Using Personal Stories to Enhance the Team Member Experience in Traditional and Online Teaching Modalities

Publication Date

12-1-2022

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Management Teaching Review

Volume

7

Issue

4

DOI

10.1177/23792981211032333

First Page

342

Last Page

350

Abstract

Working effectively in diverse teams is an important competency for students entering the workforce. Yet as instructors we often witness dysfunctional teams in our courses. Therefore, the goal of this experiential exercise is to encourage students to build high-quality relationships with team members by fostering the development of a psychologically safe team climate early in the semester. Students share their personal stories and react to each other’s story. In doing so, they learn to understand, value, and respect team members’ life experiences. Guiding questions for the personal story exercise and the reaction, which can be used in traditional face-to-face, online, synchronous, or asynchronous classes, are provided. This experiential exercise answers the call for ways to create and build community both in in-person and on-line courses.

Keywords

collaboration, personal story, psychological safety, team experience

Department

Management

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