Hello All, (apologies for cross postings)
I am trying to do team building exercises for masters students accountants who are getting ready to do a case competition. So far we have done three exercises (marshmallow, PB tech and carter racing).
I noticed that when they were reflecting on their performance in these exercises within their group (using questionnaires), they were very hesitant to be 'open'. I noticed that most of the students who have just moved from China in the past 2 weeks (we have 51 out of 81 students in this group) are quite reluctant to do this aspect of the exercise. I am guessing that they are not used to team-reflection or giving each other feedback. The students who were born in N. America seem quite frank and open and seems like they are used to articulating their own strengths and weaknesses and therefore that of the team...
Is there any research on how to overcome it? I really need them to start building trust in their teams so that they can be more effective in their team competitions that will come up in only 18 days. Any exercise you can recommend to build 'trust'? The ones I know are in negotiation –the prisoner's dilemma paradigm with two groups and I have used it before but am not convinced it builds trust in the entire team because it breaks up the team into two groups to do the exercise. I also know of a role playing exercise on giving feedback in a one-one managerial situation but again that is not useful in a team situation...
Thanks!
Phani
Apologies for cross-postings
Phani Radhakrishnan PhD
Senior Lecturer, Organizational Behavior & Human Resources
Management Department
University of Toronto
phanira@utsc.utoronto.ca
www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~phanira (cv & publications here)
1265 Military Trail
Scarborough, ON M1C1A4 Canada
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