Our theoretical perspective and model revolve around the premise that in order to have a team that is successful in their goals, each person must know his/her own roles and fulfill the requirements associated with that role. In the beginning we each tried to assume all of the roles individually, and as a result, we got very little done. We did not possess enough structure, and we were stuck going over the same material numerous times because each of us had our own ideas, but none of us wanted to step on one of the other’s toes. After about an hour of going about our project in this manner we realized that we needed to make a change in order to be successful.
At this point each of us had started to naturally lean towards the area that we felt most comfortable. For me, that area was coming up with the new ideas for the team to look into. I assumed the role of initiator for our team, and took on the task of coming up with ideas that prompt our team in the right direction. Although at the time I do not think any of us knew it, I started to assume my role very early on during our team’s interaction.
When everyone in the class was instructed to find a team of two other individuals, it was I who approached both Megan and Katie about joining their team. This may not seem like an idea that an initiator usually proposes, but without me bringing up the idea of us three working together for Digital Media Project 3 then our team would have never been. If a team does not possess a member who is willing to go out on a limb and take chances, they will never reach the levels of success they are striving for.
I originally had come up with the idea for our theoretical model before we, as a team, had had an opportunity to work together long enough to gel, and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Our first model in theory worked fine, but as we began to work more on the project it became obvious that we needed to make a change in our model. I realized that in the case of our team we needed a more structured atmosphere to be successful. This is when I had the idea to create a model that focused more heavily on distinct team roles, and each member knowing their own responsibility and meeting those requirements.
Like I stated earlier, at this point we had a fairly good idea about the strengths each of us possessed, so I proposed the idea of coming up for roles within our little team. We discussed this, and decided that it was the best plan of action for our team. I would assume the role of initiator, and be in charge of making sure we remained interdependent on one another. Megan, who possesses the ability to handle all the differences we had as a group, would be in charge of handling our team’s diversity, and take on the role of harmonizer. Lastly, Katie who had shown a great ability to coordinate all of our meetings and keep us on track would ensure that we continued to communicate effectively, and take on the role of coordinator.
My idea to establish a new model which relied heavily on defined roles worked well for our group, and things really took off after that. We each fit into our roles well, and we did not have to worry about things that we struggle with, because we were able to lean on our teammates to pick up the slack. This model and theory on successful teams worked out very well for our own team.
However, typing this I have come to the realization that there is not one universal blueprint for a successful team. Every team will have a group of individuals who vary greatly in the strengths they possess, and the personalities they have. This is why it is up to each individual team to figure out what works most effectively for said team. That is why I believe that a successful team model can be anything at all, as long as it works for the team that is applying it.