5 Dysfunctions and the Community

One of our fifth grade teachers referred me to, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and because I'm somewhat of a verascious reader and listener (I have umpteen audio books), I finished it rather quickly. I was both encouraged (mostly) and humbled to see the characteristics of a high functioning teams and low functioning teams.

The old axiom, There's no I in team is said all the time as is But there is ME. Early in my teaching career, I was focused on me, me as an individual teacher and how great my ideas and programs were. And many times, they were unique and interesting, but they were done alone. How hindsight and experience teaches us differently. What I failed to understand in my twenties is that you can accomplish far more, experience greater personal satisfaction and achieve greatness when you function as a team. This was brought home to me in the early 2000s when the school district I worked for received a large federal grant to incorporate vigorous, daily PE.

Before this grant, I worked alone. With the grant, I was able to team with a fellow PE expert, who not only taught me a great deal, but made for an excellent partner. As at team, our teaching improved, our program improved, and ultimately for the final years of the grant, the results were amazing in what children accomplished in terms of their physical health.

Teaming itself is difficult because I think for the majority of us, we don't know how to team. We like the concept, we think we share, but we don't. Why? Well, for one, our society is a society of "me" and not "us". We have, what Stephen Covey refers to as, "the scarcity mentality." In other words, I'm not going to share my creative and engaging idea or thought or program because by doing so, I will lose uniqueness and for some, perceived power. Instead, we should have the mentality "of abundance" which refers to the concept that there's plenty of great things to go around and my sense of worth doesn't come from whether or not I alone have a great idea or program.

But many times when people share great ideas other perceive this as arrogance. "Oh, she thinks she has all the answers doesn't she?" are the thoughts that can cloud the mind. In order to avoid this overcast mentality, we have to create a culture of trust among team members so that such comments are taken in the spirit of team and how that can make the team better, because by making the team better, we're better.

Throughout the school, we have high functioning and low functioning teams. Every orgainzation does. It's my hope and goal that this year we can focus on how to make our teams stronger, thus making us as a whole group, stronger which ultimately leads to better, happy people and just as importantly; better, happier students.