New Team Member Training Being Part of a TEAM New Team Member Training

Congratulations! You are now part of a very large family…. You are a member of a DI Team! Let the fun and creativity begin! You are probably excited, nervous, and full of anticipation. You are a DI team member. You are at the starting line of one of the largest creative problem solving program for students of all ages. The Destination Imagination program has memberships all over the world. But you are probably wondering what does it take to be team member.

First Meeting – Ground Rules Introduce yourself Restate goals Name the team Contact information Develop Work Plan Ice Breaker Everyone should take turns stating their name and the reason they want to be a part of DI. Have everyone write down five goals for the challenge and then compare notes. Having a team name will help you feel closer to the challenge. Having contact information for team members can make it easier to communicate with each other. Look at challenge and develop a work plan so that you can reach your goal Use ice breaker games to get to know each other better. These may seem silly at first but they will help develop trust, understanding, and common ground between team members.

What is teamwork? team·work: work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole This is the definition of teamwork according the Mirream-Webster dictionary is work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence of the efficiency of the whole. In layman terms this means work done by several people with each doing their part but all working together for one main goal.

Three Basic Team Building Skills Communication skills Analytical skills Organizational skills As part of a team these basic skill are very important. Team members need the ability to state ideas or questions clearly, listen to others attentively, and to resolve disagreements in a positive manner. Team members need to evaluate the information and then express their creative solutions. A team needs to be able to set deadlines for their task and be able to meet them on time.

Communication Skills Active Listening Ask Questions Constructive Feedback Body Language and tone Humor Chatting Patience It is important that you listen carefully to your team mates when they are speaking. If you don’t pay attention to what your team mates are saying you may miss an important detail, and in the worst case, you repeat the detail you missed because you were not listening. If you hear something that you don’t understand, you should ask about it. It's important that everyone understand exactly what's going on. Chances are that if you're confused, then others are too. Remember the only dumb question is the one that is not asked. It is very important to be able to tell your team members how you are feeling, even if it is something that they thought up. Remember to be constructive with your feedback. You may find the following steps helpful: Don’t express your comment as a fact; give a good explanation for your ideas; restate the original idea to make sure everyone understands; compliment others ideas; respond, don’t react; do not interrupt; critique the idea not the person; and remember to always be courteous. The way you are feeling shows in your body language and your tone. If have had a bad day your response may reflect that mood. It is important to never make fun of your teammates or to say something that would hurt someone’s feelings. But being able to laugh at your mistakes as a team may help the project go forward. Meeting don’t always have to be all about work. It is good to take time to talk about things that have happened to each of you during your day. This doesn’t mean you socialize the entire meeting. You may have the best idea, but not everyone may understand it the first time. The same question may be asked more than once. A member may forget a deadline unless reminded. Disagreements may occur over small details. But in most cases if you are patient things will work out for the best.

Analytical & Creativity Skills Focus Day-dream Brain storm Open Mind Ask Questions Learn from what has not worked Ideas Book Thinking through possible solutions to reach the team goal. Daydreaming or distracting your mind may help keep your solutions light hearted and fun. Brainstorming ideas on a big piece of paper as you come up with them. Don’t erase any of them just keep going around the table until no one has anything to say. You must realize that not all of the ideas that may not work out or may be silly but that your main goal is to keep ideas flowing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions? Ideas may not be seen the same way by the same person. This way everyone will be on the same page, plus you may get other ideas from the explaination. It is okay to make mistakes. We all make mistakes and sometimes are mistakes can lead to great solutions. Keep an idea book. This way you will have a place to reflect back on when you are wondering what you where thinking in the first place.

Organizational Skills Define a goal List tasks Assign responsibilities Develop deadlines Develop a checklist Plan meetings Reminders Be specific in defining your goals List all tasks in a reasonable chunks. Tasks should be divided equally between team members so that everyone shares the work tasks. Make up a timeline and give it plenty of cushion so that the team doesn’t get discouraged. Best way to do this is to start at the goal and work backwards. Developing a check list will help keep a visual record on the steps that have been completed and those that are left open yet. All team members should help set up the practice schedule. By planning the meeting together everyone will be on the same page. Remind yourself and others on upcoming deadlines so that everyone stays focused on the main goal.

Conflict Happens Having different opinions is an essential benefit to teamwork. All team member consist of emotions and feeling. If a team is only set up by logic and information it will not succeed. Fortunately, it is possible to take steps to minimize disagreement and conflict and to resolve those disagreements that may be dangerously escalating.

Setting up Expectations Acknowledge that conflict does exists. Gain common ground. Seek understanding to all angles. Attack the issues not the person. Develop an action plan. It is good for team members to understand that they will not always agree. If a conflict does arise it is best to look for common ground. Sometimes it is best for you to put yourself in that person’s shoes. Remember it is not the person you are upset with but the action. A good goal for the team to keep conflicts at bay is to set up a team mission statement that everyone agrees to follow.

There is No “I” in Team There are many things you should remember but the most important is that a team does not consist of one person… but a group of individuals who are striving for a main goal. Remember that to be part of team may take work but you are gaining skills that will help you to grow. You will make friends that will be with you for a life time.