Team Building Reflection

Team Building

Ethan Honeywell

Humans crave community. If you see a person that you never talk in your own life, outside of your regular life, you will instantly say hi. I know this because humans are social and desire to be together. These are the bonds that happen in a team. Everyone is involved one way or another and are all in it for the communal achievement. In order for a good team to happen there needs to be an evident leader. Leaders have to make the hard decisions of deciding which is best for the group. The leader also greatly encourages the members and provides support for each individual. The leader must be humble and lead with power but lead with empathy. Not only does a group need a leader but a group needs people to fill niches. These niches are naturally formed and filled by members of the group. There is an unconscious decision that goes on in each member that distinguishes who they will be. For instance, a leader understands that they have the most leader like qualities due to training that the leader has undergone in their life. A leader has certain experiences that enable them the leader. This applies to the others of the group. Everyone is different in a group setting, they will all have different minds and skill sets, but there are basic things that all of the group members must know how to do as well as have the courage to do them. If one person lacks in an area that the others are caught up on then it is in the best interest of the group to nourish that person by word of encouragement or physical labor to make sure they are able to stay in the group. This is when the communal effort comes in. Everyone is in the group together and are all looking to get to the common goal.

At trinity western university, most of us were put into groups. On the bus rides there we all knew that we would be put into a situation where we would feel uncomfortable and would need our group to help us. Each person standing on the podium or climbing a massive ladder was in the same boat as the rest of the group members.  I was reminded that I could accomplish anything by this event. The whole day was a metaphor for sheer accomplishment. The members of my group were the ones I least expected to show encouragement. But given time and the right situation they were able to bring out the human instinct of encouragement. I know this is the final year in which I am really helped out by adults and spending time with them reminds us of the human nature we have. Some may argue that teams can only be built on the experience that a functional group has experienced. For instance, friendship can be argued to be a prominent role in the functionality of a group and to get to that understanding of friendship and loyalty, they must be put to the test to show who they value. Through these experiences, bonds are formed and people learn to co-exist with one another a lot quicker because they understand how each of the group members minds work. Through a sense of one is achieved among the members and the goals become a way of thinking. But I am saying that these experiences are not always required to have a functioning group. Sure it helps to have some sort of bond to thrive from but the essentials of a new group are already in place it it is formed.At trinity personaly I did not learn anything new, although I was left with a reminder of how the task at hand, no matter the strength needed, can always be accomplished. If I was to take art in the activity again I would encouraged more, because everyone has a right to be encouraged.

Encouragement is something that doesn't happen a lot these days. It is taking on the role of a higher power because by saying “you can do it” is just simply telling them that you have already done it and is easier than it looks. Encouragement has been skewed from its original intent. It used to be something that is special when heard. But today whenever someone speaks words of encouragement they do not seem at valid as they should. Encouragement almost seems like it is the thing to do when you are put in a situation where you're watching someone struggle. You are expected to help out because if you don’t then you will look unsupportive. I am not saying that encouraging is a bad thing, I am saying that it doesn’t have the desired effect. that it used to.

At trinity western we were put into a situation that was encouraging encouragement and it all seemed so forced. I almost wished we could have been put into groups sooner because then we wouldn’t feel like we were shouting phrases at people just to fit in. Once consensus is formed, it makes things a lot easier to do. For instance, I felt like we were at trinity to learn about the campus and experience a massive shock at the high ropes course. All we had to do was climb or jump something and it would be over. Once we knew that we were tackling goals then things became easier. The entire social setting as well kind of stuck with me. If you did not jump or climb you would look “different”. The general sense of “fitting in” was very present I felt at the course. You would be seen as weak minded if you did not jump. No one would say anything nor look at the ones who didn’t jump and be unsatisfied they would just categorize them as the ones who didn’t do it. At the high ropes course everyone felt inclined to fulfill the jump or climb because their friends were watching. I don’t know. Just some thoughts.