How I Will Use the Team Charter

Considering My Team Member’s Differences, How I Will Use the Team Charter to Improve Performance

Considering My Team Member’s Differences, How I Will Use the Team Charter to Improve Performance

A critical element of the MBA program at the University of Phoenix is the employment of learning teams. Learning teams made up of a handful of students and are established in each class to conduct assignments and construct projects collaboratively. As learning team assignments account for a large majority of an individual’s grade success in the learning team is critical. To achieve success in the learning team understanding and utilizing the different personality traits of each team member will be paramount. Each team member has a set of strengths which must be identified to understand how these strengths will be utilized to benefit the group. In the New Zealand Management (2008), it was found that “By harnessing the different personalities and playing to their strengths business leaders can build successful teams of motivated employers” (p. 1). On the other hand, each team member will also possess a certain set of weakness which can hinder the group’s ultimate success. Personality factors such as achievement motivation, flexibility, and communication abilities can lead to negative effect such as agenda-setting and decision making which can thwart group success (Kauer, Prinzessin zu Waldeck, Schaffer, 2007).

A team charter is a tool to ensure team success. Before our charter could be developed team members had to state what personality traits we deemed to be our strengths and thus beneficial to the team and personality traits we felt are weakness which might impede team success. In regards to our team’s inherent weaknesses, two team members stated they are more reserved and passive. They also stated they have some difficulty expressing ideas in a group setting due to anxiety. Another team member says that he tends to lose focus of the big picture when...