21st Century Teams Reflection Paper

21st Century Teams Reflection Paper

Introduction

Week 1's readings brought many aspects to the forefront of our discussion question responses. This essay will cover some of the positive and negative experiences that I have had working with teams and the lessons they taught. It will also cover how workplaces use teams compared to their use in education, athletics, and the arts. In addition, this essay will cover the advantages garnered from the use of teams. Furthermore, I will try to show how improving my team skills can benefit my workplace, my coworkers, and myself (University of Phoenix Online, 2014).

Experiences

The use of teams has been a part of my life for many years now. It is a common occurrence in the military, as nearly every aspect of every job involves many different members performing their portion to accomplish the goal, or mission in the Air Force. In one instance, during an Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI), my crew (team) had to replace a fuel pump, perform an engine run to test the installation, complete a preflight inspection, and launch the F-16 on time all while wearing a complete chemical warfare protective suit. Each member of the 5-man crew had specific jobs that they must accomplish to achieve success and as the team lead, I had to rely on them and their abilities to accomplish these tasks. We all performed above expectations and received an "Outstanding" rating.

Comparisons

I today's work centers, more is requested from fewer people, so the teams and their teamwork need to overcome these obstacles. These types of activities are comparable to basketball teams, where all the members are working together to get the ball in the basket. However, compared to education teams, are the members actually working together for the same thing? In my experience with Phoenix Online teams, all of the members are trying to get a good grade, but not always willing to put in the necessary work required of them. Usually one or two team members step up and do the majority of the assignments, yet everyone gets the same team score.

Improving My Individual Team Skills

I have been through several training sessions where team concepts are taught from every level. I am hoping that the training gathered from this class can add to my "toolbox" and assist in strengthening the skills that I am lacking in. As a self-confession, I am weak in conflict resolution. I currently have a coworker that does specific actions to provoke particular responses from me and the other team members, as if she enjoys it. I am hoping that "Working in Groups" will fill the voids so that I can reach my full potential (Engleberg & Wynn, 2010).

Conclusion

Week One's