Adjourning

This week you read about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye. Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Groups with the clearest established norms? Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why? What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master's degree in this program? Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

The hardest group I have left was a dance company I was a part of for four years. We were like family. Our projects were performances. We were a strong group that had common goals. We leaned on each other daily. The hardest aspect of saying good-bye was we knew we would not see each other everyday. At the time there was no facebook or text messaging so our good-byes felt so final. 

I think the hardest good-byes are from groups that worked well together and accomplished the goals they intended to accomplish. If a group never gets past storming saying good-bye may be the best thing to do.

Closing experiences I have experienced are fair well parties or a get together. After working on a group project for church the ladies usually go out to dinner. At work we tend to have lunch or go to a local party such as a wine tasting (I hate wine J). My husband coaches and after a season we have a barbeque.

I do not see adjourning my master’s degree program with my colleagues from my program. I appreciate everyone but I am ready to complete and move on. I will celebrate with my family and work colleagues. My family has sacrificed for me to complete my education and I want to enjoy my accomplishment with them because without their support I could not have finished a mater’s degree.

Josie Zbaeren