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In my career as a dance teacher, I worked within a school team that was part of a larger organizational culture focused on promoting the arts and academic excellence. This culture, while supportive in some aspects, also hindered our team's ability to fully succeed, especially in terms of clarity, confidence, and commitment.

The school's organizational culture placed a high value on academic achievements, often leaving the arts programs underfunded and under-prioritized. This lack of resources made it difficult for our dance team to plan performances and provide quality experiences for the students. According to Levi (2017), successful teams require a shared vision and adequate resources to reach their goals. In this case, the scarcity of resources created an environment where team members lacked confidence in their ability to perform effectively.

In terms of clarity, the organizational structure was hierarchical, which often led to communication barriers. The administration did not consistently provide clear guidance on how the arts programs aligned with the school's overall objectives. This confusion reflects the challenges highlighted by Drescher et al. (2014), who suggest that clear leadership and communication are essential for enhancing team trust and performance. Our team frequently struggled to stay aligned with broader school goals due to this lack of clarity, which hindered our ability to commit fully to our initiatives.

However, the organizational culture did support team commitment by fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Despite the obstacles, we were motivated by a deep commitment to student development and well-being. Hakanen and Soudunsaari (2012) emphasize the importance of trust and shared leadership in high-performing teams. Within our dance team, a strong bond among team members, built on trust and mutual support, helped us overcome some of the external challenges posed by the larger organizational culture.

In conclusion, while the organizational culture at my school provided a supportive community that fostered commitment, the lack of clarity and resources ultimately hindered our success. A more inclusive approach from the administration, offering clearer guidance and better resource allocation, would have enhanced our confidence and ability to thrive as a team.

References:

Drescher, M. A., Korsgaard, M. A., Welpe, I. M., Picot, A., & Wigand, R. T. (2014). The dynamics of shared leadership: Building trust and enhancing performance.Journal Of Applied Psychology, 99(5), 771-783.https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036474

Hakanen, M., & Soudunsaari, A. (2012). Building trust in high-performing teams.Technology Innovation Management Review, 2(6), 38-41.

Levi, D. (2017).Group dynamics for teams(5th ed.). Sage Publications.