Team Building Sharon Witt March 2012

Aims of the session: To enable you to – Identify your own approach to learning and working in a team; Identify your own approach to learning and working in a team; To consider Belbin’s model of team roles To consider Belbin’s model of team roles

In the long history of humankind...those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed - Charles Darwin

Why is team work important? Why is team work important?

Team building activities “ Sit down “ “ Sit down “ Pass the squeeze Pass the squeeze

Team building activities “ Sit down “ - taking turns/ “ Sit down “ - taking turns/ non verbal communication non verbal communication Pass the squeeze – working as a team – focused Pass the squeeze – working as a team – focused

Quick paper tower icebreaker! Aim: to promote creative thinking, Aim: to promote creative thinking, and teamwork- skills and process analysis Resources: 1 sheet of A4 paper Resources: 1 sheet of A4 paper Instruction: Using the sheet of paper only - no other materials - construct the tallest free-standing structure – in 10 minutes. Instruction: Using the sheet of paper only - no other materials - construct the tallest free-standing structure – in 10 minutes.

Points to consider for review : Planning and timing - who planned and who ran out of time? Planning and timing - who planned and who ran out of time? Pressure - what were the effects on people and performance from the pressure of time? Pressure - what were the effects on people and performance from the pressure of time? Innovation - what innovative ideas were devised? Innovation - what innovative ideas were devised? Risk -what observations could be made about high-risk and low-risk methods / approaches. Risk -what observations could be made about high-risk and low-risk methods / approaches. Learning - would each team/individual be able to improve their result at a second attempt? How would you improve? Learning - would each team/individual be able to improve their result at a second attempt? How would you improve?

Points to consider for review (ctd) : What were the opportunities and challenges in enabling the team to perform the task effectively? What makes a good team ? How can you apply this to your work setting ?

A good team: has a shared vision - it knows what it wants to achieve has a shared vision - it knows what it wants to achieve puts the desired team outcome first: individual interests take a secondary place puts the desired team outcome first: individual interests take a secondary place is clear about targets and priorities - and agrees these together is clear about targets and priorities - and agrees these together can make decisions can make decisions has members with different strengths, who can make different contributions has members with different strengths, who can make different contributions includes all members, everybody counts, efforts are made to ensure that nobody feels left out or undervalued includes all members, everybody counts, efforts are made to ensure that nobody feels left out or undervaluedhttp://

Good team members: respect the time of all members respect the time of all members are punctual for meetings are punctual for meetings turn up turn up complete their own targets to deadline so that other people are not kept waiting complete their own targets to deadline so that other people are not kept waiting respect the opinions of others in the team respect the opinions of others in the team take turns take turns share responsibilities share responsibilities keep each other informed about developments keep each other informed about developmentshttp://

Belbin – Team Roles Belbin (1996 ) identified the kind of roles people could occupy in a team Belbin (1996 ) identified the kind of roles people could occupy in a team

When the best and brightest come together, the possibilities are endless