Teamwork Exercise
Review Teamwork Concepts

TEAM Definition: group of people who work together to achieve a goal.

Teamwork Concepts

Training-effective member must have training for all tasks you will perform
Example: Hallmark Cards-teams oversee entire process of making greeting cards- 20% of first year is training.

I. Team Planning-chaos if not planned

a. Set goals
b. Assign roles
c. Making agreements
d. Sharing responsibility
e. Communicating regularly

a. Team Goals

1. Clearly defined roles
2. Team members must feel involved in defining a goal in order to feel committed
3. Consensus-decision that each member agrees to.

b. Assigning Roles

1. Team projects run more smoothly if the team appoints a leader.
2. Members are usually paired, less experienced member with someone more skilled.

c. Agreements

1. Specific commitment that each member makes with the group
2. A team's agreement must be consistent with its goals.
Example: Pizza Hut- 20 minutes or less or pizza is free

d. Shared Responsibility& Shared Leadership

1. Have meetings
2. Feedback
3. Allows for all to perform some management functions
4. Empowers employees

e. Valuable Team Member

1. Team only successful as its members.
2. Make teams goal your top priority
3. Listen actively and offer suggestions
4. Build positive group dynamics with team members
5. Communicate with team members outside meetings
6. Follow up to what you've been assigned
7. Work to resolve conflicts among team members
8. Respect the other members of your team
9. Inspire other employees to get involved

Divide class into teams of 3 leaving at least one or two people as singles. Do not pair them together. You will be using them as a model to see how a team reacts to the problem as compared to an individual.

Allow 15 minutes problem solving situation, gather together as a class and ask each group to present their solution. Evaluation team on

1. Setting goals
2. Assigning roles
3. Sharing responsibility
4. Choosing spokesperson
5. Solutions to the problem

Compare teams to individuals, did they,

1. Offer more solutions
2. Were they more creative
3. Did they have different view points to the problem

Role-Play situation

Assume the role of a new day assistant manager at a local fast food restaurant. Your team believes production would improve if the restaurant used a team approach to cooking and serving the food. Convince the restaurant manager that the team approach is worth a try.

Submitted but not authored by:
Maritta Gotz
Churchland High School
Portsmouth VA