Our conceptual model of a successful team involves the elements of Communication, Diversity, Positivity, Purpose, Embracing Challenge, and Individual Responsibility. This is my personal application of our model and how I interpret and relate to it.
Communication is one of the most important aspects of our model because it is such an integral aspect of teamwork. Communication ensures that everyone in the team understands what is expected of them for the project, and it helps all team members stay updated on the progress. In my experience, having open lines of communication ensures that everyone is getting their part done. Instead of getting angry if a member is not doing their part, you should ask them what is going on. The ability to communicate with a group member to see if they need help with anything can help them, and it can benefit the project if you can assist with any new ideas.
The next aspect of our conceptual model is Diversity, which includes aspects of Openness and Acceptance. When everyone on a team has varying backgrounds, the potential for new and unique ideas, and the project’s end results can only benefit. The topic of Diversity can also include Openness and Acceptance because when people bring different ideas to the team, all members have to listen and try to include ideas instead of immediately turning down anything that may stray from the norm. I have loved working in teams with a lot of diversity because it brings more perspective and creativity that I may not have ever thought of on my own.
Another aspect that builds off of Diversity and Acceptance is Positivity, which can also be paired with support. All team members need to be positive; nothing gets done when someone is bringing negative feedback or attitudes. This is also where constructive feedback fits into our model and into the group; if a team member thinks an idea is bad, they need to avoid negative criticism, and instead bring suggestions to improve upon the idea. Even if the project is stressful and not turning out how you want it to, you have to look at it positively, like a new opportunity for improvement. I had a group member who had a language barrier; instead of letting him feel bad because he was struggling with english, we gave him suggestions of what to work on that may work better for him, instead of getting upset.
The next concept in our model is Purpose, which can be paired with Goals. Each team member has to understand not only what their part of the project is, but also what the overall purpose of what they are doing is. For me, goals need to go above and beyond simply meeting the project requirements. There should also be more than one goal for a project; for example, completing a project of good quality is one goal, and another goal should be for the team to work together effectively and combine all of their individual knowledge. In all projects that I undertake, I meet with my groups and we talk about what our overall goals should be and how we can best accomplish them.
Next, a successful team needs to Embrace Challenge. Teams will not get the best results if they shy away from challenges and taking risks; innovation and truly great quality projects come from teams who take the risks and the challenges they encounter in stride. Instead of getting frustrated when your team encounters a challenge, you should look at it as an opportunity to brainstorm and create something great. This happened in a group I worked with where we originally planned to create an easy ad for our product, but then decided we should go above and beyond to really display our creativity, even if it would take more time and effort.
The final aspect of our conceptual model of Successful Teams is Empowerment. A team will not work successfully if all members do not feel like their decisions and efforts are making a difference. This is a great way to get everyone on board and get the best out of all members of a team. Something I try to do in my groups is to ask if anyone who is being quiet or has not contributed much has any ideas, so they know there is room for their suggestions and we value them.
How To Create A Successful Team 