The Process of Forming a Successful Team

TEAM NAME

Every team needs an identity and that identity can be as simple as coming up with a name. A name encourages cohesiveness and a sense of belonging.

PROJECT AND PERSONAL GOALS

What outcomes and results do you want to accomplish? What do you want to learn from the project and each other? How will you measure success?

 

TEAM VISION AND MISSION

Vision is essential for any team. It provides a clear direction for the end result and should be the guide by which all decisions are made.

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES OF TEAM MEMBERS

What are the unique skills each team member brings to the table? This can include majors, internships, computer skills, foreign languages, and interests/activities.

 

OPERATING PRINCIPLES

How will you work together to manage conflict and value each other’s differences? In particular, how will you maximize cognitive conflict while minimizing affective conflict?

 

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Who outside of the team do you need to pay attention to and influence? It could be your professor, manager, or clients.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Consider each team member’s strengths and expertise. Will there be a designated or rotating leader? Who will take notes? Who will be responsible for contracting all the team members, and who will reach out to the instructor?

COMMUNICATION NORMS

How will the team communicate with each other? How often should team members expect to receive and respond to communication? Will you meet in person outside class? Include team members contact information -email, cell phone, etc.

WORKING NORMS

How will work be divided? By whom and how will work be received? How firm are your standards and deadlines? What are consequences for members who do not follow through on their commitments.

MEETING LOGISTICS

When, where, how often, expectations in terms of attendance, timeliness, preparation, etc.

 

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Teamwork: An Open Access Practical Guide Copyright © 2020 by Andrew M. Clark; Lolin Martins-Crane; Mengqi Zhan; and Justin Dellinger T. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book