Comms Assessment 4 Blog post 2

Team Bonding Activities

And now we start our 2nd Communication assignment. First surprise Belma threw at us was to divide us into teams of 4 based on us first getting together with a partner. At my table I was partnered with Emil and so along with Jeff and Finn we know make up team Aqua. What would I have done if I’d known in advance that the teams she was organizing were going to be our teams for the rest of the semester? Knowing a little of Emil’s personality would I have avoided teaming up with him? It’s going to be an interesting couple of months and is definitely going to challenge our communication skills.

I think the most enlightening outcome will be apparent when I look back in a few months once the assignment is done and dusted to see how my perceptions and current thoughts will eventuate.

In our new teams we were given 4 challenges/team bonding activities

• The Blind Fold
• The Rope
• The Balloon
• The Bamboo Stick

Starting these activities is the most difficult part of the process, 4 strangers, together as a team for the first time, asking and more importantly remembering each others names.

We started on Tuesday with 3  challenges involving blindfolds, ropes and balloons, despite these objects having subtle themes of shades of grey, we had and interesting and ultimately quite successful afternoon.

One member was initially absent (while involved in an intense phone conversation) for the first challenge but we successfully negotiated a trip to the lawns while 2 of us were blindfolded. I actually think it was easier with 1 person leading 2 of us as we only needed 1 set of instructions for both of us to follow. Some may have found the experience scary but using other senses (hearing, touch and the different sensation from my feet with different surfaces) and good communication and accurate directions within the team worked for us.

The balloon challenge was the highlight. After a quick planning/brainstorming session, we had couple of false starts, but with some quick feedback (communication between team members) and adjustment of techniques we soon had the first balloon blown up and tied. We’re quickly learning that teamwork means talking, discussing, planning and lots of dialogue. Giving opinions and listening to opinions and coming to a consensus decision as a team and following through with it and accepting responsibility.

Winning was definitely an affirming experience for the team, nothing better, apart maybe from beers, at team building than winning the first challenge.

Our Team Balloon

We are definitely coming together as a group and using these activities we are learning about each other, interestingly in the group E seems to be the quietest with the rest of us on a similar level. Regarding leadership, we didn’t at any stage of these activities deliberately choose a leader but it seems with my age and experience I’m starting to step us and assume the leadership role in the challenges and now I’m taking this forward into our meetings where I’m taking on a leadership role because I feel the need to give the group direction towards our goal – a good assessment.