Team building

1. Think of at least two advantages and disadvantages of working in a team.

2. How well could you work in a team? For each category in the quiz below, tick the three statements that most apply to you. Comment on the results.

What sort of team player are you?

Doers vs. Thinkers	Details vs. Ideas	Mind vs. Heart	Planners vs. Improvisers
a)I consider what I say.	a) I often come up with unusual solutions.	a) I like to think logically.	a) Meetings have to be prepared for carefully.
b) I contribute a lot in discussion.	b) It’s important to be realistic.	b) I keep emotions out of decision- making.	b) I like surprises.
c) Action is more important than reflection.	c) People see me as a creative person.	c) I avoid confrontation.	c) I hate time-wasting at meetings.
d) I listen to others before I say anything.	d) I like practical solutions.	d) I sometimes tread on people’s toes.	d) Too much time can be spend on preparation.
e) Discussion gives me energy and ideas.	e) You shouldn’t overlook details.	e) Understanding people is as important as being right.	e) People say I’m a punctual person.
f) I don’t say a lot at meetings.	f) You shouldn’t get lost in details.	f) I care about other people’s feelings.	f) I need a deadline to get me going.

3. Meredith Belbin has identified these types of team members or team players.

a) Look at this classification and decide what kind of team player you are.

the implementer, who convert the team’s plan into something achievable

the coordinator, a confident member who sets objectives and defines team member’s roles

the shaper, who defines issues, shapes ideas and leads the action

the plant, a creative and imaginative person who supplies original ideas and solves problems

the resource investigator, who communicates with outside world and explores opportunities

the monitor evaluator, who sees all the possibilities, evaluates situations objectively, and sees what is realistically achievable

the teamworker, who builds the team, supports others and reduces conflict

the completer, who meets deadlines, corrects mistakes and sure nothing is forgotten

b) Look at the types of team members again and say if these statements are true or false.

1 Implementers are not interested in final results.

2 Co-ordinators tend to take a leading, organizing role.

3 Shapers tend to follow what other people say.

4 Plants can be useful in providing new ideas when the team has run out of steam.

5 Some resource investigators might love using the Internet.

6 Monitor evaluators are not good at seeing all sides of the problem.

7 Teamworkers may help to defuse arguments between members.

8 Completers are bad at finishing things on time.