Abstract
Working in a team is like a box of chocolates – you never know who you are going to get, but each one is filled with goodness inside. As an exchange student, I can say with full confidence that if Sauder left me with one skill, it is how to work in teams. With only two final exams but several group projects presented during this term at UBC, I can truly attest to the ups-and-downs and the dos-and-don'ts of teamwork. “What is the most important aspect to a successful team?” is a common interview question that I have always answered with “shared vision and accountability”. This is echoed by Katzenbach and Smith's (1993) definition of a team as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to as common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
However, my last teamwork experience this semester, during the Managing and Building Teams course, made me realize that two key aspects need to be added to my own definition of a team: communication and trust. In this paper, I will be reflecting on my experience in teamwork, and how I grew as a team member during my experiences in this course. Finally, I will try to commit to further developing my existing skills and talents in order to make teamwork more effective, productive, enjoyable and successful for me and the teams I represent in the future.
