Team Concepts and Team Building CE A438 Design of Civil Engineering Systems

Team Concepts  Engineering projects are ALWAYS team efforts  The ability to successfully interact with others is necessary to successful engineering  The need for learning team skills is so important that it is a requirement of all engineering programs in the U.S.

Demonstration Exercise  DO NOT PEEK AT THE PAPER!!!  When told too, complete the assignment given you.  When done, get the instructor’s attention so that your time can be recorded.

More of the Exercise  AGAIN.. DON’T PEEK!  When told too, complete the assignment given you.  When done, get the instructor’s attention so that your time can be recorded.

Exercise Summary  What did we learn?  What advantage is there to doing the assignment by yourself?  What advantage is there to doing the assignment as a group?  What skills were needed to work as a group that were not required when you did it by yourself?

Competitive vs. Cooperative  Let’s do a competitive activity –Find an opponent –Find out who is best at “Rock, Paper, Scissors” (Best out of five attempts)  Let’s do a cooperative activity –Find a partner –Do what the instructor requests

Exercise Summary  Contrast the thoughts that went through your mind as you played each of the games  Contrast the behaviors that you exhibited as you participated in each game  What skills are needed to be successful in each case? How do they differ?

Expected Behaviors in a Team  Be on time  Complete commitments/assignments  Don’t commit to something that you can’t do  Respect other’s views  Ask for help when you need it  More…

Leadership  “the process of influencing the activities of an individual or a group in efforts towards goal achievement in a given situation” (BSA training materials)  Leadership is LEARNED skill –There are recognized principles and procedures that you can learn.

Skills of Leadership  Knowing and Using Resources  Communicating  Understanding the Characteristics and Needs of the Group and its Members  Planning  Controlling the Group  Effective Teaching  Representing the Group  Evaluating  Counseling  Sharing Leadership  Setting the Example From: BSA Woodbadge Training Materials

Types of Leadership Leadership Types AutocratAuthoricratBureaucratDemocratParticicratAbdicrat Image Order Giver DirectorExplainerDiscusser Joint Determiner Crisis Oriented Source of Power SelfPosition Rules & Regulations Majority Rule Total Group Informal Organization Quality of Acceptance LowMoreOKHighHighChance? Style of Leadership TellingPersuadingDelegatingConsultingJoiningNone From: BSA Woodbadge Training Materials More ParticipationLess Participation

Team Experience #1  The Explosive Hula Hoop –Objective:  Lower the hula hoop to the ground keeping it level and supporting it only on your index fingers –Rules:  The hula hoop must stay essentially level  Breaking contact between the hula hoop and any index finger causes the hula hoop to explode and you must start again.

Team Experience #2  Handcuffs –Objective: Disconnect from the rest of the group –Rules:  The rope cannot be cut  The loop cannot be slipped off anyone’s hands

Team Experience #3  Magic Carpet –Scenario: Your group is on a magic carpet 1,000 ft up in the air. You need to see the instructions on the other side of the carpet. –Challenge: Flip the carpet over while standing on it.

Team Experience #4  Problem: –Three missionaries and three very hungry cannibals arrive at the bank of a wide river at the same time. Both groups wish to cross the river but there is only one canoe and it only holds two people. If the cannibals ever outnumber the missionaries at any time or location, the outnumbered missionary(ies) will be eaten by the cannibals.  Objective: –Get all six people across the river without losing any missionaries to the hungry cannibals.

Exercise Summary  What group skills are necessary to accomplish the task?  How does leadership affect the outcome? –Who took charge? –What leadership style(s) did they attempt to use? –What leadership skills were implemented and how well did they work?  What did you learn about your teammates in the process?