Teamwork

1
Teamwork

• C.Eng 491
• Fall 2009

2
Teamwork

• A must for this course
• Not only technical but also social skills
• Teamwork ability is a basic quality that
  employers seek for

3
TEAM MEETINGS

• Teamwork means lots of team meetings
• Restate project goals - Even if your instructor
  has given you the goal already, it is important
  to make sure everyone has the same understanding
  of the assignment. One way to do that could be to
  have everyone write down or state goals for the
  project, then compare notes.
• Name your team - This may sound very trivial but
  having a common name is a good way to feel closer
  to the project. Team names could be a number, a
  project name or something more lighthearted.
• Share contact information - You will probably
  want to share e-mail addresses, but phone
  numbers. You should also establish when and how
  different tools should be used.
• Establish a timeline and assign tasks - For
  longer team projects, you may need to establish
  an initial work plan and decide who will do each
  task
• Set ettiquette ground rules - Although
  disagreements will arise, it is possoble to voice
  opinions in such a way so that conflicts do not
  escalate. Typically, it is suggested that
  personal attacks be avoided.

4
Structuring the Meeting

• Meeting agenda similar to a contract or
  agreement about the meeting among team members
• all team members should have input in the agenda.
  
• includes
• Date, time
• Location of meeting,
• List of attendees expected,
• Purpose of the meeting,
• Order of tasks to be conducted at the meeting,
• Ending time.

5
Ground Rules

• Teams often develop ground rules that tell how
  they want a meeting conducted. Some possible team
  ground rules are
• Be prepared for the meeting.
• Come to the meeting on time.
• Start and end meeting on time.
• Value the diversity of team members.
• Support the team concept and process.
• Maintain POSITIVE group dynamics.
• Make decisions by consensus of all necessary team
  members.
• Participate in the meeting. Don't be a lurker.
• Keep records of your own work and the team's
  compiled work.
• Listen and have an open mind.
• Evaluate the meetings with the intent of
  improving future meetings.

6
Communication Tips

• Active Listening
• Ask Questions
• Constructive Feedback
• Body Language Awareness
• Humor
• A Little Smalltalk
• Patience

7
Online Communication

• Use Emoticons
• Don't write when you're angry
• Reread your message before sending
• Share daily schedules
• Establish a time limit for replies

8
Roles in a Team

• The Leader - for setting a base agenda,
  facilitating meetings, and monitoring progress
  with communicating with members as needed.
• Initiator - Someone who suggests new ideas. One
  or more people can have this role at a time.
• Recorder - This person records whatever ideas a
  team member may have. It is important that this
  person quote a team member accurately and not
  "edit" or evaluate them.
• Devil's Advocate/Skeptic - This is someone whose
  responsibility is to look for potential flaws in
  an idea.
• Optimist - This is someone who tries to maintain
  a positive frame of mind and facilitates the
  search for solutions.
• Timekeeper - Someone who tracks time spent on
  each portion of the meeting.
• Gate Keeper - This person works to ensure that
  each member gives input on an issue. One strategy
  to do this is to ask everyone to voice their
  opinion one at a time. Another is to cast votes.
• Summarizer - Someone who summarizes a list of
  options.

9
Guidelines

• Define a common goal for the project.
• List tasks to be completed.
• Assign responsibility for all tasks.
• Develop a timeline and checklist.
• Post a timeline and checklist.
• Set up a central repository for all electronic
  files.
• Post or send all team meeting notes.
• Maintain a central archive for all communications
• Send reminders when deadlines approach.
• Send confirmation when tasks are completed.

10
What is "Unproductive"?

• Consistently missing meetings
• Consistently missing deadlines
• Never coming prepared to meetings
• Not answering e-mail or messages in a reasonable
  time
• Discourteous or disrespectful language

11
Conflict Resolution

• Conflict Happens
• Clarify Expectations
• Identify the Type of Team Conflict
• Identify Team Needs
• Depersonalize Team-Internal Conflict
• Structuring Discussion

12
Creativity, Innovation

• Creativity Generation of new ideas
• Innovation Implementation of new ideas (applied
  creativity)

13
Innovative Thinking

• means, taking an innovative approach to problem
  solving.
• includes the ability to "think outside of the
  box", to go beyond the conventional, and a
  willingness to try out different solutions.

14
Some Tips

• acknowledging the ideas of others and
  incorporating them into performance improvements
• developing and weighing alternatives to
  conventional thinking before settling on a
  solution
• constructively challenging existing processes and
  procedures on the job and developing original
  approaches to improve or replace them
• taking a calculated risk to improve performance
  by introducing something new and unique to the
  public sector
• showing foresight, encouraging new ideas and
  helping others to see new possibilities

15
Developmental Activities

• Use brainstorming and other creative techniques
• Do something dramatically different to improve
  your creativity
• Identify innovative approaches for learning and
  development from other departments or outside the
  public sector
• Practice keeping an open mind to new or different
  ideas