Team Development

When working with a group that is high functioning it is easy to feel a part of a family.  Every voice is heard and respected and attempts are made to include everyone in the overall goal of the group. In high performing groups everyone's skills and knowledge are combined to meet the group's goals.  When group members begin to identify their role in the group, it makes the direction of the group more evident.  It helps everyone know what to expect and each member something to contribute. 

It was hard leaving a high performing group when coming up with a presentation idea for NAEYC because everyone shared information and worked towards the same goal.  This group made everyone feel a valued contributor and each member had a chance to demonstrate their contribution and passion towards the goal.  This gave me the opportunity to see what being a valued contributor felt like.  It was beneficial to be a part of a group of people who understood that I had something to contribute to the goal of the group.   I would love to have had a closing ritual of some kind.  This would have helped me reflect on my participation in the group and know how I could improve the next time I was a part of a group like this.  It would also help me determine my leadership potential and know how I could better conduct groups in the future. 

I think that I will adjourn from my educational colleagues by letting them know how much I learned from them and summarizing their journey through the Master's program.  I would also like to know how they will further their experiences in the work force and if they have plans to continue on with their eduation.  Adjourning is an important step because it gives everyone a chance to see if they are in the same place to continue on their journey together, see if they have the same interests and maybe even maintain working relationships.