Teens benefit from teamwork

Some people think of teenagers working as a team and they are just embarrassed. When I think of teenagers working together, I think of all the possibilities that can arise from the opportunity to work together. I think about him:

• teamwork that can happen

• creativity they bring with them

• leadership skills that can be nurtured

• interpersonal communication skills that can be developed

• conflict resolution experience

• critical thinking skills that develop

• collaboration they learn

• strengths, skills Y support for that are shared

There are so many other opportunities that await these young people when they work in teams that will benefit them throughout their lives. Learning to work in a team is a valuable skill and asset that anyone can benefit from.

As new teams are formed, it is important that there is a sensible adult coach to monitor the team. An important part of the coaches’ job is to make sure the team is following program / assignment guidelines, supervising them for safety reasons, guiding the team if they seem to get stuck or wander to get their thoughts back to normal, keeping they focused on the project at hand (which can sometimes be difficult with a team of teenagers!) and above all, it is the coach’s responsibility to make sure the environment is positive so that they can work well as a team, be it leading team building exercises, team building experiences (fun stuff, really necessary), having heart-to-heart discussions, mentoring people on ways they can better work with others, or just having an open group discussion and constructive.

My teams have been great and I am very proud of their efforts, but I am very proud of the experience they offer each other and me. This is what I have observed:

• Creativity – Through brainstorming, teens are the most creative group of people coming up with a variety of ideas and sharing them (no matter how strange they may sound, hey, some are pretty good and viable options!). Your creativity leads to some very creative solutions!

• Leadership – Throughout the process, they experience leadership in various ways. I believe that a true leader is someone who not only “leads” the team, but motivates, encourages, inspires and works hand in hand with the team.

• Communication – He’s number one in teamwork! Without effective communication, there is chaos and animosity and the team will work against itself. Learning to communicate as a team is essential to the success of the team.

• Conflict resolution – In any team, the conflict is destined to surface and when you bring together a group of teenagers and each one wants to express their ideas, you know what happens. Whether the conflict concerns an idea or solution or a personality conflict between team members, it must be resolved for the team to function well together and be effective.

• Critical thinking – the ability to evaluate complex problems and arrive at a viable solution; then put plans in place that the team agrees on; all I can say is “Wow!”

• Collaboration – the way the team comes together to work and achieve the objectives. Sharing what they know with each other; feeling comfortable enough with each other to say they don’t know something (which is even difficult for adults!); sharing their limitations and helping each other learn new things.

• Strengths – each team member has their own strengths that they share with the team; They are not ashamed to share their skills and offer the team the necessary support to each other.

• Support for – The camaraderie teens can show can be very comforting. Watching them come together when times get tough, cheering each other on, letting each other know it’s okay if someone makes a mistake, easing team members’ nerves before a performance / presentation.

This is not to say that coaching a team is a piece of cake. There are definite challenges and stressful situations, but hopefully the team can overcome challenges and learn through experience, making your next team have a positive and productive experience. The benefits that a teenager gets now will stay with them throughout their life: they will help make it a positive experience.