Learning Teamwork Skills - completing the chapter

Giving and Receiving Information

These are guidelines for the members working in the best interest of the team:

1.        Work as an equal – not an authority

2.       Participate in school routines

3.       Nurture relationships with fellow team members

4.       Expect to learn from others and acknowledge when you do

5.       Use an experiential learning approach that allows learners to be successful

6.       Ask for feedback about your consultation or teaching of others

Making decisions by consensus

Although it is ideal for the group to come to an agreement on a solution after sharing and hearing each team member’s respective viewpoints, it is not always possible.  Therefore, other ways may need to be utilized:

·         Majority vote

·         Average opinion of group

·         Authority decision

·         Expertise decision (research based)

Teaming decisions should be decided through consensus when possible as it has more benefits than other decision-making approaches.  Therefore, teams need to determine how they will make decisions.  When utilizing consensus, use data as the basis for decisions.  The facilitator can also ask whether the team consents when several members seem to be in agreement.  When a team is unable to come to consensus on a regular basis, the team needs to reevaluate their method for decision-making and may need training in consensus building.

Behaviors team members must avoid when involved in decision-making:

·         “Caving in”

·         Not responding/silent

·         Strong arming others

·         One members making the decision

·         Quickly reverting to “Majority rules”

Reflecting on the Team Process

This time is critical to the maintenance of collaborative interactions.  Consider doing the following:

·         Celebrate the successes/Consider the areas of little progress

·         Team member accountability – is everyone pulling their weight?

·         How are the relationships among team members going?  How can we relieve tension or what teamwork skills do we need to work on?

·         Are we staying with our agenda, are we loyal to the vision, are we accountable to our students?

·         How are we doing as a team? Problem-solving?