Team Building and Collaboration, Part 1

When I think about the different groups that I have been involved in, I find that indeed the high-performing groups are the hardest to leave. I have found that the groups that I have been in and have gone through all 5 stages and have made it through the storm so to speak are the groups that I have formed genuine bonds with the members. I feel like these groups have become in a way a new family for me.

The group that sticks out the most is a group that was formed my senior year at my university. We were assigned groups at the beginning of the semester and had to work on a group project through out the duration of the class; this was indeed a life changing experience.  I felt it was hard to leave this group because we became much more than group members we became friends. Also within this group, all individuals were from different cultural backgrounds, so not only did we learn about the habits, strengths and weaknesses of each person, we were also able to learn about the personal side of the members, each individuals background.

When it is time to say good-bye, I have never been good at saying good-bye, so in order to protect myself, I find myself starting to distance myself from the group a few days before the end comes. I am working on breaking this habit, but it is hard and something that I have not been able to overcome. I think that adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork in that it signifies that the job is done, the work is complete. I think the adjourning stage is also essential for the self-esteem and confidence of each group member; something has been accomplished and it is now time to move on and take the lessons learned to enhance the next experience.

I imagine that I will adjourn from the group of colleagues I have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program with out much difficulty in that I am not in constant contact with any particular person. I feel like this type of adjourning is less personal and will be a different type of experience verses the experience of adjourning from individuals whom I have had face to face contact with on a regular basis.