Welcome to the Learning My Way website. Enjoy the fresh content and be sure to add us to your bookmarks.
There are huge benefits to a business, and to you as an individual, by working in a team. Working with others though can bring with it challenges for us all.
Effective teamwork brings a shared sense of purpose, the ability to set aside personal prejudices and the willingness to take responsibility as a group. In order for a team to work effectively there needs to be a balance of the following;
A team purpose.
An acceptance that the goal of the team is greater than one individual.
Working together to achieve that goal.
Playing by the rules.
Accountability as a team.
Here you will find a range of resources to help you develop your skills in team working.
For those of you who like to watch a short video, here are just a few interesting ones that consider different aspects of team work including how to identify good team work, the puzzle of motivation and how to collaborate effectively when working remotely.
If you prefer to read, here you will find a range of articles that cover many different aspects of teamwork; including how teamwork has generated success for 5 companies, what separates good from great and how teams can overcome distance with remote teamwork activities.
Dr Meredith Belbin defines a 'Team Role' as one of nine clusters of behavioural attributes identified by his research at Henley as being effective in order to facilitate team progress.
As with all knowledge, it only becomes truly useful when we start to use it! Here we have sourced a range of short courses to help you to develop your team working skills in different ways. Pick a course that interests you and start turning your knowledge into useful business skills.
Building Relationships
Sign up for a live online Skills Session. Our 2-hour online sessions, encourage active participation allowing you to exchange ideas with tutors and fellow apprentices.
By participating, you will:
Explore the significance of workplace values and their impact on workplace relationships.
Discover the secrets to creating and maintaining effective working relationships.
Acquire a range of techniques and tools to empower you to make positive changes that enhance the quality of your relationships.
Click on the link below to find out when the next session is running.
Aspiring leaders? This free short course gives a fantastic introduction to the principle of being a Team Lead.
Learning to stretch our thinking skills is integral to accelerating our development. This is a really important part of the learning process, and gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and show progression in your Apprenticeship.
Here are two challenges for you to pick from- should you choose to accept, this will help you to develop critical thinking, evaluation skills and encourage creativity.
Challenge 1
Select another team within your business (internal or external) and compare how effective their team working is in comparison to the team in which you work. In your analysis consider communication, work allocation, support, creativity and conflict. Conclude which team works more effectively and justify your conclusion. Discuss your analysis and justify your conclusions with your Talent Coach.
Challenge 2
Consider the effectiveness of the training currently given to new starters in your team in relation to team working skills and tools. Consider the following aspects of communication skills and tools, work allocation, support and coaching, encouraging creativity and any areas of conflict. Evaluate the training and guidance currently provided and create a recommended training programme for new starters to optimise team working and justify your recommendation. Discuss your analysis and justify your recommendations with your Talent Coach.
Update your Learning Journal in OneFile with your evaluation and your reflections ready to discuss with your Talent Coach at your next review.
Reflective practice is, in its simplest form, thinking about or reflecting on what you do. It’s a really important part of learning from experience.
Within your apprenticeship you will be encouraged to reflect throughout your programme, the reason for this is two-fold.
Regular reflection will accelerate your development and help you to identify areas to develop helping you to constantly move forward.
A summary or log of your reflections on your development will be required as part of your endpoint assessment activities. These reflections should demonstrate your ability to 'critically evaluate' your performance and development.
Reflection is a skill and practice will make it easier, it should also be an enjoyable experience and a chance to concentrate on what you need.
To support you to develop this skill we have gathered a range of resources and articles to help you find a reflective model that works for you.
Click on the button below to access the Reflective Practice page for additional resources.