There are four patterns of working together: in work groups, teams, communities, and networks. Work groups are subunits within an organization.
Members of a work group work on the subject matter with each person having a defined responsibilities. They report to a common supervisor. “The workgroup is the most common form of arrangement, and it exists wherever you find organizations.” (Denning, 2011, p. 151). This is true of my job as an Academic Advisor. We are made up of seven team members. We all work in the same area on our floor and report to our Director of Advising. We work independently of one another to assist the students of the university.
Teams are “organizational groupings of people who are interdependent, share common goals, coordinate activities to accomplish these goals, and share responsibility for the performance of the collectivity.” (Denning, 2011, pp. 151-152). Teams have a specific objective and they disband once the objective is met. Their objectives (and membership) are decided by someone in a position of authority.
Communities are groups of people that don’t live or work in the same area. They share common interests, practices, and values. Their goals are decided by the members and the community will disband once the members feel that there is no longer value in continuing their existence. They share information, knowledge, and/or activities. Examples of communities can be scientists working together to cure illness, economist working together to develop and apply theories, or psychologists sharing information regarding mental health.
Networks are “collections of people who maintain contact with each other because of a mutually perceived benefit of staying in touch for purposes that may or may not be explicit.” (Denning, 2011, p. 152). As a Paralegal I was a member of the NALA, a network of paralegals. The network would hold meetings, mixers, and opportunities to make connections within the discipline. It was a great opportunity as a student out of college to meet others who had been practicing in the field for years and learn more about the benefits of being a Paralegal. I stopped being a member when it was no longer a benefit to me.
In my undergraduate degree I took a course on how trials are conducted. Our final was a team assignment and my instructor paired me with a classmate. We would face off against another team (one side as the defense, the other as the prosecution). We were given a specific case and facts. My team acted as the defense. The instructor would be the judge and the rest of the class would comprise the jury. At the end of the trial a verdict would be read. We were graded on how well we prepared, our strategies, and our presentation (courtroom presence). My team member and I were on the same page from the beginning. We met numerous times during the semester in the law section of the library building our case. We rehearsed our questioning and outlined our strategy. The day of the “trial” came and we met once again to practice for our shining moment. But there was one small detail I seemed to have overlooked. There was one question I should have asked my partner… “Are you comfortable with speaking in front of an audience?” I never did asked him and what followed in our presentation was a train wreck! I rose first to address the court on my defendant’s behalf and my classmate followed to present the second half of opening arguments. He was crippled with anxiety! He could barely form a sentence. His voice cracked as he reached for his water. I thought he might faint! I slumped in my chair and sort of melted in it. I caught a glimpse of my teacher’s eyes as if to say “Oh boy, this poor kid.” It was all downhill from there. All our rehearsing went out the window. He forgot his line of questioning and relied on note cards to complete the assignment. The jury found our defendant guilty. We began with a specific objective (to present our case and win the trial). This was our only team assignment and we did not work together after this as teams disband once their objective is met. We shared a common goal and were committed to winning. Fortunately for me my grade was based on my individual performance. I learned that you should not make assumptions when working in a team. Had I known that high performance teams “come to know one another’s strengths and weaknesses, anticipating each other’s next moves” (Denning, 2011, p. 156), this exercise could have been executed differently. We would have practiced in front of friends or family beforehand.
When I graduated college I found it very difficult to find work as a paralegal. All of the jobs I applied to wanted minimum experience. I researched the top Orlando law firms and applied for openings without success. I went back to UCF to talk to a career counselor. She offered some great advice. She suggested I join a community for paralegals. This gave me the opportunity to make some great contacts and ask for advice from practicing paralegals. We all shared the same common interests in the field of law. I attended lunches and mixers with members of the paralegal community and received a great deal of information that helped me to eventually land a job with a law firm. I was able to keep in contact with the other members via emails, newsletters, and occasional social gatherings. The goal for me was to find people who could help me in the field. I was able to focus on what area of law I was interested in by communicating with these members. Had I known the benefits of being a part of a community, I would have joined one before I graduated college. I could have saved myself two months of job hunting.
Denning, S. (2011). The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Wiley.
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