This exercise is intended to help students understand the potential value and limitations of a team contract. As discussed in the project resource management lesson (Week 2.2 session), a team contract is intended to: help a team overcome barriers to effective team formation and accelerate the process of becoming a high-performing team Part 1 Students will congregate in teams to review the team development stages defined in Tuckman’s Ladder (forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning) and the components of the team contract presented in class. A team contract template and an example will be provided to stimulate discussion. Next, team members should discuss sections of the team contract which might facilitate the evolution of a team from the storming to the norming stage on Tuckman’s Ladder. Use the description of the items in the team contract template provided as a guide. Finally, the team should identify what they perceive as possible issues or problems which might conceivably arise when a team contract devised using the template provided is applied in real life. Can you suggest additional sections or topics which you would recommend be added to the template to address the problems or issues identified? Students should feel free to integrate problems encountered in the past when working on teams in work or school environments. Each individual should list the possible issues or problems as well as the recommendations for improving the team contract template identified by their team on the sheet provided at the end of this document and save that list. It will be needed for Part 2, which is described below. Part 2 Select three issues or problem related to the use of the team contract template from the list identified by your team. Each student will write a one to two-page paper (double-spaced, using the designated assignment template) describing these issues and problems, why you found them worthy to write about and what recommendations you would make to improve the team contract template to address them. You may feel free to draw upon your own experiences working in teams, interview people who work in teams or conduct independent research as needed in support of your arguments.
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