CCA DR Blog Post #2

Question: “What kind of team member are you? What types of contributions can you make to a design research team?”

Reply:

There are so many different situations in which one ends up on a team and context generally tends to serve as main parameter for shaping how I behave. For example, I am currently on a women's soccer team and in this context I tend to take more of a leadership position on the field. I play a central defender and because I can see most of what's happening on the field from my vantage point, I call out commands, warnings, congratulations, etc. I have always behaved like a leader on sports teams as far back as I can remember.

However, when I'm working on a team say in a school context, I tend to hang back a bit more and let others do the talking. If there is someone who has a particularly strong personality, I don't want to clash with them so I tend to let them take more of a leadership role. While sometimes I feel that I could step up , I don't see others taking the lead as a negative. Again and again we are warned that democracy in a team setting can sometimes be the death of the group, but being able to facilitate and listen and be aware of social nuances and people's abilities without being confrontational or stubborn is something that I believe is a strength. Because my personality is like this, I tend to work well with a wide variety of people. I also like to find common ground to connect with people and that could be useful in interviewing strangers. Additionally, I don't hesitate to give both positive and critical feedback to fellow members of a team. I also like to champion the ideas of others if I believe in them and think they have the potential for success. I feel that I have a versatile personality that enables me to take on leadership roles when I must but am also able to concede that position to someone else if it enables the group dynamic to function more smoothly. These are the kinds of contributions I believe I could make to a design research team.