Working in Groups

Name of presenter

Aims of the session

Recognise how groups form and function Identify the inter-personal skills developed through group work Relate your knowledge of groups to team projects and other study groups Evaluate your developing inter-personal skills and action plan for change

How is a group different to a team?

Reflect individually on groups you have worked in socially, academically or in a work situation What made some groups feel like being part of a team? Be ready to share your thoughts in one minute

Teams

Are a group of people who have specific task(s) or goals(s) Effective teams will be organised Members will have specific allocated tasks and roles:

leader/coordinator, coach/mentor, achiever, doer, thinker/reflector, timekeeper, note taker, progress monitor, finisher/completer, carer

Teams Action centred leadership model (John Adair, 1986)

Achieving the TASK

Maintaining the TEAM

Developing the INDIVIDUAL

Task orientated behaviour

Identifying aims, resources, people, methods for the task Creating a plan to achieve the task Seeking information/opinions about plans, ideas Giving information/opinions about the task Allocating work responsibilities and resources Checking performance against the plan and adjusting the plan if needed

Team building behaviour

Encouraging others towards the group goals Enable effective internal communications Develop collective maturity and capability Maintaining group discipline, ethics Harmonising reducing tension and building team spirit Problem solving listening to others Expressing group feelings

Individual needs behaviour

Recognising own skills/abilities and using them Assisting and supporting individuals Understanding team members as individuals, listening to them Giving feedback to individuals Withdrawing, being very quiet in discussion Being aggressive/dominating communication

Stages in team/group development

Forming

when the group begins to discuss the task(s) and orientate towards a work plan conflicts and tensions emerge when there are different working styles, differing expectations and different work ethics beginning to develop mutual trust and effective ways of working when effective work patterns are producing the required results

Storming

Norming

Performing

Action planning for team skills development

List the teams you currently work within (seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, project team, study group, peer learning group) What could you do to make these teams more effective? Which roles would you like to develop? Set some time targets and review dates Complete an assessment on your team skills

Academic Skills Guides

Guides available are: Learning styles Reading academically Writing effectively Referencing your work Getting the most from lectures Working in groups Giving a talk Preparing effectively for examinations Search strategy Writing your dissertation EndNote - software that helps you manage references Approaching Mathematical Problems Systematically