Objective:
The learner seek to recognise the skills inherent within a team or are needed for a group to achieve a goal/complete a task.
To recognise difference and how contributes to overall success.
Overview:
An exercise to understand the different skills needed by different individuals working within an organisation and how each person is integral to the overall mission.
Activity:
By presenting a group challenge (which could be an assessment or in-class group activity) ask the students in groups to identify the roles needed to achieve and deliver this task.
The task could be a research study, a group project or a live case from an employer. They can be actual/live or "typical" to your sector and industry or could be created from tender/proposals or research opportunities that you are aware of. This activity can assist a group if they are starting a long term project or assessment together or can be a stand-alone activity which helps them think through roles and responsibilities and underpins future group work.
Firstly ask them to identity the number and type of roles required to deliver the proposal, project, tender or group challenge. Typically they will focus on the project deliverables, but ensure that they also think of the skills needed within the project, such as communication; team leader; organised; patient; good listener.
Using flip chart paper, they can start to shape these responsibilities into roles or jobs.
Some of their skills may link directly to roles, others may be standalone elements that they wish to see in the team and these can be identified on post its.
Provide outline images of people or a new piece of flip chart and ask them to present the roles required to deliver the job/meet the challenge. This can be presented to the group, or a poster-showcase can be created which includes the brief/project and their proposed solutions (job roles and skills).
Skill Development:
In order to review the skills developed in this task it is important to review the process with the group as well the outcome. They will have had to make judgements and rely on expertise and leadership from within the group and it can be powerful to explore their group dynamics against those they have created in their "dream team". Reflection questions can include:
- Who demonstrated leadership?
- Who analysed the task most effectively?
- How did you overcome any barriers – or "stops" in your work?
- What resources did you rely on? What networking skills supported this task
Ask the group to reflect upon the skills analysis they have undertaken and their ability to meet the challenge/task. What do they need within their team to be the "dream team" and what qualities would they need? What steps do they need to take (personally and professionally) in order to develop their skills to become a team player for this challenge?
Resources:
Scenarios or group challenges for the groups to tackle (can be different or the same) created from a proposal or tender, or the group assessment.
Flip chart, pens
(optional: outline of a person to create their "job description" with)