Team Building and Collaboration, Part 1

Team Building and Collaboration, Part 1

Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye. 

The aspects of the group that made for the hardest to say good bye were the face to face meetings and the social gatherings. Discussing and working with the team to ensure that there was a plan in place for how decisions are made on the team and who has responsibility for making decisions. As a past educator in my native island I had to say good bye to my teaching team, the children, and families and my colleagues. As a daughter, I had to say good bye to my mother, my siblings and the extended family we shared for over the years. This stage can be difficult for many. 

 Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? 

For a high performing team, the end of a project brings on feelings of sadness as the team members have effectively become as one and now are going their separate ways. Imagine getting to know others of different cultural backgrounds, the development of friendship and the working together for the same purpose, the same goal! This is the hardest to leave because personal relationships might be disengaged, job tasks may be terminated and we may never see each other again.

Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why?

The group I participated in that was the hardest to leave was my drama group with children and young adults. It was hard to leave because we shared a bond. We had a unique climate that influenced how each member should behave and communicate with each other. We took pride in helping out each other and had great success throughout the years.  Thus each member was motivated to continue after I left and today this group is functioning successfully in my absence.

What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced?

Most people typically adjourn with a celebratory dinner or just a simple thank-you and good-bye (O’Hair & Weimann, 2009). The most memorial ritual experienced was when I had to immigrate. I was given a great send off by the school’s team. They celebrated my accomplishments by giving tangible gifts, like plaques with different sayings all dealing with hard work, commitment and success. Also special songs were sung and the event culminated with food and drinks, hugs and kisses, and well wishes.

 How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program? Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

Adjourning would not be too difficult because we only know each other through our blogs and discussions.  This is not a bad thing! However, I believe we can form a network of colleagues from the group and we should continue to share information in our blogs. I think we should also plan on graduating so we can physically see each other who is who and who is not whoJ.  Further, as part of the adjourning process I hope we could share phone numbers and keep in touch.

In the adjourning stage teams are moving in different directions because the project is coming to an end (Abudi, G., 2010). Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because we can take time to celebrate our achievements, and failures which is good for team’s departure.  We never know who we will work with in the future or not work with and it is important that we view and share past experiences positively.  

Resources

Abudi, G. (2011). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

O'Hair, & Wiemann, (2009). Real Communication. An Introduction.

Bedford/St. Martin's