MHRM 6100 + Week 8

This week is our last week in my first class at Walden University.  It has been an adventure of exploring both topics known and those less familiar to me.  One of the topics, we have explored in the course of this class is the use of mobile technology and social media tools.  Prior to the start of this class, if anyone had talked to me about mobile technology my frame of reference would have been around cell phones.  Today, I also consider the lap top a part of mobile technology.  For the first time in my life, I am on the verge of successfully completed an on-line course.  As you know, it would have been impossible to do this without the use of a computer.  Although there were benefits missed that are traditionally found in a classroom environment, this type of learning has introduced a new perspective that has come from daily changes found in new surroundings.  There were days I sat in a recliner to complete my work and other days I sat in a restaurant sipping a latte.  The use of this equipment in the forum in which it was presented has changed my life forever!  To add to this discovery is the use of all the various social networking tools made available with just a click of a finger.

Although social networking tools like Facebook, twitter, and professional web based organizations hold great promise for professionals in both a classroom and professional environment, I have yet to take advantage of the opportunities that exist within its framework.  Not only can we learn from one another in these environments, they also provide each of us an opportunity to share our gifts and talents with one another.  Beyond this point, concrete learners like myself, have opportunities to discuss issues, topics and things learned from the virtual classroom.

I have finally concluded our virtual team has reached the fourth stage in Tuchman’s team development model: the performing stage (Chaneski, 2009).  Team members complete assignments and provide feedback in a timely manner; team members listen and solicit feedback;  discussions and feedback is to the point; everyone has the opportunity to input their opinion; discussions on topics have produced consensus; and the evaluation of performance transpires about every other week through this format.

The biggest contribution mobile technology contributed to our team development came through the use of the computer.  This is a given due to the pure nature of this online class.  However, I believe the use of telephones and Skype can also contribute to the development of teams in future classes.  Cell phones have the capacity of receiving real time information through icons like Twitter and Facebook.  Also, these vehicles and others allow people to get to know one another better. 

The concept of team charters did facilitate the growth our online class experienced.  There is no reason future classroom teams will not benefit from them as well.  The biggest contribution they make, in my mind, is that the charter provides a set of “guidelines, rules, and policies” that govern behavior (Norton, 2009).  Our class has operated by a set of rules and policies that include a score card (rubric) that measures how well team members have followed established guidelines.  Learning and becoming familiar with these guidelines is instrumental to current and future classroom success.

Chaneski, W. S. (2009). The stages teams go through. Modern Machine Shop, 82(3), 34–36. Retrieved from:
http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?did=1843863981&sid=3&Fmt=4&clientId=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Norton, W. I., & Sussman, L. (2009). Team charters: Theoretical foundations and practical implications for quality and performance. The Quality Management Journal, 16(1), 7–17. Retrieved from:
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MHRM 6100 + Week 6

Tuckman Team Stage Development model outlines four stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, and performing.  The model also evaluates the "interpersonal interactions that influence task accomplishment and team morale" (Anderson, 2010).  When I analyze the development of our virtual learning team I still contend that our team is in the norming stage.  I say this with the belief that we are beginning to take on characteristics or development that lend to a highly functioning or performing team. Currently, the strongest behaviors we exhibit appear to be linked to the norming stage.  This belief comes from the following evidence:

• Team members seem more eager to share and walk in greater openness to thoughts and ideas. 
• Members of the team invite greater openness to differences of opinion and even appear to be open to changing their way of thinking. 
• Team Members are responsible for their own actions and they have bought into class protocol. 

The characters that have recently come to the surface that indicate our team is developing into a highly performing team are as follows: 

• It looks like all team members are completing their assignments and are completing them on time.
• Team members appear to be really listening to one another through their response and feedback.
• We are providing feedback that offers up our opinions, thoughts and ideas.
• All team members are given the opportunity to have a voice and to make recommendations on the issues at hand.

The behaviors I have yet to witness in our team that further indicates that we have fully achieved the performance stage of Tuckman's team model is within our ability to come to consensus and our ability to evaluate our team effectiveness (Chaneski, 2009).  Even though this analysis can be interpreted as proof of our willingness to evaluate the effectiveness of our team, we have not performed this activity as a function of improving our team performance.  Non the less, the implementation of these behaviors and the continuance of the the behaviors we have already demonstrated have the real potential of kicking our team into Tuckman's fourth stage as a high performance team. 

If there was ever a question of whether or not we are even a real team, I believe it can be easily disputed through simply evaluating the definition of a team. Jon Katzenback and Douglas Smith in their book, The Wisdom of Teams, defines a team as "a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable" (Anderson, 2010).  Through a traditional view or one found through the lens of a team paradigm shift, there is no disputing that we are a team.   Not only are we a team, we are one  that is on the verge of proclaiming that we are a high performance team!

Anderson, B. (2010). Project leadership and the art of managing relation-ships. T + D, 64(3), 58–63.
Chaneski, W. S. (2009). The stages teams go through. Modern Machine Shop, 82(3), 34–36. Retrieved from: http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?did=1843863981&sid=3&Fmt=4&clientId=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD