How to check the level of togetherness
To
accomplish anything, a small group has to be able to work together. As in a
well-tuned machine, or a championship sports team, each member has to function smoothly,
with all the effort aimed at common goal. Four factors must be considered:
1. Do the members
get along? It’s nice to like one another, but it’s not necessary. What is
necessary is that they can get along and work with one another.
2. Are the members
satisfied? This question usually has less to do with the group’s purpose—the
product—than it does working conditions—the process—and the way members
were “chosen” for the group. People who are there because they want to be there
are more likely to be satisfied than those who were ordered to attend. Working conditions
are also an issue. Is the work area comfortable? Do they have enough space for the group
as a whole and for their own individual needs? Do they get the time, supplies,
information, freedom, and respect that they need in order to do their jobs?
3. Are they
committed to the project? Is the project something they believe in? Is it something
they want to see happen? Are they doing the job simply because it was assigned to them by
a superior. Or are they ambivalent—or even opposed—to the job they are supposed
to be doing?
4. Do they want to stay in the group? This is a function of how well the group gets along and works together. Do they feel part of the group? Is there an esprit de corps? Do they feel a sense of commitment to the group itself? Do they want to continue to work with the other members until they finish the job?
See also How to recognise if Team Building is succesfull
An example of bad (demotivating ) communication in a team
Templates:
Other related Guidelines:
Addressing the Belief that the program has been handled Improperly