What does good "team development" look like?

[John Trampush]

What are the phases, levels and/or benchmarks of collaborative team development? What are the best means of using incentives to methodically promote & support team development along this spectrum?

[Gretchen Mangrobang]

levels of collaborative team development I think are best categorized by differences in communication.. First levels remind me of mentoring skills, respectful listening, for example, whereas a more developed team are sharing, redoing, revising, implementing, and revisiting each others' ideas..

incentives? Not so sure.. I personally think a well functioning team is a goal that most people would want, so not sure what other incentive I would need?

[Maria Skala]

This is an interesting question, John. At one time, I would have said that I really could not describe what a good development team looked like. However, I was privileged enough this summer to be recommended and accepted to be part of the ETS Advisory panel for the review of Praxis II in Government/Political Science. After my experience with this committee of educators of varying levels, experience base and regional differences, I can truly say that all of the elements in what one would look for in good team development were there. It was truly one of the most unique experiences of my life. Everyone was able to focus, express varied and sometime controversial opinions, yet respect and acknowledge every individual's experience and expertise in such a way that compromise was always on the table without ever losing sight of our common goal of making the test reflective of requisite knowledge on a nationally acceptable basis. In summary, I think the beauty of this good team was mutual respect, universal acceptance of the stated goal and an obvious desire to seek the best reasonable standards to address all areas of our country. This does not mean that many of were without passion in our presentations but we also respected the counter arguments and were will to consider, reconsider, and compromise if necessary to get to our established goal. In a very strange way, it reminded me of the respect of each person's view with a willingness to compromise when needed that we assume permeated the documents of our country's founding. I know it sounds hokey but after this experience, I believe that a team only succeeds insofar as it is willing to grant each member the respect that their individual knowledge deserves coupled with a belief in the end product or goal. As far as incentives go, being paid for one's work is obvious but perhaps of greater note, acknowledgment of each person's effort and contribution publicly is a greater reward. Perhaps I am too idealistic but the colleagues in the Princeton effort have proved invaluable as we have begun our own little email campaign to keep the friendships thriving and build on the sharing of educational strategies that we made.

[amyhabb]

I think the best incentive for me would be the time to collaborate...I want to have a great team, but there is no other way to build that other than allowing time for it to happen. Supporting that with professional days devoted to team planning is a great start.

[Rosanne Thornley]

I agree with Amy that in order to develop strategies, the first requirement is face time to open discussion. I am looking forward to planning time.