Making Your Team-Work: Developing Your Assessment Team NACADA Executive Office Kansas State University 2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 225 Manhattan, KS Phone: (785) Fax: (785) © 2012 National Academic Advising Association The contents of all material in this presentation are copyrighted by the National Academic Advising Association, unless otherwise indicated. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of an original work prepared by a U.S. or state government officer or employee as part of that person's official duties. All rights are reserved by NACADA, and content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of NACADA, or as indicated below. Members of NACADA may download pages or other content for their own use, consistent with the mission and purpose of NACADA. However, no part of such content may be otherwise or subsequently be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred, in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of, and with express attribution to NACADA. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law and is subject to criminal and civil penalties. NACADA and National Academic Advising Association are service marks of the National Academic Advising Association. The Global Community for Academic Advising Kathy Zarges Kent State University

The Global Community for Academic Advising Overview of the Session Review the concept of a ‘Team’ and research about successful teams in the business world. Explore the development of an Assessment Team at your institution. – Reasons to develop a team – Key considerations when selecting your team members – Possible members – Expecting the unexpected – Roadblocks – Starting off on the right foot Provide time for sharing and discussion.

‘A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks. A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team. Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximize his or her strengths and minimize his or her weaknesses.’ (“Team," 2008). The Global Community for Academic Advising What is a Team?

The Global Community for Academic Advising Successful Teams 7 Characteristics of High Performing Teams (PERFORM) Purpose and Values Empowerment Relationships and Communication Flexibility Optimal Productivity Recognition and Appreciation Morale

The Global Community for Academic Advising What is an Assessment Team? – The group of people that you will work with to develop and implement an Assessment Plan at your institution. – This is different from your stakeholders (although there could be overlap). What is the value of developing a team? – Workload involved in assessment – Skills/resources/knowledge that you may not have – Potential synergistic effect of a team – Members from around campus will allow your ‘message’ to reach a broader audience. – Can help keep each other motivated and on track

The Global Community for Academic Advising Developing Your Assessment Team Key considerations when forming your team: – Skills/knowledge/expertise needed – Personalities needed – Structure of your College/University – Political climate at your institution – Ideal size of your team

The Global Community for Academic Advising Developing Your Assessment Team Who should be on your Assessment Team? – Who is already on your team (if you have one)? – How many people do you want on your team? – What departments/colleges/offices should be represented? – What knowledge/skills/expertise do you need? – What types of personalities should you have on your team? – Based on the answers above, who are the specific people that should be on your team? – Does this match the structure and political climate of your institution? – Who is missing from your team?

The Global Community for Academic Advising Expecting the Unexpected Unexpected responses you may receive from your team members at the onset: – Fear of assessment – Negative connotation of assessment – Lack of knowledge about assessment process – Volunteers vs. nominees – Looking for quick answers – Satisfaction vs. student learning – Time commitment required – What responses have you had that surprised you?

The Global Community for Academic Advising Roadblocks Roadblocks that you may experience early on or at any stage in the process: – Keeping your team motivated – Keeping the team moving forward and not getting caught up in the details – Avoiding venting sessions/negativity – Conflict within the group – Developing ‘Group Think’ – Changing team members – Factors outside your control – Others you have experienced?

The Global Community for Academic Advising Starting off on the Right Foot Educate team members about assessment. Provide team members with resources (ie: materials from the assessment institute). Offer a mini-assessment institute/workshop for your members. Address negative feelings about assessment. Provide positive examples of assessment. Share your vision of how you will use the results of your assessment for improvement. Create shared goals and give everyone ownership of those goals. Include everyone in the development of the team’s goals. Revise the goals and adjust them as needed throughout the process.

The Global Community for Academic Advising Starting off on the Right Foot Provide structure for the group (but be flexible). Communicate progress and next steps on a regular basis. Provide direction until the rest of the team members feel confident and can share the leadership. Allow team members to work to their strengths. Delegate based on known strengths. Encourage team members to go beyond their comfort zone. Encourage shared leadership and responsibility. Once your group is established, encourage other members to convene the meeting, set the agenda, etc. Immerse new team members as quickly as possible into the team.

The Global Community for Academic Advising Sharing Your Experiences What experiences have you had developing and working with your assessment team? How has it evolved or changed over time? What are the characteristics that have made it effective? What roadblocks or unexpected challenges have you faced along the way?

The Global Community for Academic Advising References Blanchard K, Carew D. How to get your group to perform like a team. (Cover story). Training & Development [serial online]. September 1996;50(9):34. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed January 4, Kozlowski, S., & Ilgen, D. (2007, June). The Science of Team Success. Scientific American Mind, 18(3), Retrieved January 4, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database. Team. (2008, December 22). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved January 5, 2009, from