Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Team Building and Recognizing and Appreciating Differences1

The Gary Smalley Personality Types Inventory is provided as a useful resource to use during the team projects. The information was provided compliments of Dr. Brance Barker, Ph.D.i . Recognizing personal strengths and weakness is critical to both maximizing team performance and having an enjoyable project team experience. The Project manager is especially responsible for bring together the team as well managing the project successfully. However as team members we are all stakeholders in the quality of the team experience. A vital part of the team experience is recognizing, valuing, and then integrating various elements and perspectives into the product or project assignment.

The newsletter project has been devised to require the teams develop and rely on communications skills, team building exercises (brainstorming of ideas/ design reviews/ and implementation using advanced features elements of Microsoft Office Suite to construct and collaborate using Word as the primary tool.

The personality assessment tools are commonly used in the business world by management consultants and executive search companies. Applications include: management selection and screening, management training programs, team building and project training.

In addition to the Gary Smalley Personality Types Inventory Tool there are many other similar tools. Another widely used personality assessment tool is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI ii which is widely used.

Regardless of the assessment tools, the bottom-line is recognizing and understanding personality types is necessary element to successfully managing high performance teams.

Key Take-A- Ways from the Personality Types Inventory Exercise Regarding Teamwork :

1. Understanding and learning from others is important. Part of that equation is an understanding of your personality. Be authentic!! .

2. We all have good and bad tendencies/strengths and weakness (areas of opportunity to improve). Understand them and work to improve

3. Encourage responsibility (No drama!) but be there for your teammates. Communicate, help and share. Be honest and even-handed. Sometimes “No” is the right answer.

4. You may be a Lion, Beaver, Golden Retriever, or Otter but you can adopt and learn new behaviors that will make us a better able to work more successfully in a team environment.

1 Introduction page written by H. Rattliff 2/10/2014

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i The Gary Smalley assessment information was provided compliments of Dr Brance Barker, Ph.D.ii Ref: http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/iii Gary Smalley – Personality Types Inventory. Excerpts From “Making Love Last Forever.” Thomas Nelson / 1997

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Personality At Work :

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