Adjourning Groups (Flight 520)

 

 

Thinking back on the stages of building a team presented by Abudi, G. (2010) and recalling some of the groups I’ve participated in the most meaningful group that made for the hardest good-bye was graduating from the United States Air Force Basic Training flight: Flight 520

These were the women that began their military career with me, starting within the first stage of forming (transitioning from civilian over the course of 8 weeks)

If you want to see a taste of what I experienced click the link below and watch each week unfold

http://www.airforce.com/joining-the-air-force/basic-military-training/

 and then storming (conflicting with each other, finding our roles) Norming and Performing (working together learning the basic military routine over the course of the weeks plus establishing ourselves as one flight. Then as soon as we “came together” and realized how important the Air Force Core Values meant not only to an individual but as a military branch it was time to pack up all of our belongings and depart. This group was the hardest to leave because over the past 8 weeks of difficult training. Living in one dorm room together, establishing ourselves as a family flight (away from our families with our only contact being writing letters) We pulled through together,  motivated each other, cried and laughed together. I know that each Airmen went their separate ways to continue on to train at other bases within their specific jobs but our overall mission is clear. We built relationships with each other and some Airmen I still keep in touch with. I was able to experience some basic military rituals (that Airmen in the past have also experienced) including my husband and my dad. And when I returned home from basic I was able to share my experience, and listen to my husband and dad share their experiences with me. (Very meaningful) I believe the way that I will adjourn from my colleagues I formed while working on my degree in this program will be sad but alright ( I think because I left and came back and need to form new relationships with my colleagues) I believe adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because learning how to work within different groups provides great knowledge especially as professionals we can reflect, change, and master the ways we effect our working groups. I feel that adjourning is similar to moving through chapters in a storybook reading and learning through (the beginning, the middle, and end)

Reference

 Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Pictures by United States Air Force Basic Training Year Book (August 2013)

And  http://www.airforce.com/