Purpose: Sometimes we are asked to collaborate with a team of writers. This collaboration can help us to understand how others think differently from us and help us to think more creatively. This activity offers you an opportunity to think about the concepts surrounding collaboration and to recognize that successful teams are made up of a diverse group of people who can fulfill different roles and perform varied functions.

Directions:  Follow ALL steps to create the final product! 

Step 1: Read the handouts - "Belbin Team Roles" and "Belbin-"To Do and Not To Do" found in the Module.

Step 2: Identify a team you have been involved with in the past. (Hint: This can be a workplace team, a school based team, or a team you were involved with in a volunteer capacity.) Read the linked article "Five Different Types of Teams" and in complete sentences explain what type of team you were on. 

Step 3: Briefly "name" EACH member of your team and using the Belbin Team Roles handout, identify the top two roles for EACH member of your team.

Step 4: Using the Belbin handouts, and complete sentences, identify three strengths of your team.

Step 5: Using the Belbin handouts, and complete sentences, identify three weaknesses of your team.

Step 6: Based upon your findings provide one action that your team could employ to be more successful when collaborating on a future project.

Step 7: As you have learned, teams have many reasons for getting off task and for not collaborating successfully. Choose TWO of the following questions and research it to find more about how about how to ensure group success.

For each question you will need to locate 2 credible sources (from a database or a professional source), read your source, and create an annotated bibliography in APA.

Here is a link to an example of an APA Annotated Bibliography Keep in mind that an annotated bibliography should (1) provide a brief summary of the work, (2) point out the strengths of the work and assess the presentation style, and (3) reflect on the usefulness/importance of the source in answering the "big" questions presented by the assignment. 

THE QUESTIONS:

Groups often get off task in the workplace. Why is having, and following, a clear agenda is critical to accomplishing group goals in a timely manner?

1. Compare and contrast how leadership and management are similar and different. Is a good manager automatically a good leader? Why or why not? Do you have to be a manager to be a leader?
2. 
   
3. Working in groups is a great way to divide up and successfully accomplish large tasks, however, productivity can be impacted if someone is unwilling to share their ideas freely! What can you do to overcome this and ensure good collaboration?
4. 
   
5. Sometimes working with others leads to conflict. What are some ways to best resolve conflict amongst team members?

 

Step 8: Choose 1 of your questions and expand on your thinking. Review what you wrote in steps 2-5. Take your research from Step 6 and apply that learning to your group experience. 

 

How does this research help you understand the working of this group in a different way? Explain at least one thing you learned in your research that you would implement in groups you work in from now on to improve overall function and group member satisfaction.

 

(Minimum of one complete paragraph for Step 8.)