Adjourning - An Essential Stage of Teamwork

When thinking back to the numerous groups that I have had to say goodbye to over the years, I come to the realization that the groups whom had success are undoubtedly the ones that are the hardest to leave. Furthermore, leaving successful groups that had a particularly challenging project were even more challenging to leave. I can think of one project in particular where the task was incredibly daunting and we did not seem to have much direction as far as what our professor wanted... the expectations were not established clearly by the professor, so we had to work together to find a common goal on how to complete the specific task.

I believe these groups to be the most challenging to leave because of the camaraderie that is formed while trying to overcome the obstacles of the project. When you work hard with other members and form a mutual respect and relationship with them, closing rituals are quite important. I think this ritual usually ends in going out in a social setting - usually to grab a drink or a bite to eat. Here, we are able to discuss the fun, funny, awful, challenging, etc., experiences we shared together. Adjourning is essential in any teamwork because it allows individuals to reflect, gain, and provide feedback to one another about their process and progress. Without this essential step, team members would be unaware of their strengths and improvements to be made for their next group encounter.

At the end of my master's program, I imagine that many of my colleagues and I will adjourn in an online fashion such as this blog. Usually at the end of a course, we discuss with each other what we have appreciated about each others' feedback, as well as wishing them luck in their future endeavors. I see this being very similar to how I envision it at the end our our master's program, and hopefully with much more communication afterwards :)