Francine,
I think you made a wise decision and are in good shape for your next
class. What your are experiencing is unusual, but it does happen. When
it does, the real problem is usually that there is a very strong team
member who is NOT the one doing the negotiation. The key to resolving
the blockade is getting that person in the position where they are
feeling the heat from the other teams. In most cases, that happens by
simply sending the reps back to the teams for a consultation. On the
rare occasions when that doesn't work, the approach that I've used is
having all of the teams replace their representatives. Once, many years
ago, I had to replace the reps twice, but once the key person was in the
hot seat, they folded right up and a decision was made.
Larry
--
Larry K. Michaelsen
Professor of Management
University of Central Missouri
Dockery 400G
Warrensburg, MO 64093
660/543-4124 voice
660/543-8465 fax
>>> "Smith, David W" <[log in to unmask]> 01/23/07 5:14 PM >>>
This hasn't happened to me since I no longer let the class decide on
these weights.
Do you want to do something simple or complicated? I assume you want to
avoid appearing arbitrary, even if you are being arbitrary, which I
think you will have to do some of.
Business schools teach negotiation, which has a large literature. Since
you are teaching genetics
One approach, which could still be implemented, is to give your own
choices of weights, then give a deadline. If there is no agreement on
----- Original Message-----
From: Team Learning Discussion List [mailto:TEAMLEARNING-
[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Francine Glazer
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 4:09 PM
To: TEAMLEARNING- [log in to unmask]
Subject: teams won't reach consensus on percentages for activities -
please help!
Hello,
I'm teaching undergraduate genetics (junior- level majors) using TBL
for
the second time. My class has gotten stuck at the activity where they
decide on percentages for individual/team/team maintenance activities.
Three of the 5 teams seem willing to compromise extensively, a fourth
team is willing to compromise within reason (i.e. they don't want to
move too far from their starting position, but are willing to move
some), and the fifth team... ahh, the fifth team!
The fifth team started with a position dramatically different from the
other teams (only 15% individual vs. 40, 40, 45, and 55 for the other
teams) and is absolutely refusing to give. Their delegate was taking
a
'steamroller' approach and locked heads with team 4's delegate so that
I
sent all the delegates back to their teams and requested that they
choose someone else.
Now team 5 has a new delegate who at least is letting the other
delegates have their say, but team 5 is stonewalling the process by
refusing to compromise - even though it is clear that the rest of the
class is all in accord.
When we ran out of time, I said we will continue negotiations at our
next class, but that I'd like the issue to be settled within about 20
minutes, so we can move on to the first iRAT. I suggested that the
teams each confer within their private discussion boards on WebCT and
decide where/how much they are willing to give 'for the good of the
class.' (Yes, I also spoke individually with each team to that
effect.)
I see on the discussion board that teams 1- 4 are indeed deciding on
where they can yield. Team 5, on the other hand, remains as
intractable
as ever.
Help! All advice welcomed; I'm not sure what to do if they don't
reach
consensus.
thanks,
Fran
--
Francine S. Glazer, Ph.D.
Professor, Biological Sciences
Kean University
Union NJ 07083
Ph: 908- 737- 3661
Fx: 908- 737- 3666
http://www.kean.edu/~fglazer
|
