Class Journal Week 9

Alina Vreeland

• What kinds of characteristics do you want in your teammates?

Teammates should be able to communicate easily with one another, and be willing to do what is expected of them. Respect for team individuals is also important, and is expected in a professional setting like working on a team.

• What kinds of things make teams go smoothly?

Working on teams goes much smoother if everyone communicates with each other and makes sure to follow through on whatever work was designated to them. A positive attitude and consideration for others also makes for a calmer group dynamic, and working together is usually more efficient and less stressful.

• What kinds of things make teams not go so smoothly?

Team work doesn't go smoothly when there is a lack of communication, such as when people don't respond to calls/texts when you need information from them or if they don't show up to a meeting. Not doing the work assigned to you also makes for a very unhappy team.

Ajvree (talk) 13:52, 24 October 2013 (PDT)

Kevin McGee

1. A good team mate would be committed to working hard and figuring out how to reach our goals. I think it is important to be able to think critically and be a good problem solver when it comes to large projects like this one.
2. I think that it is very important for teammates to work well together. Not only does this mean being focused when working, but actually liking the people you work with gives motivation to work hard and not let each other down.
3. If someone is not focusing or invested in a project, it usually doesn't lead to a good team environment. Also, if someone takes control and only does what they want to do, others will lose motivation to try. It's important to listen to the opinion of others around you.

Kevinmcgee (talk) 11:58, 24 October 2013 (PDT)

Lauren Magee

1. What kinds of characteristics do you want in your teammates?
   • I would like my teammates to be committed to the project and put in just as much effort into the final product as I do. I would like them to work creatively as well, because I value innovation more than anything in projects. I would like them to be open to everyone in the groups ideas and be willing to meet for extended periods of time, even on weekends, until the presentation date.
2. What kinds of things make teams go smoothly?
   • I think for a team to work cohesively, compromises need to be made and everyone needs to communicate well with one another. Every member should have a voice in the project and everyone else should be respectful of that voice.
3. What kinds of things make teams not go so smoothly?
   • When group members are less invested in the project and rely on others to pick up their slack, it fosters a lot of resentment in the group as a whole and it is almost impossible to regain group functionality.

Laurmagee (talk) 11:08, 24 October 2013 (PDT)

Stephen Louie

• An ideal teammate would be someone who puts his or her best efforts into his or her work. The teammate does not necessarily have possess an expertise with their work, but should be willing to ask for help when necessary. A good teammate would also be open to feedback and would be willing to work with his or her group members with a professional attitude.
• Team coordination and communication are essential if a team is to function smoothly. Each teammate should be familiar with his or her assigned task and should be constantly relaying communication back and forth with each other. This not only facilitates updates, but it only improves team cohesion and effectiveness.
• A lack of communication can be crippling if problems arise. A team is only as effective as its weakest member. Therefore, it is essential that any problems be made apparent and sorted out early. Problems and mishaps that happen late in the work cycle can prove extremely detrimental to all the efforts of the group.

Slouie (talk) 04:39, 23 October 2013 (PDT)

Lena Hunt

• What kinds of characteristics do you want in your teammates?

-I like teammates to be good at communicating, flexible, and committed to turning out a good final project. It is also nice to work with people who bring unique insight to the project and who are enjoyable to be around.

• What kinds of things make teams go smoothly?

-I think communication is the most important factor in making teamwork go smoothly. If members cannot talk to each other, they won't get things done. Secondly, it is important that despite being at different levels, team members take the time to help each other and share expertise--otherwise, the project will not turn out well.

• What kinds of things make teams not go so smoothly?

-When team members cannot get in touch with one another, it is frustrating. It is important that team members be aware of and on top of their part of the project. Also, when team members are inflexible, it can hurt the dynamic. Since several people are working together, it is essential that all members find compromised to best suit the group as a whole.

Hilda Delgadillo

1. What kinds of characteristics do you want in your teammates?
   • I would love to have teammates that are reliable and who take the responsibility to perform their individual tasks as well as they possibly can, so that the responsibilities are equally distributed among all team members. I prefer teammates that take their work seriously and don't conform with okay work, but rather deliver their best work.
2. What kinds of things make teams go smoothly?
   • I believe teams work smoothly when each member is on the same page by having a sense of the general goal of the team and the purpose of the team's project. Furthermore, if the team members are given specific tasks, each team member can contribute to an important aspect of the project.
3. What kinds of things make teams not go so smoothly?
   • In my opinion, teams won't work smoothly if team members aren't all able to meet for group meetings. When people are absent from a meeting, the group misses out on an essential member of the group, so there might be an unequal amount of responsibilities given to the members that were present in the meeting simply because they are the ones who are the most updated on the team's progress. This can eventually create tensions between the members that are consistently present with those who are not. I understand that there may be times when a member of the team has to miss a meeting, but if that's the case, they should take the initiative to meet with the leader of the team to discuss the meeting and their personal obligations. If they do not have an initiative then there will be a greater barrier between the dedicated members and those who do not take the necessary responsibility for the good of the team. This can ultimately cause various problems among the team members and hence towards the project itself.

HDelgadi (talk) 23:07, 23 October 2013 (PDT)

Viktoria Kuehn

1. What kinds of characteristics do you want in your teammates?

   Some beneficial characteristics of my teammates would be to do their part and to collaborate with the rest of the group to make sure the work is being done thoroughly. I also think it is important for everyone to stay organized and to have a plan where the individual parts are clear, and the work is done to the best of everyone's abilities, so that the final product is done well.

2. What kinds of things make teams go smoothly?

   Some things that are important for a team to work smoothly are organization and a plan. It is important for the group members to communicate with one another as well so that the work is done well and the difficulties in the project are addressed as they arise.

3. What kinds of things make teams not go so smoothly?

   Some things that will negatively effect the team work are a lack of dedication and communication. It is important for everyone to be on task and to focus on the project so that some people do not end up having to pick up the slack for other group members. If challenges arise in the project, communication is key. Rather than trying to do a mediocre job and not asking questions, it is important that the time is taken on each individual part to complete the work and present it at its best.

Vkuehn (talk) 00:26, 24 October 2013 (PDT)

Kevin Meilak

1. What kinds of characteristics do you want in your teammates?

• I want teammates who are hard working, willing to be flexible in their schedules for this project, and who will perform their tasks to the best of their abilities.

2. What kinds of things make teams go smoothly?

• Good communication, shared work ethic, and caring about the project.

3. What kinds of things make teams not go so smoothly?

• Unequal amounts of work from different teammates, unwillingness to listen to other teammates, and blaming others for mistakes instead of working to correct them.

Kmeilak (talk) 11:30, 24 October 2013 (PDT)