This document discusses characteristics of effective teams and teamwork. It outlines several key factors that contribute to successful team performance: 1. Teams need a clearly defined purpose and goals that all members are invested in achieving. 2. Roles and responsibilities within the team must be clearly established, along with decision-making processes. 3. High-functioning teams have strong communication, shared responsibility among members, and utilize each person's unique talents and perspectives. Conflicts are addressed openly and training is provided to continuously improve skills.

1. Thinking About Learning in a Team

2. Consider – Individually (15 min.):… a time when you worked with a team to successfully accomplish a task.What was it that you did?Why were you doing it?Did you have support? What did that support look like?Was this work hard? Risky? Safe?What motivated you?How did you know your work was good? What were the qualities of your work?Did you know the work was good immediately or did that knowledge come to you later?

3. Paired Sharing (15 min. each person)With a partner share what you wrote. As you talk, your partner will be listening for “working conditions”. Working conditions can be the structures, supports, atmosphere, purpose, standards, risk level, etc. that you describe as aspects of our situation that led to your success.Partners may ask clarifying and probing questions to gain a better sense of your ‘working conditions’.Partners take notes and then tell you what ‘working conditions’ they heard you describe. Check for accuracy and agreement. Put these conditions on chart paper to be posted.Switch roles and repeat the process.

4. Full Group: Graze and React(15-20 min.)With your partner, read and consider the other lists of ‘working conditions’.

5. Characteristics of Well-Functioning TeamsFrom Ed Leadership TOOLKIThttp://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/index.html

6. Characteristics of a TeamThere must be an awareness of unity on the part of all its members. There must be interpersonal relationship. Members must have a chance to contribute, learn from and work with others. The members must have the ability to act together toward a common goal.

7. characteristics of well-functioning teams:Purpose: Members proudly share a sense of why the team exists and are invested in accomplishing its mission and goals. Priorities: Members know what needs to be done next, by whom, and by when to achieve team goals. Roles: Members know their roles in getting tasks done and when to allow a more skillful member to do a certain task. Decisions: Authority and decision-making lines are clearly understood.

8. Conflict: Conflict is dealt with openly and is considered important to decision-making and personal growth.Personal traits: members feel their unique personalities are appreciated and well utilized.Norms: Group norms for working together are set and seen as standards for every one in the groups. Effectiveness: Members find team meetings efficient and productive and look forward to this time together. Success: Members know clearly when the team has met with success and share in this equally and proudly. Training: Opportunities for feedback and updating skills are provided and taken advantage of by team members.

9. Guidelines for effective team membership:Contribute ideas and solutions Recognize and respect differences in others Value the ideas and contributions of others Listen and share information Ask questions and get clarification Participate fully and keep your commitments Be flexible and respect the partnership created by a team -- strive for the "win-win" Have fun and care about the team and the outcomes.

10. Characteristics of a high-performance team:Participative leadership - creating an interdependence by empowering, freeing up and serving others. Shared responsibility - establishing an environment in which all team members feel responsibility as the manager for the performance team. Aligned on purpose - having a sense of common purpose about why the team exists and the function it serves. High communication - creating a climate of trust and open, honest communication. Creative talents - applying individual talents and creativity. Rapid response - identifying and acting on opportunities.

11. Keep in mind….What does this mean for our work within on-line learning communities?