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Week 1 Teaming up - AM - Group Exercise

First session Group Teamwork Exercise

We got together in our group - Team 15. Our group consisted of Tomiris, Kayleigh-Ann, Brenda, Peter and myself. To get to know the team and their strengths, we were assigned to build a free-standing structure made from limited materials such as paper and tape. We had limited time to construct the free-standing structure.


After we were assigned the task, I relied on previous knowledge and experience of making structures in art classes. I communicated to the group that we needed a basic plan of the structure of what our construction we were going to make. I initially suggested a pyramid shape. Tomiris suggested adding a square structure at the bottom of the pyramid. Brenda and Peter agreed with the structure plan. In order to build the structure, we needed to think about how to manipulate the materials given to us. I had suggested to the group that we roll up the paper sheets tightly into cylinders to build the free-standing structure and tape the cylinders together to fix it.




Tomiris, Brenda and Peter rolled up paper cylinders and we started to build the structure. The strength of the structure would succeed or fail on the strength of the paper cylinders. I emphasised that paper cylinders had to be rolled tightly so that the structure would be strong, especially at the base of the structure.


Kayleigh joined us later and played an excellent role as a team member and helped and guided us to make the structure free standing.


In a race against time, we felt as a group collectively we had good ideas and good plans, intentions to succeed. However, we faced adversities and problems emerged. The taller we built the structure, the more flimsy the structure became. It was leaning and collapsing. We deviated from the original plan by adding more paper cylinders to the base of the structure. As a team we have showed adaptability and flexibility to ever-changing situations. We tried to strengthen the structure by adding paper cylinders to the bottom of the structure.


We encountered further problems. Problems that we encountered that did not help our construction of the paper structure. In our haste, we had too much masking tape that was not wrapped tightly enough around the joins of the paper structure. We adapted as a team well; we showed good listening skills, listening to each other. We changed the base structure.


This exercise was good because it forced us to work together quickly and although it wasn't the result we wanted, we demonstrated good rapport building skills in a short space of time. My contribution was ideas in terms of planning and structure and in construction and others played a role in co-operating and improving the structure and where to place the next cylinder.


Nevertheless, we had to change our plans to cope with a problem that we had not anticipated. As a result, the quality of the rolling of paper cylinders and the joining the paper cylinders together let us down. It was difficult to salvage it. Perhaps we had more time than we thought we did, and we should have put more time into planning rather than hurrying to build the paper structure. We could have planned the structure around a pole supported by three or four pillars in the centre to hold it together, a bit like a mobile phone mast or the Eiffel Tower.


Our structure was tall but not free standing. We stuck the structure to the wall, which measured at 2.7m.




I contributed to ideas generations for planning the structure and the ideas, not the basics of construction. Perhaps I was a reluctant leader and my style was gentle in delivery of instruction, but firm when encouraging a less proactive team who needed more guidance by being providied with instructions. I struggled to exude confidence, encourage and guide the team in a direction when I am not sure of the direction or outcome myself. That is something that I need to cultivate and trust team members and myself more that the outcome will be a good one.


I learnt that optimism really motivates a team. I also need to cultivate more patience with team members by maintaining urgency the way I deliver my instructions, so that as a leader I get the best out of the team member and they are contributing as fully as possible to the group effort to reaching the desired result.


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