It is crazy to think that 2018 is right around the corner, and as the New Year makes its way here many folks will reflect on the year that passed. Some of us may even start think about what our new years resolution will be. It is the perfect time of year for us to take a look at how our teams are working together and make some changes so that we can be even more effective in 2018!
It is important for us to come together as a team and have an honest conversation about how our team is working together. Even the best teams run into common team breakdowns: poor communication, unclear goals, failure to effectively engage team members, and a lack of team structure. When these breakdowns occur, it is nearly impossible for teams to meet their goals.
When your team sits down to reflect, I encourage you to write down in a chart what went well in the last semester and what you could improve. Make sure that you are hearing from all members of the group and not letting singular voices dominate the conversation.
Fall Semester 2017 (example)
Went Well
- Fall Club Fair- recruited 3 new senators
- Got 25 registrations on NVRD
- Had weekly team check-ins
Could Improve
- Communication - senators that missed meetings got really out of the loop
After you have spent some time reflecting, it is time to set some expectations for how you will work together in the upcoming year. Think through what you will always do and what you will never do when it comes to how you will collaborate with each other, engage each other, and hold each other accountable. By doing this, you will create team expectations that will guide you through the rest of the year. Once you have these expectations in place you will have a guide of how to best work with each other and you will all be on the same page.
Collaboration
How will we work together as a team and divide up the work of the campaigns we work on?
Always Do:
Never Do:
Engage Others
How will we recruit new members onto our team and make them feel included?
Always Do:
Never Do:
Accountability
How will we empower our team to follow through on our commitments? How will we delegate responsibilities to team members?
Always Do:
Never Do:
Now the mere act of having ground rules in place won’t improve how your team works together. Each member of your team must hold themselves accountable to following them, and as a team you need to commit to holding members accountable when they do not follow them. When each member commits to the shared expectations, your team will be unstoppable!
Happy New Year everyone! Best of wishes in 2018!