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Team-Assessment
Donna Rae Scheffert, author, is a retired Leadership Development Specialist from the University of Minnesota Extension. She spent over 20 years creating leadership information, tools and training. She is the owner of online-leadership-tools.com How is my team doing now?This team-assessment leadership tool is for teams to improve their productivity and interpersonal relationships by assessing the strengths and challenges of the group.A survey has many benefits: it helps the team talk about what is going on and set goals, it is a 'neutral' way to identify issues without causing interpersonal conflict, and it can be used regularly to track progress. An analysis tool like this that is used on a regular basis can be less threatening than one used when conflict is already occuring in the team. A member evaluation can also improve group participation. 
When your group wishes to analyze its progress, first have each member decide if response (a) or (b) describes your team most accurately. Then, for the response you choose, rate it using the numbers behind it. The scale ranges from 1 (low) to 10 (high).Scale 1 = Missing Completely 5 = Fair 10 = Operating Ideally Team-AssessmentFor a group profile, add each members response per item. Your greatest strengths are the largest total numbers and the lowest numbers indicate areas to consider improving upon. These are the areas to be considered when you think about your team: 1. ACTIVE LISTENING 2. OPEN COMMUNICATION 3. MUTUAL TRUST & CONFIDENCE 4. ATTITUDES TOWARD DIFFERENCES WITHIN GROUP 5. MUTUAL SUPPORT 6. INVOLVEMENT-PARTICIPATION 7. CONTROL METHODS 8. FLEXIBILITY 9. USE OF MEMBERS RESOURCES 10. OBJECTIVES OR PURPOSE First, choose the (a) or (b) response. Then rate that item.
1. ACTIVE LISTENINGa. Members don’t really listen to one another – they interrupt and don’t try to understand others. 1 2 3 4 5b. Members really listen and try hard to understand each other. 6 7 8 9 10 2. OPEN COMMUNICATIONa. Members are guarded or cautious in discussions. 1 2 3 4 5 b. Members express both thoughts and feelings openly. 6 7 8 9 10 3. MUTUAL TRUST & CONFIDENCEa. Members evidence suspicion of one another’s motives. 1 2 3 4 5b. Members do not fear ridicule or reprisal. 6 7 8 9 10 4. ATTITUDES TOWARD DIFFERENCES WITHIN GROUPa. Members avoid arguments, smooth over differences, suppress or avoid conflicts. 1 2 3 4 5b. Members search for, respect, and accept differences and work through them openly – they are not pressured to conform. 6 7 8 9 10 5. MUTUAL SUPPORTa. Members are defensive about themselves and their functions. 1 2 3 4 5b. Members are able to give and receive help. 6 7 8 9 10 
6. INVOLVEMENT-PARTICIPATIONa. Discussion is dominated by a few members. 1 2 3 4 5b.Members are involved, comfortable to participate in ways they choose. 6 7 8 9 10 7. CONTROL METHODSa. The agenda and decisions are controlled primarily by the chairperson or facilitator. 1 2 3 4 5b. Members accept responsibility for productive discussion and for decisions. 6 7 8 9 10 8. FLEXIBILITYa. The group is locked in on established rules and members find it hard to change procedures. 1 2 3 4 5b. Members readily change procedures in response to new ideas and situations. 6 7 8 9 10 9. USE OF MEMBERS RESOURCESa. Individual’s knowledge, abilities, and experience are not utilized. 1 2 3 4 5b. Each member’s knowledge, abilities, and experience are utilized. 6 7 8 9 10 10. OBJECTIVES OR PURPOSEa. Objectives are not clearly understood and/or there is no commitment to them. 1 2 3 4 5b. Objectives are clear, are understood, and there is full commitment to them. 6 7 8 9 10 Team-Assessment SummaryPlease indicate if the area it is a Strength (S), Neutral (N)or a Challenge(C)Use this analysis data to improve your group functions. 1. ACTIVE LISTENING 2. OPEN COMMUNICATION 3. MUTUAL TRUST & CONFIDENCE 4. ATTITUDES TOWARD DIFFERENCES WITHIN GROUP 5. MUTUAL SUPPORT 6. INVOLVEMENT-PARTICIPATION 7. CONTROL METHODS 8. FLEXIBILITY 9. USE OF MEMBERS RESOURCES 10. OBJECTIVES OR PURPOSE Adapted from the Field Associate Guide to Rural Development, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Another Team- AssessmentFor a more comprehensive team-assessment, check out the Action Wheel Assessment Link
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