group.pdf

Team Building

An organization is composed of a group of individuals that have come together out of

mutual interest. Each person brings to the group his or her special talents, history,

skills, unique set of experiences and a set of norms or values. Team building shifts

the focus of the group to its members rather than the organizational tasks, thus allow-

ing the members to feel important and cared for.

It is the group process that uses activities requiring members to work together to dis-

cover shared interests and lays the groundwork for new and deeper friendships.

When done effectively, team building highlights each person's differences in values,

personality and skills while simultaneously building the membership into a cohesive,

trusti ng and mutually supportive group. Building strong interpersonal ties increases

member satisfaction and group productivity. Team building should not be used in an

attempt to make everyone the same.

There are many different methods of team building, each designed to produce differ-

ing results. In order to find the appropriate exercise for your organization, please read

through the entire list at the end of this handout, paying close attention to the ex-

pected results. If this is the first time your organization will be participating in a team-

building process, you might find it better to pick one of the less risky exercises. You

can always choose a riskier exercise after you have been working together for a while

and are more comfortable as a group.

Whatever you select, it is important to emphasize both the group and individual bene-

fits gained through team building. Never force a member to participate. Not all peo-

ple are comfortable participating in an activity that requires self-disclosure; they will

when they feel it is time.

After you have completed your team-building exercise, it is necessary to spend time

as a group discussing this experience. Part of any team-building process is sharing

what has been learned and experienced; what members liked and disliked; and, most

importantly, how they felt while participating. Team building is hindered if inadequate

time is allotted for discussion or if individual feelings surface and are not dealt with.

Although team building is essential to newly formed groups or an organization with a

large number of new members, there are other times it can be effective as well. You

might find it helpful to use team-building techniques when

* members seem bored or irritable

* members appear to be going off in different directions or drifting away from the

group

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* there is a great deal of conflict or "infighting"

* members have been apart for a while (vacations, breaks, etc.)

* you want to take a break from the normal routine or boost team spirit

EXAMPLES OF TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISES:

Self-disclosure/relationship building helps break down the barriers and allows

members to get to know one another on a more intimate level. It is very appro-

priate for groups where people will be working together closely and/or for

groups where members will be together for long periods of time.

Intimate Interviews: members pair off and interview one another for five

minutes each. One of the partners introduces the other to the group speak-

ing in the first person as if he or she were the person being introduced.

Personal Crest: members make a personal coat-of-arms in which they ex-

press important aspects about themselves through drawings or short

phrases. Possible topics or questions to include in the crest: the most sig-

nificant event in your life; how you react when upset; your primary goal for

the year; where you would like to be in 5 years.

Trust exercises generally rely on some form of physical contact but have the

added element of requiring participants to trust one another in order to com-

plete the activity. They are appropriate in most any group; but be careful that if

someone is really afraid, he/she is not pressured into participating.

Trust Walks: members take turns being blindfolded and led by another on

a short walk.

Trust Falls: members stand on a raised platform or chair and fall back-

wards into the arms of the other members.

Physical exercises help eliminate tension and distance between people, and

make them more relaxed and comfortable with each other. These are appro-

priate in most groups; but beware of individual reactions to touching/being

touched.

Human Knot: members stand in a circle and extend their right hands into

the middle and clasp the hand of another. Repeat using the left hand. Un-

tangle the knot without unclasping hands.

Cooperation exercises help people learn to work together. These exercises

can give an indication about the roles members will play in group situations

(thinker, leader, organizer,

dominator, follower, etc.). These are appropriate in any group particularly if tasks de-

mand teamwork.

Perfect Square: squares of construction paper of different colors are cut into

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odd shapes. Members each take a piece and then work with others who have

the same color to form a perfect square. This exercise is often done in silence

without talking permitted.

Brainstorm: members are asked to contribute ideas regarding a specific prob-

lem or question facing the group. Ideas are recorded without judgement.

Group Goal-Setting: members participate in reviewing and setting the group's

goals and objectives. People are more committed to a course of action they

helped to choose.

Other: Parties, potlucks, meals and retreats help break the monotony of regu-

lar meetings and provide an opportunity for members to get back in touch with

each other on a social basis. These are appropriate anytime in a group and

are particularly helpful when motivation is lacking, morale is low, or members

are drifting apart.

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We would like to give credit to the Student Organization Development Center at the University of Michi-

gan for the development of this resource sheet.

The National Order of Omega

1408 West Abram, Suite 205, Arlington, Texas 76013-1789 (817) 265-4074

119

Goal Setting

Goals are statements describing exactly what your organization wishes to accomplish. They

are the ends towards which your efforts will be directed. However, it is very important to re-

view these goals periodically; and it is very normal to change them from term to term or even

year to year. The timing will depend on your particular organization. When reviewing your

goals, you should keep in mind the following:

* Do they fit with the overall purpose of the group?

* What is the status of membership currently?

* How does the group stand financially?

* What new programs can realistically be accomplished?

Bear in mind that your goals should be

Realistic Attainable Measurable

Objectives are descriptions of exactly what is to be done in order to meet and reach your

goals. They are concise, clear statements of exactly what you plan to accomplish. They are

short-term, measurable, and attainable over a specified period of time. It is quite normal to

have several or even quite a few objectives for each goal.

Many leaders wonder why goals are so important. The reason is clear: they help define your

organization; they give direction; and they help assist your organization in avoiding mild

chaos. They can help motivate members by clarifying and communicating what the organiza-

tion is striving to achieve. They are also great for membership recruitment by allowing poten-

tial members to know what your group is all about. They could also be considered time sav-

ers by helping members and leaders become aware of problems in time to develop solutions.

They help organizations plan ahead and be prepared. But best of all, they are a basis for rec-

ognizing accomplishments and realizing your successes.

The following represents some steps for setting goals and developing an action plan:

* It is best to set goals as a group. This will create many positive results be-

cause people support what they help to create. You can expect from your

members

- better commitment

- more motivation among members and officers

- better understanding of the goals and the rationale for selecting them

- better goals as a result of having more ideas and opinions in the decision

process

* Brainstorm goals as a group

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* Prioritize your goals as a group

* Determine objectives for each goal and plan of action for each objective

* Move into action (if you fail to complete this step, your goals will never be

achieved)

* Evaluate your progress on a regular basis

- Remember that circumstances change, so be flexible and allow your ob-

jectives to change with them.

- A good way to review what you accomplish is by placing your goals on a

large sheet of poster board and marking through them as they are accom-

plished. This visually shows your group that you are on the way towards

success.

Once your organization has written its goals and objectives, it is now time to take the

task one step further and develop an action plan. This could be defined as the actual

mapping out in detail of what should be accomplished in a specific time frame.

* What is to be accomplished (your objective)?

* How will it be accomplished?

* What are your resources in terms of people, money, and materials?

* Who is responsible for completing each task?

* When will it be accomplished?

* How will you know when it has been accomplished?

* How will you measure it?

Example of an Action Plan:

* GOAL:

- To improve membership recruitment, retention, and involvement

* OBJECTIVE:

- To develop a committee structure whose purpose is to increase member involvement

by at least 70% by next term.

* HOW:

- Brainstorm ideas to increase member involvement. Review your list and weed out ei-

ther impractical or impossible ideas.

- Discuss this edited list with the executive board of leadership. Determine which will be

done and delegate the final process of setting up the final system to one or two offi-

cers.

* RESOURCES:

- Members

- executive officers

- handouts on motivation, recruitment, delegation

- your organization's advisor

* WHO

- executive board

- consultants

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