Adjourning our class

Well... it is hard to believe our class is coming to an end!  I appreciate working and learning with all of you.  Thank you for sharing your personal and professional experiences, as it has enriched my learning and understanding of the work other professionals are doing within the field.  Best of luck in your degree track and in your educational goals!

 

The adjourning phase

I have participated in many groups/committees throughout my professional career.  Some groups were more cohesive and effective than others and therefore varied in the ways they adjourned at the completion of the project.  When comparing the groups that were hardest to leave to the groups it felt comfortable adjourning I was able to to identify some critical attributes of effective groups.  The most effective groups were also the hardest to leave because they were high-performing and goal driven.  These groups established clear norms for all members/participants and came to consensus on the goals they were working towards.  It was hard to leave these groups because we worked so hard to achieve our goals and when we did there was reason to celebrate but not to continue working together.  Most of the groups I've worked with adjourned through a luncheon and a final sharing of ideas and information in regards to achieved goals.

I imagine adjourning from my Walden colleagues by sharing our next steps and goals after graduation.  I believe the adjourning stage is critical to teamwork because it allows all participants to celebrate and recognize achievements and to evaluate the steps taken to achieve goals.  Through evaluation members can identify the best practices that can be used for future projects.