Learning team analysis and collaborative dynamics

team dynamics a. Describe the process your team has used to form, storm, norm, and perform. At this point, where do you believe your team is in the team formation process?

During the formulation part of the team-creation process, our group was fairly formal in the way we related to one another. We were respectful, but cool. Then icebreaking conversation and structured discussion of the expectations awaiting us all over the course of the project established some initial and warmer forms cohesion, although we were still keeping along with the often unspoken "rules of behavior" that are observed within a new group. (CSL, 2005) During the 'storming' stage, some members of the group began to emerge as more dominant, as more specific and controversial issues had to be addressed beyond the getting-to-know-you process.

At present, the group is still in the 'norm' phase. One of the group members was forced to leave the group due to outside, personal issues. Interestingly enough, although "the major drawback of the norm stage is that members may begin to fear the inevitable future breakup of the group; they may resist change of any sort," this development seems to have pressing the group onto the next phase more quickly. We have been forced to close ranks and to aim to move onto the next stage, to perform at the higher standard, particularly. All of had noticed a decline in the member's participation since the last class -- now we are back on course. (CSL, 2005) b. What strategies have you used as a team to manage your group process?

Rather than adopt a single, clear leader, or adhere to a directive approach, this team has preferred to use loosely structured idea-generating processes like brainstorming and idea clustering. We have tried to forestall immediate judgments of ideas, and focus upon opening up rather than closing lines of discussion.

c. What roles has each team member played thus far? How has that affected the team's dynamics? Be sure to use the roles identified in the text to support your analysis. This can be very general.

Timekeeper, scorekeeper, leader, and facilitator. While everyone wishes to be a leader, all of us in the group have alternately performed these functions. (Allerman, 2004) On one hand, the downside to this sharing is that occasionally our discussions and brainstorming can lack focus and direction, however, on the other hand, there is a lack of self-censoring and general respectfulness between one another.

d. Each team member please take the Jung Personality Profile.

My personality as an ENFJ or a slightly expressed extrovert has helped me, according to my teammates, show foster poster team dynamics in a socially engaged fashion. The ENFJ is a 'salesperson' and this can mean a salesperson of ideas, such as the positive nature of team unity. However, my moderately expressed intuitive personality combined with my moderately expressed feeling personality has made me receptive to the concerns and needs of other team members, and allowed me to act as a facilitator rather than act as a purely directive leader.