Working in Teams

This course will cover the three key areas for working in teams: communicating, differing and facilitating. To master the art of managing and participating in high performing, problem-solving teams, team members must be aware of both their own and others' strengths and weaknesses when working in teams. They must also be aware of the dynamics of teams throughout the phases of a problem-solving cycle. Theory on teams and on team development will be introduced, as well as the particulars of working in teams on early-stage innovation projects. The course will then focus on deepening and practicing relevant skills. It will begin with a self-assessment of personal capacities and of the distribution of skills in the team as a whole. Following this, it will focus on deepening skills in a sequence which shadows the phase of the project on which the teams are working. Students will be trained in the skills of reflective listening, problem identification and analysis, supportive listening and facilitation, creative brainstorming and alternatives generation, construction differing and choice, idea development and presentation, and team process evaluation. The format of the course will combine short lecture with experiential skill-building exercises. Coaches assigned to each team will support individual and team learning. Students will be required to enter a "contract" relative to their team role and performance.