LML BULLETIN
3 Steps to Successful Teamwork at Home
Families working from home necessitate teamwork. What follows are three steps for leveraging each family member's Learning Patterns to encourage collaboration and reinforce a supportive family mindset at a time when disruptions can make daily life very disorienting
Step 1: Hold a Team Meeting
Gather your family members.
- Make sure all parties living under the same roof are present.
- Explain the purpose of the meeting—to form a team that works and lives well together.
- Then ask family members (regardless of age) what they bring to and what they need from the team. For example, one might say, "I bring fun ideas, but I need help with getting started on my schoolwork." Another might say, "I can help fix meals, but I need help planning what to make." "I can help with schoolwork when someone is confused, but I need a quiet place to get away by myself to get my own work done."
- Record each and every answer and move to Step 2.
Step 2: Develop a Team Agreement (Think of the Mayflower Compact)
Listen to and respect their input.
- Your agreement or compact should spell out the goals the team members have in common (keeping a clean living area, sticking to a schedule, being responsible for the care of pets, etc.), and—here is the really important part—it states specifically how individuals will help one another achieve the group's daily goals.
- Record each person's contribution and then post the agreement on the refrigerator and bedroom doors as a reminder that you are in this together!
Step 3: Make a Team Plan
Actualize and celebrate team interactions.
At the end of each day, revisit your action plan. Recognize team members' accomplishments and plan for the next day. Above all else, respect each person's way of doing things, and celebrate what you've accomplished together and learned from one another.
- Set a specific time and establish a specific place where family members can accomplish their tasks. (Those higher in Sequence and Precision need this.)
- Make the daily tasks relevant and doable. (Those higher in Technical Reasoning will respond more positively.)
- Make sure to plan a fun activity for each day and rotate daily chores among team members. (Those higher in Confluence will appreciate the change.)
At the end of each day, revisit your action plan. Recognize team members' accomplishments and plan for the next day. Above all else, respect each person's way of doing things, and celebrate what you've accomplished together and learned from one another.