Quality of Work

Member's Quality of Work

Poor Work Quality is a very common learning team problem, which is difficult for everyone to deal with. Nobody is perfect, and nobody does perfect work all the time. Many factors determine the quality of work we produce as individuals and as team members. But there are a few things that we can control to improve our quality of work. Personal or external issues are an area that can have a severe impact on work quality. We all have personal lives, and our lives become very easily distracted by issues that are separate from school. One initiative we can all take is to go to a place of study outside of ones home, a library or coffee shop perhaps.

Study Skills

Developing good study skills involves maintaining a routine and commitment. Many sites are available on-line to provide assistance where one may need aid most. When providing fellow students with advice on education enhancement the University of Phoenix offers assortment guidance through their very own tutor site, Longman Exercises. Longman Exercises provides not only instructional guidance but also practice exercises, which becomes a virtual tutor.

Outside online assistance is also available to improve educational skills. These sites main objective is helping college students. Listed below are reputable sites which, I would delicately suggest and recommend to any fellow students that necessitates additional support.

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http://www.college-study-skills.com/time_management.html

http://www.knowledgecollegetutors.com/

http://www.elearners.com/index.asp?tsource=gg&tid=7162

Respect and Communication

In written communication many of us fall into a routine of using negative language. When situations arise, which call for constructive criticism the words we use are often what makes the situation effective or a disaster. Using positive language on a regular basis is difficult and often, needs to be practiced. Robert Bacal author of Using Positive Language provides suggestions and examples of positive and negative language characteristics and the effects, which they cause:

Negative and Positive Language

Negative phrasing and language often have the following characteristics:

*tells the recipient what cannot be done.

*has a subtle tone of blame.

*includes words like can not, will not, unable to, that tell the recipient what the sending agency cannot do.

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*does not stress positive actions that would be appropriate, or positive consequences.

Positive phrasing and language have the following qualities:

*tells the recipient what can be done

*suggests alternatives and choices available to the recipient

*sounds helpful and encouraging rather than bureaucratic

*stresses positive actions and positive consequences that can be anticipated. (Bacal, R., 2005)

Understanding expectations of team members and the grading policies of the instructor is something we should all be doing to improve our quality of work. We must have a way to measure our work. Most instructors publish a matrix that shows us exactly how we will be graded on assignments. This is an opportunity to verify that our efforts have met final expectations. Clearly, with dedication, attention to details and personal accountability, we can all deliver a high quality of work.

In learning teams, conflicts arise when members do not produce work contributions that do not reflect equalivant quality. Proper communication is the key to resolving problematic disputes. Insulting another team member's intelligence is never an effective method. To avoid awkward criticism reframing

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from using expressions that implies doubt to the recipient's intelligence. For example, "we cannot see how you..." "We fail to understand you..." and "We are at a loss to know" only undermines recipient, causing hostilities. More effective solutions can be described accurately by Marilyn Lesmeister when she states "An "I" message allows us to tell people what impact their behavior has on us without judging them. At the same time, it lets them decide whether or not to change that behavior. Using "I" messages; we describe our responses and do not evaluate behavior or suggest changes. We are not forcing them to accept our ideas."

Ethics and communication go hand in hand; when people operate as a team, ethics act as the protocol which governs how people treat each other. If the rules of ethics are not understood by all, then obstacles are more pronounced. Conforming to an ethical code also represents a form of unity. We as professionals or we as students automatically fall into a larger group are adhering to and respecting a law of ethics. While we can all have strong and outspoken feelings at times, if the ethical code is not broken, no one gets offended and respect is maintained within the team.

Communication is a very vital tool in a group setting. As a group works

together and trusts one another the communication of the team members

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