BLOG WEEK 6

This week we read about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye. Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Groups with the clearest established norms? Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why? What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master's degree in this program? Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

During the adjourning stage which the project has come to an end. I think the group of the reunion committee in which I was a part of the planning was the hardest goodbye. I believe this was due to many of the people who were on the committee we had not seen each other for twenty years and we had a good time talking about high school years and the fun we had . I believe high performing groups are difficult to leave especially when you have accomplished something great with this group and you have a feeling of success, proud of what the group has completed. We all felt that the 20 yr. reunion was a success.

Groups with the clearest established norms is considered the usual way of doing things. In groups that I have been a part of the norm has been a gradual process as you move along and everyone knew their specific roles the process moves more smoothly. The group that I was in that was the hardest to leave was he committee of the class reunion. We had all grown close and made reconnections. We made a joke that collectively we hadn’t talked that much in high school maybe here and there but reconnecting brought back old memories. We all just shared and talked about different events and highlights of our high school years. We had a talent show and someone brought a copy of the talent show we actually showed it during our goodbye breakfast.

Closing rituals I wished we had created were when we had our goodbye breakfast I wished we all could have established that we would meet at least once a year so that we would stay connected going forward and continue to work on the reunion year for the 25^th or 30^th year reunion, that way we could continue the reunion process. I believe I will adjourn from my colleagues from experience here at Walden University by continuing to stay connected with them after this journey.

I have enjoyed colleague’s feedback and encouragement. I have met some great colleagues and love the fact that they do not mind sharing ideas, information and experiences. Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork due to it shows that you have bonded and made connections with people you have managed to complete a task with. It shows that you all were in the mindset for a common goal and were able to move forward through possible failures and mishaps.