Learning Team Ground Rules

University of Phoenix Material

Learning Team Worksheet: Ground Rules (Due Week Three)

Ground Rules, sometimes referred to in business settings as a "Memorandum-of-Understanding," are useful tools for work or learning teams to identify structures, processes, and strategies to meet team or organizational objectives. Essentially, good ground rules give visibility and voice to those agreements between team members that reduce the potential for non-resolvable conflict(s) which often result in incomplete tasks, broken relationships between team members, and non-productive activity within the team.

Specifically included in a list of ground rules are such items as:

meeting schedules

locations

expectations for attendance

agenda items

completion of deliverables schedule

assigned tasks

communication methods

Good ground rules also retain a certain fluidity in that they may be modified as long as all group members agree on the changes as they evolve.

Language in ground rules should demonstrate a positive, encouraging tone and quality in that the use of negative terminology and toxic language is discouraged and reframed in a more positive manner. For example, when crafting Ground Rules, instead of stating, "Do not interrupt," team members might state, "We agree to refrain from interrupting one another." Ground rules should be specific and behaviorally anchored. For example, "Our learning team agrees to meet each Wednesday by teleconference from 8-10 p.m. Central time, on August 7, 14, 21, and 28."

Using positive, non-toxic language, please answer each of the following questions in typed responses of 25-50 words in length. Be certain to address all subtopics for each question.

1. What are the ways the team members will meet (in person, virtually, online, net meetings, teleconferencing)?

2. What are the days and times for meetings? What exceptions need to be considered?

3. What are the team members' expectations pertaining to those team members who refrain from attending or participating in team meetings, or neglect their responsibilities? How will that information be communicated in a positive manner? How will all members be accountable when it comes to "signing" the Learning Team Log, indicating that they participated in the Leaning Team Meeting and activities?

4. What are the team's expectations pertaining to individual members arriving at team meetings (in any modality) late or leaving early?

5. What are the guidelines about each team member's roles and the responsibilities to all other team members so that one team member doesn't "hold all the cards" particularly when team deliverables are due? What is the back-up plan?

6. What are the guidelines about creating a proactive process in the event of a team member's absence (i.e. do we negotiate with the instructor to present our material the week before it's due, do we tape the missing person's portion etc).

7. What are the guidelines pertaining to individual behaviors such as:

a. Student Code of Conduct: How will team members ensure that each participant and the team as a whole adhere to the UOP Student Code of Conduct?

b. Academic Honesty: How will the team ensure that team members refrain from plagiarism by adhering to the UOP Standards of Academic Honesty?

c. Interruptions: How will the team members prevent interruptions in the middle of someone else's conversation?

d. Language: