T.E.A.M. - Together Everyone Achieves More

Thats the theory isn't it.  The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.  However I am not sure TEAM always works out that way.


Forming a unknown team is always an uncomfortable and delicate process. Will personalities get on?  Is everyone working towards the same goal? Will everyone put in the necessary work to produce the outcome required?  I am sure being in a team can be a frustrating and lonely process.

In this case, we had to form teams ourselves, to produce two group assessments.  When faced with this objective, I decided to find team members in a similar life situation to me, so that we could understand each other and communicate (hopefully) well. I read the introductions posted on the forum until I thought one sounded like me and then responded.

We decided to schedule twice weekly skype meetings before we started on our first group assessment, so that we could get to know each other and figure out our place and purpose in the team  Although not as good as face to face discussion, this worked very well.  We then discussed roles that were needed to get the first team assessment started and considered what we were good, and not so good at.

Catherine naturally seemed to take charge, getting us to know each other, drive and chair the meeting, making her the team leader and obvious co-ordinator, which she was very good at. Liz put her hand up to act as editor but also contributed some brilliant ideas and different ways to approach any problem. Emma offered some really great and quirky suggestions with research to back it up and was also excellent in times of energy lag, getting us up and working again with her enthusiasm.  She was keen and eager to take on any work. I like to know exactly how to approach a problem and make a plan to get it done.  I am not good at ideas or finishing the end of a project, luckily others had that role.

The Belbin team role lessons were fascinating and as it turned out, completely viable for our team.  We all did a test to analyse which three Belbin roles best fit, the three were were versatile in and the three were were uncomfortable with.  All of us were team workers able to cooperate well without any friction, which worked very well.  All other roles were filled by our versatile abilities except specialist, which no-one seemed to be.  I am sure on this occasion we didn't need a specialist as all of our research was new to us.

I think we all mainly kept to our roles, only faltering slightly if one person was missing from a discussion and decision making.  I am a very flexible person, happy to be persuaded into another idea, if there is a reasoning behind it.  We could discuss ideas well and with little disagreement.

The only difficulty was the pressure in the few days before assessment two was due.  Our poor editor had to control all the changes being made.  I am sure she needed a holiday after we submitted assessment 2.  Well done Liz!

Assessment 3 brought some other technical challenges which not all of us were skilled in.  Luckily Catherine was able to tackle that frustrating challenge. Sorry I was't much help.

I think in our team there were two main leadership theories which were obvious. We all seemed to naturally have traits (trait theory).  Catherine was naturally a leader and coordinator, Emma an ideas and team worker, Liz an ideas and finisher and me a planner/coordinator and worker.  I think these traits are natural to us and have evolved through our lives.  We were just lucky that we managed to gather together a team of complementary traits.  I can only imagine how this could turn out with a different grouping of people.  Can you imagine a team of ideas people? they would never achieve anything or agree.

The other leadership theory which was used in our team was the democratic style (style theory).  The decision making process was very equitable, made all together.  All ideas were listened to and if not used, then there was a reason why.  Everyone had a say.  I believe this made everyone on team relatively happy with what we achieved in the end.

As the sun sets on our teamwork, I believe that we worked together productively and convivially and have achieved more as a team.  I have really enjoyed working with them.  Thanks to Emma, Liz and Catherine.