Business Communication (Team Assignment Policies)
When we work in teams, things don’t always go as planned or intended. Sometimes people aren’t able to contribute to the project as much as they intendedthis might be because they procrastinated, they got overwhelmed with the enormity of the project, and they may have gotten sick and just physically couldn’t do the work. Sometimes, a person tries to let the other group members do the work and hope to get full credit along with them.
In any of these cases, it is a best practice to have an action plan in place before beginning a project. This week, you’ll discuss policies with your team and then develop your own team action plan before you begin collaborating on a topic proposal next week.
For your initial discussion post, due end-of-day Thursday, carefully read and contemplate the Team Assignment Policies developed by my colleagues, Denise Oles-Acevedo and Katherine Fulton. In your post, include the following:
How would this policy have improved a previous collaboration on a course project?
What, if anything, do you think is missing from this policy?
If you have a list of guidelines or best practices for teams that work on, what would be on that list?
If you could have a plan for addressing potential problems on teams, what type of plan would you like?
For your response, due end-or-day Saturday, response to every team member’s post and:
Identify the guidelines and policies that you would add to your list.
Identify elements of their plan that you would add to your own plan.
Team Assignment Policies (by Denise Oles-Acevedo and Katherine Fulton)
What is kind confrontation? It is the ability to deal with each other directly, assertively, tactfully, and effectively to ensure that everyone does her/his share of the work and fulfills commitments to the team. Please be aware that the grades I assign to your team may be the same for everyone in the group. Since each team member could be graded equally, regardless of her/his contributions to the project, I expect you to engage in kind confrontation with any member that the team perceives as not fulfilling commitments, missing team meetings, leaving early/arriving late, not coming prepared, and not engaging in team communication.
The Kind Confrontation Policy goes as follows. If it is determined by members of the team that another member is not fulfilling her/his commitments, then I expect you to kindly confront that member, either one-on-one or as a team, to discuss these concerns prior to bringing the issue to my attention. The kind confrontation needs to happen well in advance of the project’s due date (the night before the project is due is too late).
If this kind confrontation is not effective, then I expect you to let me know immediately if someone is not responding constructively to your group’s efforts to integrate, motivate, and support her/him. Please be advised that once the issue is brought to my attention, then I will kindly confront that team member. I reserve the right to privately counsel and, if necessary, remove and discipline (with a failing grade for this assignment) any member who is unwilling or unable to meet her/his team obligations. If you choose not to engage in kind confrontation and choose to carry that member along, you have nobody to blame but yourself.
