Team & Conflict Res 1.2.pdf

How Do Teams Work? NSCI5712 Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Practice - 2024 Tuckmans Theory - Understanding the Stages of Team Formation (youtube.com) (1.46 min) Casually Explained: Group Projects – YouTube (3.45 min)  Forming Most team members are positive and polite...

How Do Teams Work? NSCI5712 Introduction to Veterinary Clinical Practice - 2024 Tuckmans Theory - Understanding the Stages of Team Formation (youtube.com) (1.46 min) Casually Explained: Group Projects – YouTube (3.45 min)  Forming Most team members are positive and polite Some may be anxious, some may be excited Duration may vary - depends on leader, and participants Storming People start to push against boundaries/constraints Question WHY Many teams fail at this stage Conflict resolution stage – leadership may be challenged, goals may be challenged Team members resolve differences Norming Strengths are appreciated Socialisation may occur Commitment to team increases May relapse back to the Storming phase if new tasks/challenges crop up Performing Achievement of goals Team membership is fun When people leave or join the team it is not disrupted Adjourning Goals have been achieved, workload is dimished and team disbands May not always occur Team members who like routine may find this stage challenging Can create uncertainty Common Issues Ground Rules Each group should identify some common ground rules you all agree on. Some of these may include: Group Ethos (Ethos = Greek for ‘character’) Aim – what do you want to achieve with this assessment? Schedule – when will you have meetings? How will you communicate? E.g. Skype, Zoom, Slack Individual Roles within the Group – who will do what part of the work? Progress Schedule – make sure you stay on track! Tools/Resources – what will you use? Shared Google docs? Library? Websites? Books/journals? What will you do if there are problems? Keeping Track… I strongly recommend you keep a log of your meetings and communications – this could be a list of who was present for meetings (in person or online) and emails/messages you have sent to each other when working together This helps make a record of your group work and keeps you on track, so you don’t fall behind  You have choice! Compassion Choose to see our teammates as human beings, not labels Get to know your teammates in Teamwork Choose to set clear expectations for your team When someone is not meeting expectations – ask if they are ok Choose not to take things personally How to run a Team Meeting Set clear objectives What do you want to accomplish during the meeting? Plan the agenda List topics to be discussed & share agenda in advance Choose the right time and format Select a time when most, if not all have a chance to attend, F-2-F, online? Ensure necessary documents, resources, audiovisuals or online tools Prepare materials and resources are set up and functioning Start on time Respect participants’ time, welcome everyone, note non-attendees Facilitate the discussion Stick to the agenda, keep discussion focused, encourage participation, use active listening techniques, manage disruptions Create a safe environment, encourage open communication & Foster collaboration constructive feedback, facilitate brainstorming and group activities Manage time effectively Stick to the agenda & watch the time or assign a timekeeper Summarise key points and decisions Recap main points and decisions made during the meeting, clarify action items, next steps or deadlines Follow up Share meeting minutes, follow-up on action items, gather feedback Evaluate the meeting What went well, what didn’t, what can you improve next time? Before the Meeting Ensure you have done any tasks agreed on for the group work Make sure you did your research - read around the subject What questions do you want or need to get answered during the meeting? Decide who will chair the meeting – this can be done on a rotation basis to give everyone a chance During the Meeting Check everyone can see and hear everyone else Be open to hearing something new Jot down useful information Jot down questions to ask If you don’t understand something, ask Link what you hear to what you already know Make contributions to the discussion Remember the key to good communication? Listening! Actively! Listening During the Meeting Body language: nodding agreement, smiling, looking interested Encourage others: e.g. ‘yes, that’s a good idea’; ‘yes, I agree’ 21 Ask questions: e.g. ‘how do we do that?’ Make suggestions: that build on the speaker’s ideas Disagree creatively: e.g. ‘what if…?’ ‘How will that work in practice?’ During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice Scheduling Issues Can’t all meet at the same time or location? Be understanding of others’ schedules and responsibilities. Use online collaboration tools that facilitate working asynchronously > Shared documents in Google Docs, Dropbox Consider Goole Hangout, Facetime, Skype or other free video call platforms if you cannot manage to get everyone into one place at the same time. Take turns picking the venue and time of the meeting During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice General conflict that does not Address conflicts directly and respectfully. fit with any of the following I can help to find common ground and help to reconciliate – but you need description. to let me know In very rare cases the course coordinator reserves the right to remove a student from a group for the wellbeing of the other students. Someone gets upset if their The persons who put forward the idea may feel personally rejected or ideas are challenged or insulted if their suggestions are scored or insensitively rejected. rejected Try to empathise with their perspective. Acknowledge their feelings and assure them that their input is valued. Encourage open communication and constructive feedback. It is important to consider multiple viewpoints for the success of any project. People objecting an idea need to make it clear that they are challenging the idea, not the intelligence or integrity of the person proposing the idea. Someone bringing problems Worries from the outside can cause team members to be angry or from outside into the group aggressive to others without obvious provocation. It can be helpful in a group meeting to start with members saying that they are having some challenges outside of this group work and that their mood does not have anything to do with the group work or the people. During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice Group imbalances, e.g. one or two Unbalance can occur when some group members don’t (or aren’t people dominating the discussions; perceived to) contribute equally to the group project. Often, this a few people or one person doing results in tension within the group and feels unfair to group members. all the work, some members opting Try to openly discuss these issues respectfullt, otherwise resentment not to participate in most will start to destroy the team. discussions/work The Group-Self-Assessment form posted under “Extra Mahi” for this topic can help to facilitate open and candid, but not abusive or aggressive discussion about the group work dynamics. The meetings chairperson should make sure everyone has an equal chance to speak when the self-assessment results are discussed. While this can lead to difficult and tense meetings, an honest discussion can clear the air and lead to a much more open and committed group. Some group members might be completely unaware that their opinions and actions have been causing problems. Each meeting should try to close on a positive action point for the future. During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice Silences: sometimes This can be embarrassing in a group situation, and often, someone will jump in a group might not with a superfluous comment or joke to fill the silence. have much if However, silence is often a good thing, especially if the group is considering an anything to say. important point. The meeting’s chairperson could even encourage members to sit in silence for a minute or two to mentally weigh up important issues before commenting on them. The chairperson or other group members could suggest working in pairs first to make it easier for individual group members to speak up. Not listening to It can take a lot of courage and encouragement before some team members voice others in the group their opinions in a group. If these opinions are not listened to, the speaker may retreat emotionally from further group discussions The teams may wish to include a ground rule about the importance of listening to others and paying attention when others are talking. Find ways to encourage quiet members to contribute to the discussion, and the chairperson’s role in ensuring everyone has a fair chance to speak is vital. Sexist, racist or Agree to a ground rule to not allow or tolerate them. It should not be left to the other stereotyping meeting chairperson to have to challenge these remarks, because all members or abusive remarks have a moral responsibility to intervene. During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice Someone allocated a This problem is bet avoided in the first place by the group discussing who does group task does not what at an early stage of group formation, and by defining what results are complete it in a way expected by the group. that satisfies the group, Make a list of all tasks, delegate the task evenly, and agree on what outcome the e.g. Some information group expects for each task. is missing When all group members have agreed on the list, allocations and expectations, then the team is justified to ask a team member to complete their part as previously agreed upon. Always check with the team member if they are having difficulties that they have not mentioned. If there is anything that the team members can do. In extreme, irresolvable cases, discuss your problems with your course coordinator. Discussion with the course coordinator can be initiated by email, phone call, or during a team meeting taking place during the Assessment 3 Progress meetings in class. The reflection & peer review part of the assessment should not be the first time that the course coordinator hears about a contribution problem. Dealing with this kind of situation can be a worthwhile learning experience if you can develop strategies to channel your anger or frustration into positive action. So, what to do if one of your teammates is not meeting expectations Doing the work for them? It hurts their ability to become a better teammate in the future It hurts your own ability to attend to other things in your life Is it cheating? You may be missing an opportunity to truly help the other person Ask them what you can do to help? 100% Come to me? Absolutely – we can try to work it out as a team I can help with communication or with how to tackle a group task If the person is in a deep crisis, we will handle this discreetly We will explore options about how to remain on the team or if leaving the team is a better option During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice The meeting leader or It is quite unusual that a leader will not have any support from the group chairperson of your team is If there is consensus between the majority of group members about the proving to be unsuitable and problem, it is best approached via those individuals who are most likely to unacceptable to the majority be listened to by the leader. of the group. E.g. the leader may be too direct, too The leader should be given a chance to discuss the issue/s with all group aggressive or to the contrary members and make changes if necessary. Sometimes, the leader simply has indecisive and ineffective not noticed that they have a negative impact on the group. If the issue is not addressed, the group will fall apart and will experience a general mood of disagreement, hostility, non-cooperation. The only answer is to discuss the problem, no matter how painful, awkward or difficult it is at the time. A “storm” is necessary to clear the air. Again, if the problem is not solvable by the group, approach your course coordinator to mediate to allow the group to make a fresh start. During a Meeting - Surviving “Storming” Problem Advice The group has discussed a There are likely two or more positions within the group and the role of the subject honestly & meeting chairperson is to summarise these positions and then allow group democratically, but no members to vote on which option they prefer. agreement or decision can be This can be done publicly, but often it is best done privately and in writing reached. as the voting preferences of some members might be influenced by the dominant personalities of others in the group. One approach would be to briefly adjourn the meeting to give everyone a chance to think the issue over, but then ask group members to return after a break and to vote to reach a majority view. During a Meeting Problem Advice Your group work seems to be Let your course coordinator know going ok, but you are feeling Assignment to another group is a possibility isolated You work great together, but Sometimes a team just gets stuck or hits a mental roadblock. This lack of you simply got stuck and are progress can be discouraging and lead to procrastination or avoidance. unable to make progress Speak to other groups and their progress. Teams that are doing well might have a tip or two. Get together and make a list of achievements so far and pinpoint where you got stuck – share both with your course coordinator and ask for advice. You have already a draft but are unsure if you are on the right track? Again, contact your course coordinator  After the Meeting Go over your notes Check that you know exactly when you have to do activities arising out of the group. Above all else: Don’t let the group down – do what you said you would do.  What you could learn Improve your ability to collaborate with others Practice listening & engaging with others Try out some conflict resolution skills How to effectively discuss and exploring different perspectives Develop critical thinking Develop mutual respect The benefit of learning from others Approach groupwork with an open mind and a positive attitude. Embrace the opportunity to develop your relationship skills, engage in meaningful discussions, listen and learn from others, and ultimately, grow both personally and professionally. Group Support If you run into any issues, please reach out for support. This could include doing things such as: Communicating through Padlet/Moodle forums Talking to the learning advisors for advice Emailing your course co- ordinator if you have problems