all members of the team required to adhere to the group decision? Can individual members opt out of the group decision? What criteria will you use in determining your personal level of acceptance of the team product? Do other members of the team know, understand, and accept the criteria that you are using? Are you very honest about the criteria you are using? Are other group members aware that a threat to your competence and self-esteem will reduce your level of commitment? Is the team willing to take the time to reach a totally acceptable decision?Is it possible to reach a decision with a uniform level o f acceptance and consequent commitment? Is it better to have several members with a high level of acceptance-commitment and several members with a low level of acceptance-commitment than to have all members with only a medium level of acceptance-commitment? What is the trade-off? Assume five persons with a possible level of 100% acceptance-commitmentWhich results yield the best investment of time and energy? 1. 2. 3. 5 persons at 95% requiring 10 hours of extra meetings? 5 persons at 75% requiring 3 hours of extra meetings? 2 persons at 90% 2 at 60% 1 at 25% = Average of 650, Are conflicts handled openly in meetings or negotiated privately in a me and you against them agency? Are conflicts handled on the basis of logic and agreed upon criteria or are they determined by loyalty to individuals? Does the team use voting as a means of resolving conflicts only when they are dealing with undecomposable operational concerns? Conflict that is resolved by voting tens to encourage an q uarrelsome atmosphere in which members commit themselves too quickly and may not examine the possibility of finding a settlement agreeable to all. Home Home Go To Page Teamwork . How Does It Develop?Its important to realize that the development of effective working relationships among staff is a gradual process which requires goodly time and skill. This is not meant to discourage you, but to help you realize that teams arent created overnight. A certain amount of frustration and conflict are normal. Team development is often viewed as a series of stages, described below. Although all the attributes and skills needed for an ideal working relationship (as listed in the preceding section) are important at every stage, some become more crucial as the team develops and staff members increase their level of involvement.At a minimum, its important for individual staff members to realize the benefits of teamwork and to have a commitment toward working together. Without such elements, gain ground team development will be less potential to occur. Conflict, a natural part of the development process, will overpower or dominate the situation, preventing the team from ever reaching its full potential. With a positive attitude toward team efforts, and with increased opportunity and time to practice teamwork skills, staff members can develop as an effective working team, and consequently have greater impact upon clientele problems.Stages of Team Development Stage 1 Hello, I Am Getting acquainted is of most concern at this initial stage of team development. It usually includes polite dialogue of a frivolous, information-sharing nature. Based on first impressions or past experiences, group members develop stereotypes in an attempt to categorize each other and anticipate time to come responses. Ideas are simple emotions and feelings are kept in tight control, and literary argument is avoided. There is an unspoken agreement not to disagree-a feeling that all members think and feel alike.Items on the hidden agenda stay hidden, and there is a shared ambiguity about the specific task to be undertaken by the team. Home Home Go To Page Stage 2 Whats Our depot? Members begin to question the teams goals and objectives. They want to discuss reasons for the group effort. If external forces have specified the destination of the team, members may want to discuss why each was placed on the team, and the purpose of the specific group task. As members begin to express divergent opinions, hidden agendas are sensed and pathetic listening develops. Team members may be quick to agree in an effort to avoid confrontation.A desire to move ahead without real understanding and commitment results. A tentative timetable may be developed that probably overestimates the character of each team member and underestimates the amount of time for each phase of the project/task. Stage 3 What Are the Costs/Benefits as sensed by the private/Team? With first notions of a team effort e merging, members perceive that there are costs/benefits of their involvement in the team effort. Members may ask themselves such questions as Will the team effort have value for me? Can I use the team to help me achieve individual goals?Will my individual contribution be bighearted and the benefits small? Will I do all the work and have the team receive the recognition? Will nonproductive members get some of the rewards I deserve? OR Will others on the team make comparable contributions? Will individuals share the workload? Can the team benefit from such an effort? As individual agendas are identified and expressed, members with equivalent needs and viewpoints begin to form private alliances. Stage 4 What Skills Do We Need? In the struggle to determine the costs/benefits of team efforts, the resources of team members are explored.Home Home Go To Page Attention is given to the talents and skills which each member might contribute to the effort. Hidden talents may go undetected as the group is still dealing at a superficial level and still blinded by stereotypes and labels, If talents overlap, if there are too many experts on the same subject, or if additional skills are necessary, decisions are made about whether to add or drop members or develop the skills of existing members. When members are added or subtracted from the team, the team development cycle begins again. Stage 5 What Is the Best Route?With the end goals agreed upon, team members begin negotiating the means. There is a strong need for structure, which includes a bid for power and struggle for leadership. As a result, competition develops. Individual agendas are made public. Emotion and alliances to each other, rather than logic, influence judgments of team members members listen ill and are close-minded about others opinions/ideas. The team may prematurely resort hotel to voting as a means of making decisions, which causes some individuals to feel they have not been given adequate opportunit y to express their viewpoints.There is a lack of team spirit in this stage. Many members feel disquieting with the group struggles. Some are silent and others tend to dominate the group. perpetration to this team effort will vary significantly. Individual priorities seem to squeeze the work of the team as some members place personal commitments first. The team may be difficult to assemble as members are backward to change their schedules to accommodate the work of the team. Extreme frustration with indecision may impede improvement such that the team will never get beyond this stage.It may still fulfill its task, but not to the bliss of all members. Home Home Go To Page However, if the team persists in its task and at least a few members are willing to sacrifice individual agendas for the benefit of the team, a compromise approach may begin to emerge. Stage 6 How Can We Compromise and Work unneurotic? Team members attitudes change as they realize that working together can pr oduce a product greater than the sum of their individual efforts. Individual agendas are adjusted to accommodate the needs of the group. Members begin to share leadership responsibilities.Individuals continue to disagree but their ideas are heard members listen actively and differences are dealt with honestly and openly. Understanding results. Alliances remain, but they are built on ideas rather than personalities and loyalties. Logic rather than emotion guides the decision-making process. Competition gives way to compromise, for conflict is now viewed as a mutual problem. As team members begin to relax in an atmosphere of trust and openness, creative ideas emerge, and the team feels that progress is being made. Stage 7 We Are High group team spirit and loyalty, empathy, and an open climate of trust and acceptance characterize this final stage of team development. Even though one member may be identified as the coordinator for a particular group task, leadership roles are shared am ong all members. There is freedom to select from the variety of working relationships outlined by the earlier description of the dimensions of involvement. Group members agree to disagree they agree to settle conflicts, to make decisions, and to proceed to work together on the basis of criteria identified by the group.The team is both effective and efficient in meeting deadlines and accomplishing its objectives. Productive results are most evident. Home Home Go To Page Because of an intense feeling of group spirit, new members are reluctantly accepted. If new members join, the group must regress to an earlier stage and grow again to this final phase, together. Home Home Go To Page Teamwork . How Does Your Team Rate? A continual process of assessment is necessary for effective team development. Hopefully, the ideas and activities presented in this booklet have helped you begin such a process.The following tool can be used to provoke further thought and discussion among team members. As you read the statements under each of the specific areas, think about the working relationships among staff members within your immediate county office setting including secretarial staff. Record your responses on the answer woodworking plane provided. Team Assessment Tool Work Orientation / Work Methods 1. We accomplish much in our team meetings. 2. Team meetings are nonunionised and chaotic. 3. At team meetings, we spend more time socializing than accomplishing the task at hand. 4.As a team, we spend time reviewing our working procedure, how it works, and how to improve it. 5. All members of the team are involved in decisions when appropriate participation is real, not tokenism. Communication / Active Listening / Interaction 6. People on our team communicate openly and frankly with each other. 7. In group discussion, team members are guarded and cautious. 8. We listen to each other in an effort to really hear and understand what is being said. 9. Communication among team memb ers is poor (catch-ascatch can). 10. Disagreements between team members are worked through horoughly individual viewpoints are fully heard. Home Go To Page Leadership 11. The county chairperson makes decisions for the team without asking members opinions when appropriate. 12. The county chairperson adapts his/her leadership style to changing circumstances. 13. The county chairperson ignores the different needs of team members. 14. Leadership for group tasks is passed around and shared by various team members depending on the situation. 15. Levels of authority and responsibility for the county chairperson and team members are clearly defined and understood.Resource Utilization 16. Team members are unavailing to handle the current requirements of their work. 17. The mix of expertise and skills among our team members is appropriate for the work we are doing. 18. Members adapt well to the needs of the team. 19. We know the skills and resources that each team member can contribute to ou r county program. 20. We involve volunteers/state specialists/other resource persons when appropriate to our program needs and if they are available. Objectives/Goals 21. We have an adequate way to establish our teams objectives and work strategies. 22.Objectives for team efforts are imposed by one staff member or by administration. 23. We lack understanding about our individual responsibilities in relation to each other and to the organization. 24. Our objectives for team efforts are vague and unclear to all team members. 25. Members seem to understand how personal needs/goals can be met through group work. 26 Home Home Go To Page Group Commitment 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. Members feel that teamwork is worthwhile. As an individual, I feet a strong sense of belonging to the team. Team members are reluctant to commit themselves to team efforts.I feel very motivated to work as a team. If a team member gets into difficulty, she/he is supported by other team members. Group Climate / Environme nt 31. Our team respects the individual, as well as the innovative, creative ideas of members. 32. Individuals in our team get to know each other as people. 33. 1 feel uncomfortable expressing my thoughts and opinions with team members. 34. We compliment each other on our work when appropriate. 35. The climate of our relationships within the team is one of mutual trust rather than hostility, suspicion, fear or anxiety. Home Home Go To PageIndicate your response to each Team Assessment statement by selecting from among those presented. vex an X in the blank under the appropriate towboat. Note that the statements are divided into two columns (for analysis purposes). Do check the statement number carefully before marking your response. (instruction for analysis and coding follow. ) Home Home Go To Page analytic thinking and Team coding Instructions Analysis The statements have been divided into two columns. Note the reason some statements on the tool are positive and some are negati ve. Thus, adjustments must be made when interpreting the results.As you look over the entire coded sheet, never and from time to time responses to statements in the left column suggest a need for improvement in those areas (Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, etc. ). Whereas, never and occasionally responses to statements in the right column suggest favorable working relationships, and less need for improvement as perceived by you, the respondent (Nos. 2, 3, 7, 9, etc. ) Team Coding Coding the responses of all team members onto a single answer sheet allows you to further analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your teams working relationships.For each statement, tally (on a clean answer sheet) all team members responses by making a mark under the column which corresponds to each members response. (Example For question No. 1, three members responded never and two members responded occasionally. ) Never 1. 3 Occasion- Some- Most of ally times the time forever and a day 2 Continue in a similar m anner for all statements. Each team member may want to do this so as to have a copy, or one such coded sheet per team may be sufficient. If there is a wide rendering in response on a statement by eam members, it may be especially beneficial to discuss such a statement and attempt to clarify reasons for the varied perceptions. This analysis should help team members identify particular areas of concern. Additional time/activities could be planned for team members to further explore and develop their attitudes and skills in working together. Home Home Go To Page Conclusion Keep in mind that the development of an effective team requires a positive attitude and commitment toward teamwork, coupled with an understanding of what teamwork involves. Secondly, it requires practicing teamwork skills.This booklet of ideas has attempted to promote the former it is up to you to pursue the latter. Home Home Go To Page Annotated Bibliography 1. Dyer, William G. , Team Building Issues and Alternativ es, Reading, Massachusetts Addison-Wesley publish Company, 1977, 139 pp. This book is highly recommended for its practical focus upon how to design and conduct a program in team development. A range of design alternatives are suggested for both improving a units effectiveness, as well as for develop a new team. Dyer emphasizes the need for individual team diagnosis with the existence of a program suited to a teams particular needs.Instrumental checklists, an index of characteristics infixed for team effectiveness, and need assessment tools are included. Problems such as role clarification, suppression of disagreement, revitalizing the complacent team, and reducing team-conflict are discussed. 2. Filley, Alan C. , Interpersonal Conflict Resolution, Glenview, Illinois Scott, Foresman and Company, 1975, 175 pp. A manual for people who are working in groups, this book speaks of changing conflict situations into problem solving challenges. It presents an analysis of the conflict proc ess, how it develops, and methods of resolution.It relates the various effects of language, personal behavior, attitudes, and situational conditions upon problem-solving. Also included for groups are a series of exercises demonstrating issues and behaviors discussed. Home Home Go To Page 3. Francis, Dave and Don Young, meliorate Work Groups A Practical Manual for Team Building, La Jolla, calcium University Associates, 1979, 261 pp. This book is a practical, easy-to-read guide to building an effective team. Teambuilding is explained in profoundness the book includes a questionnaire for use in identifying team strengths and weaknesses.It explores many learnable skills for team members to develop in working through their problems suggested structured experiences are described in detail. 4. Lawson, John D. , Leslie J. Griffen, and Franklyn D. Donant, Leadership Is Everybodys Business (A Practical Guide for propose Membership Groups). San Luis Obispo, California Impact Publishers, 197 6, University Associates, 1979, 261 pp. This book combines group dynamics theory, philosophy, activity suggestions, and resources for task-oriented groups or organizations of volunteer memberships. Part I focuses on individual value and motivations for joining groups.Part II describes organizational ski Is and competencies necessary for leaders. Part III discusses in more depth such leadership concepts as the cycle of organization involvement, leadership styles, role conflicts and suggestions for overcoming them, improving individual motivation and interpersonal communications. 5. Robinson, Jerry W. and Roy A. Clifford, work Skills in Organization Development, University of Illinois Board of Trustees, 1972, 212 pp. This text was created for use with Extension professionals and local anesthetic leaders. It emphasizes personal behavior and process skills within an organization.Five concepts important to organizational development are developed and discussed-organizational styles, lea dership styles, team skills, conflict management, and change implementation. Team activities and additional references are included. Home Home Go To Page Dr. Terry L. Gibson, Project Director and Co-Author, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, and chair of the Personnel and Professional Development Unit of the Division of Program and Staff Development, University of Wisconsin-Extension. Jeanne Moore, Associate Project Director, Co-Author, andEditor, is a former Extension 4-1-1 and offspring Leader from Iowa, and graduate student in Continuing Education, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dr. E. J, Lueder, Project Consultant and creation Tester, is a Professor in the Department of Youth Development, and a Youth Development Specialist in the 4-H Youth Development Program Unit, University of Wisconsin, Madison. promulgated by Division of Program and Staff Development University of Wisconsin-Extension 432 N. Lake St. Madison, Wisconsin 53706 T ypist Julie harp er Artist Dale Mann Editorial Consultants Sheila Mulcahy Rick Crowley Home Home Go To Page