Think of two teams of which you were a member—the best and the worst in terms of personal satisfaction and team performance. These teams could come from any area in your experience—for example, athletic team, student club, class team, work team, project team, church committee, or volunteer organization. List below the specific behaviors of the teams that made them the best and worst for you.

Best team behaviors: 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Worst team behaviors: 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In class: 

(1) Sit in a small group of three to five students. Each student tells the brief story of his or her best and worst team experiences. 

(2) After all stories are heard, one team member writes on a flipchart (or blackboard) two headings—"More of This” and “Less of That.” Under “This,” write team member suggestions for positive behaviors that make for effective teamwork. Under “That,” write team member suggestions for negative behaviors that prevent effective teamwork. 

(3) After brainstorming items, each group condenses each list to five key behaviors the group considers most important 

(4) After the lists are finalized, students can walk around the classroom and review all lists. 

(5) Discuss answers to the questions below either in your group or as a class.

1. What is the most important behavior for This and for That?

2. What factors influence the presence of This or That behaviors on a team?

3. What personal changes would you need to make as a team member to demonstrate more of “This"?

4. What personal changes would you need to make as a team member to demonstrate less of “That"?

5. How might a team leader be able to attain more of “This” on a team and less of “That"?