Teamwork and Decision-Making - Reflective Journal Paper Example

Introduction

In the second semester, during the third week, we formed a group that was intended to discuss and make a presentation on the issues given. The team included Tarina, Naptisha, Suleymaan, Lionel, Jag and me (Daniel). The group was an effective way of solving issues and it involved teamwork building and strict follow up on the deadlines and the rules that formed the group. After taking the Belbin test, it was easy to identify the strengths and weaknesses that we all had and it was easy to choose and allocate the roles that each of us would undertake. For example, the test helped us to identify that Naptisha was a good leader and she had been in leadership positions before. Out of that confidence, we decided she was fit to become our ultimate leader. The first role she took was to make a Gantt chart that acted as our guide in achieving our goals. The timelines set in the chart would determine what was to be done and when it is to be done.

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Alexandra was identified as a team worker and was given the role of preparing the final presentation. That role required someone who can work with all team members to collect their positions and their information. I am also a team worker and I was required to participate in planning the Wednesday meetings. I would contact all team members and inform them about our meetings. In case of any changes, I would inform them on time for easier planning. I also worked with Alexander to prepare the final presentation. Tarina was identified as an implementer and she helped us make final decisions on the presentations. She was also in charge of the planning and choosing of the strategies to use to achieve our goals. Communication among the members was a critical aspect and we needed to have a reliable and centralized way of communication. The first and most effective idea was to form an online group and this helped us to have a coordinated communication. It was also a good chance for us to communicate and bond with each other. The group also made it unnecessary to meet weekly as we used to. Through it, we could lo deal with the unplanned issues that could arise.

Flexibility and Creativity

The roles that each member played was decided after the Belbin test and each member was assigned the roles that suited their capabilities. The creativity of the roles was that they were matched with the capabilities and this made it easy for the members to deliver as expected. For example, being a team player, I was assigned the duty of planning the meetings and this was a flexible role that I could do without straining. The role was also easy for me because I had the right skills. The sharing of the roles also made it easy for us to meet our deadlines. For example, I worked with Alexander to prepare the final presentation and this made it easy for both of us. The creativity from the Belbin test helped us to choose the right roles for the right people.

Effective Communication and Team Building

As stated above, communication is one of the most critical roles in any group. Poor or no communication has the potential to affect the functioning of the group and to lead to failure. To achieve effective communication, the first role was to set up an online group. As stated above, the group was highly beneficial and it improved the way the team members passed information. The second strategy was to ensure regular updates on the matters project. All team members were required to share their progress with the rest of the group at regular intervals and this made it easy to understand the progress of the team and the areas that required attention. The other one was strict rules to manage communication. All team members were required to use a formal language and to have respectful encounters with each other. It was also a requirement that all of us had to send feedback when one of the members asked for it. In other words, we all agreed that feedback was essential and that members should not ignore the matters under discussion.

Appreciation is a positive gesture that encourages people to communicate. Therefore, the team appreciated all members and always congratulated the members for any achievement made. Time management was also necessary for the communication of the team. Members needed to plan their time effectively to get time to respond to the matters raised in the group. AT the beginning of the group meetings, our leader always reminded us that all members should listen to each other and should respond to the issues raised effectively. She also explained the need to be consistent to avoid confusion. The team also voided the use of informal and technical words that could offend or be too hard for the members to understand respectively.

Decision-Making Process

One of the most sensitive parts of teamwork is making decisions. If the wrong decisions are made, the outcomes of the group are also wrong. In a group made of experts, making decisions is difficult because each team members has an opinion that they believe is correct. In our team, the decision-making process was easy because each of us had a role. After collecting the results and views of all team members, the coordinator had an easy time arriving at the final decision. The decisions were based on the good ethics that guide the organizations. Professionalism was embraced because without it the team could not survive.

Decision-making Process

Throughout the team meetings, all decisions were made after a thorough consultation to determine the views of all team members. The processes used to gather facts to use in the decision-making were all made clear to the team and it was easy to determine when the right or the wring methods were used. In cases where the wrong processes were used to collect the facts, decisions would be reversed. The coordinator consulted all members and then made the final decision. The members had a chance to reverse any decisions made by the coordinator if they had adequate facts to reverse them.

Effectiveness of taking responsibility, ownership, and acting

The effectiveness of taking responsibilities was made easy by the fact that all team members were allocated the roles that they can serve well. They were quick to take responsibilities because they had control over the issues that surrounded their areas of specialty. For example, as the implementer, Tarina could take responsibility if she failed to achieve the goal set. Owning mistakes and taking action was effective in the individual roles and the team members were responsible in the way they made decisions that matter to the group. For example, in making the Gantt. Naptisha ensured that all members could fit into the timeline set.

Reflection

During the teamwork, the critical moment when I deepened my understanding and improved my professional skills was when I was required to give a report on the progress of the team when we were half-way done with the project. In a moment of reflective observation, I experienced the feeling of professional reporting and how it can affect the success of the team. I developed ideas on reporting and I experienced a moment of responsibility and professional advancement.