Reflection ~ Findings and Evaluation Comments from the UC Davis workshop "Understanding Team Unity" for Madera County Social Service​ Professionals held in Madera, CA, Full Day Workshops.

UC Davis Instructor: Joe Tassinari​

​Reflection is offered to give power to voice, to promote understanding among team members and bring light to the  findings from the workshops.

MON 1/25/16 – 18 Participants
TUE 1/26/16 – 29 Participants

REFLECTION – Madera County, "Understanding Team Unity"
Monday, January 25, 2016

Findings

What makes a good team member?
(each participant shared one trait about themselves & one about someone they knew)

• Tries to answer questions and help everyone
• Have FUN!
• Sharing ideas and knowledge
• Fun
• Open to new ideas
• Likes sharing of ideas
• Treats others as they want to be treated
• Candid
• Listens & actually hears
• Speaks her truth
• Caring
• Supportive
• Listens, is accepting
• Listens, Dependable
• Does what they say they will do
• Understands with kindness
• Fair and cares
• Open & Positive
• Honest feedback
• Unconditional Love & Good Intention
• Truthful
• Unconditional Love
• Truthful
• Accepting
• Works towards not against
• Enjoys her job
• Listens well
• Open
• Compassionate
• Making Positive Decisions
• Practice what you preach!
• Wants Unity!
• Open Minded (sees positive in everyone)
• Approachable
• Receptive

Review what other groups said "Makes A Good Team"

One Thing I Am Grateful For At Work

• Work family
• People I work with
• The county for this job opportunity
• My unit
• Ability to be helpful
• My positive co-workers
• My peers are my support group
• Co-workers
• I'm a part of a great team – we work well together
• Kindness of those around me
• Opportunities
• Helpful colleagues
• Sharing knowledge and helping others
• My colleagues
• My unit
• Open-minded staff who want to be here

Evaluation Comments

What were the strengths of the course? What did you value most?

• Loved the interactive exercises – openness of the group
• Mr. Tassinari is an excellent speaker. We would all benefit from more of his trainings
• The environment was good. Great time getting to know my coworkers in other buildings
• Interaction with peers. I valued the honesty
• The exercises that were done as a group. They brought everyone together
• The examples, interactions and participating in the group activities
• Was the best training. Knowledge obtained will help during my career in thinking positive
• It brought our management team closer
• Empowering
• Lots of activities
• The interaction & unity developed
• The instructor gave everyone the opportunity to participate, answered every ones questions
• Interaction of all in attendance
• This course was able to take us to a new comfort level with honesty and openness, Thank you
• Lists of positive ideas & energizers. Left me peaceful

How could this course be improved?

• N/A
• No, he did an amazing job
• It was wonderful as is
• Staff mixed with all divisions
• It couldn't, it was perfect
• n/a

How will you apply what you learned?

• Incorporate ice breakers – Energizers into meetings
• I will have my co-workers be more involved in my unit meetings
• I will begin to utilize what I learned with the unit I supervise
• Focus on being positive and having fun
• I will use it to facilitate my own unit meetings
• I will take what I learned back to my staff
• Work on approach to agency meetings
• Share w/ staff
• Positive thoughts and actions. Look @ good in people, forgive mistakes & understand a learning experience

We set out during a work day to have it be easy for others to be in our presence, to have fun as a learning community and to enhance our team unity. By gifting the characteristics we value to our colleagues, our most important customers, we achieved our goals. With ease, comes joy. When comfortable and happy we are truly at our best. I encourage you to review the competencies on your unity cards and keep giving them away. Thank you for your hospitality, professional collaboration and welcoming spirit. ~joe

End of 1/25/16 Reflection Madera County Social Services
reflections from other workshops     contact instructor Joe Tassinari

REFLECTION – Madera County, "Understanding Team Unity"
Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Findings

What makes a good team member?
(each participant shared one trait about themselves & one about someone they knew)

• Always listens
• Wants to improve
• Follows through
• Dedicates to excellence
• Honest & dependable
• Finds ways to make work fun
• Is a cheerleader!
• Believes mistakes are for learning
• "Let's it Go"
• T-bone – trustworthy because he doesn't buck me off
• Listens well, provides feedback
• Wants to improve
• Positive light attitude
• Focuses on positive aspects of employees
• Confidentiality
• "Because it's a new day"
• Always looking for the good
• Confidentiality
• Likes her unit
• Good listener
• Likes job position
• Gives of self
• Accepting
• Because I enjoy my job
• Always has my back no matter what I say or do
• Love
• Funny
• It's easier that way (to be a good team member)
• Honest & accepting
• Is accepting
• Always there
• Considerate
• Pure motives
• Keeps it honest
• Knowing and understanding one another
• Follows through
• Brings experience to position
• I was accepted even after retirement
• Open to different points of view
• Happiness
• Enjoys being around people
• Having fun at work
• Kind, caring, knowledgeable
• Supportive of others
• Kind & always has an open door
• Always has a positive attitude
• Willingness to assist
• Unconditionally supportive
• Listens with acceptance
• Always there to listen
• Respects employees

Review what other groups said "Makes A Good Team"

One Thing I Am Grateful For At Work

• Coworkers
• Positive environment
• Able to help others
• Private office so I can concentrate
• I get to know those I work with
• Helping others
• Our staff
• Positive relationships
• My unit
• My division
• My staff
• My program manager
• My unit
• My team and my building
• Benefit package
• The friends I've made here
• The county
• Partnerships – I don't do this alone
• My team
• Support from staff
• Positive impacts, joy
• The great people I work with
• Creating positive changes for the community
• All the people around me and the resources available to me
• Coworkers
• Ability to work on projects that interest me
• Working with devoted coworkers

Evaluation Comments

What were the strengths of the course? What did you value most?

• Activities
• The group exercises were great
• Good focus with a tricky subject
• Ice breakers – nothing too intrusive & people were able to pass
• Mix between seated work and movement
• Building from strengths-based approach. Engaging & kept us moving
• Group interaction
• Short segments, easy to follow and pay attention
• Active interaction
• The variety between small group (table) and whole group exercises
• Positivity & intentionality
• Enjoyed activities
• Keeping everyone involved
• Various activities, content useful
• Providing evidence of benefits of positive attitude
• Understanding unity better
• The format of the training kept everyone engaged
• Instructor's interaction with group and the handouts
• Joe's different way of teaching – Positive and friendly approach. Interesting
• Interaction with everyone. I valued the different energizers
• Interaction with entire group
• Refreshing. Unlike anything else. Fun

How could this course be improved?

• N/A
• Can't think of anything. It was really enjoyable
• Food
• ?
• It was just right
• No upgrades needed
• I found the reading of the handouts to be enervating; would have preferred much more small group work
• Basic training, would like to see/work @ improving specific areas within the department
• N/A
• Great as is
• n/a
• Need food

How will you apply what you learned?

• Practice with staff
• Use with my unit
• Yes
• Already do
• Staff meetings
• Use some of the tools like agenda and unity cards
• Working to support a more positive environment
• When facilitating meetings this will be helpful
• Using towards building/improving relationships with peers & staff
• Try to be more positive with my team
• Complements what I practice
• I will utilize within the scope of my position
• Be more positive with my staff to encourage creative solutions
• With my unit
• I will try some of the exercises with my unit 
• I will use the information to improve my relations with staff
• Everyday with my staff
• I feel very positive with most of what was taught. I am going to work on being more competent in my role since I am new to my position
• I will use it personally and with my unit

We set out during a work day to have it be easy for others to be in our presence, to have fun as a learning community and to enhance our team unity. By gifting the characteristics we value to our colleagues, our most important customers, we achieved our goals. With ease, comes joy. When comfortable and happy we are truly at our best. I encourage you to review the competencies on your unity cards and keep giving them away. Thank you for your hospitality, professional collaboration and welcoming spirit. ~joe

End of 1/26/16 Reflection Madera County Social Services
reflections from other workshops     contact instructor Joe Tassinari