Learning Connection
A team is a group of individuals working together to complete a specific task successfully within a specific timeframe. Working as part of an effective team may be one of the most challenging tasks you will face at university and in the workplace. Members of effective teams undertake various roles to ensure successful achievement of tasks and smooth operation of team processes. Teamwork is a rewarding and often essential part of employment and many leisure activities. Your ability to work in a team will be sought after and highly valued. Just ask any employer, sporting team or rock band.
At university teamwork is emphasised and practised because it is an effective and meaningful way to learn. You work in teams in practicals, tutorials, doing projects, fieldwork or professional placements. Your experience as a team member will help you as a graduate to:
A key aim of teamwork is group synergy, namely the achievement of high quality outcomes as a result of combined individual contributions. Synergy can help you solve complex problems because you will be working with people who have a wide range of skills and perspectives. Students working in teams benefit particularly from brainstorming and bouncing ideas off each other, learning from each other, discussing work in teams outside contact times and checking ideas and results.
Typically a team goes through various stages or steps to achieve a task. Initially a team forms and establishes guidelines. The following six steps will help the group get started on their task.
An effective team work together to complete a task in the required time, with each member contributing to the team according to their skills, experience and personality. The ways team members relate to each other and perform a variety of roles are referred to as the team’s dynamics. Teams can relate and communicate in a variety of ways – either face-to-face as whole groups, or sub-groups, phone links, email or other electronic communication.
When involved in teamwork people usually take on one or more typical roles. These roles can be divided into task and process roles as outlined in the table below. Task roles help the group achieve its aims and goals. Process roles help the group to remain focused and harmonious. You may recognise in these lists the roles, and associated actions and behaviours that you tend to take on in teams. Group members usually take more than one role or play different roles in different groups. Sometimes you will be asked to be the leader, or scribe or reporter. Your ability to take a variety of roles will increase with practice.
Task roles |
Actions and behaviours |
|---|---|
starts the group working |
initiates action by proposing goals and tasks |
suggests directions |
develops plans for approaching the task and sharing responsibilities; helps group focus on the task |
offers information and opinions |
offers facts, opinions, ideas, suggestions and relevant information |
seeks information and opinions |
asks for facts, opinions, ideas, suggestions and relevant information |
summarises |
pulls together related ideas or suggestions and restates them in summary form |
coordinates |
demonstrates the relationships between the various ideas and suggestions and activities |
diagnoses |
works out what might be blocking progress and effective group work |
energises |
stimulates the group to work to a high standard |
tests |
examines ideas to see if they are practical and workable; considers alternatives |
evaluates |
assesses the group’s achievements in the light of the group’s goals and timelines |
Process roles |
Actions and behaviours |
|---|---|
listens actively |
welcomes others’ ideas while expressing their own; is receptive to others’ ideas and gives verbal and non-verbal feedback to the speaker |
encourages |
warmly encourages participation from all group members, clearly values and accepts contributions |
compromises and harmonises |
tries to reconcile disagreements when opinions differ or conflict arises |
relieves tension |
suggests breaks, makes jokes or proposes fun approaches to group work |
helps with communication |
ensures that each group member understands what others are saying; asks for clarification or repetition if there seems to be a lack of understanding |
monitors the climate |
checks how the group is feeling about their work and about the progress being made |
observes the methods by which the group is working |
observes members’ behaviours and group strategies and uses these observations as the basis for developing more effective group processes as required |
checks progress |
helps the group to meet expectations |
builds trust |
supports openness from other group members; reinforces individual risk-taking |
solves interpersonal problems |
helps minimise and resolve conflicts between group members |
It is likely that teams will experience difficulties at some stage in both tasks and processes. Some of the more common problems with suggested solutions are listed in the table below.
Problems |
Suggested solutions |
|---|---|
Some students are shy. |
Draw them out. Encourage them and give them time and the opportunity to respond. |
Some students find certain skills very challenging. |
Identify each others’ strengths and utilise them in the group. |
Some team members talk too much. |
Create time limits. Ensure that each team member has a chance to speak. |
Some team members do not do the work agreed upon. |
Negotiate their involvement. Write a team statement clarifying the tasks that each individual is responsible for during the project. |
Some team members do not do the work on time. |
Draw up a timeline for the tasks with the name of the member who is responsible next to each task. Make it one member’s job to check the progress of the tasks and to remind individual members of their timelines. |
Sometimes one team member dominates the talk time. |
Use any opportunity to interrupt politely and say that time is limited and it is useful to hear other people’s ideas. This is important as otherwise all opinions are not explored and others might become resentful. |
Sometimes the group gets off task and wastes the time gossiping or telling stories. |
Allow some short time to have a diversion and a laugh, but then remind the team of the timelines and the tasks that need to be completed in that session. |
