Adjourning......

Adjourning is the last of the five stages of team building (Abudi, 2010).  During the adjourning process the team leader shares with the team their successes and failures as a team (Abudi, 2010).  It is also an opportunity for team members to say goodbye or what some might consider closure to a project (Abudi, 2010).  When groups/teams are high functioning with clear established goals, it has been my experience that they are harder to leave than those groups that seem unorganized and inconsistent with goals.  I think this is because when working in a high functioning group you feel you have purpose and that the groups will reach the group’s common goal.  I have not had any experience with adjourning rituals, but would hope that future experiences provide opportunities for networking and professional contacts.  I think this experience at Walden University will also provide some great opportunities for professional contacts all over the United States.  Adjourning is an essential part of teamwork because it provides closure for all those involved, letting the team know how they did and what they accomplished together.         

References

Abudi, G. (2010, May 9). The Five Stages of Team Development: A Case Study. Project Smart:

Project Management Templates Articles and Events. Retrieved February 12, 2013, from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html