Ground Rules Worksheet

University of Phoenix Material
Learning Team Worksheet: Ground Rules (Due Week Three)
Ground Rules, sometimes referred to in business settings as a "Memorandum-of-Understanding," are useful tools for work or learning teams to identify structures, processes, and strategies to meet team or organizational objectives. Essentially, good ground rules give visibility and voice to those agreements between team members that reduce the potential for non-resolvable conflict(s) which often result in incomplete tasks, broken relationships between team members, and non-productive activity within the team.
Specifically included in a list of ground rules are such items as:
• meeting schedules
• locations
• expectations for attendance
• agenda items
Language in ground rules should demonstrate a positive, encouraging tone and quality in that the use of negative terminology and toxic language is discouraged and reframed in a more positive manner. For example, when crafting Ground Rules, instead of stating, "Do not interrupt," team members might state, "We agree to refrain from interrupting one another." Ground rules should be specific and behaviorally anchored. For example, "Our learning team agrees to meet each Wednesday by teleconference from 8-10 p.m. Central time, on August 7, 14, 21, and 28."
Using positive, non-toxic language, please answer each of the following questions in typed responses of 25-50 words in length. Be certain to address all subtopics for each question.
1. What are the ways the team members will meet (in person, virtually, online, net meetings, teleconferencing)?
Our team will meet in a variety of ways depending on the task that is at hand. Some tasks are easily completed through a variety of electronic means; while others require a formal
What are the guidelines about creating a proactive process in the event of a team member's absence (i.e. do we negotiate with the instructor to present our material the week before it's due, do we tape the missing person's portion etc).
If a team member knows in advance of an impending absence the team will work through a variety of processes to make sure that the missing team member has an opportunity to fully participate in the project.

7. What are the guidelines pertaining to individual behaviors such as:
a. Student Code of Conduct: How will team members ensure that each participant and the team as a whole adhere to the UOP Student Code of Conduct?
All team members are adults and will be expected to follow the code without supervision.
b. Academic Honesty: How will the team ensure that team members refrain from plagiarism by adhering to the UOP Standards of Academic Honesty?
Group projects are turned in to a project editor. That person edits & reviews the document then submits it to the Center for Writing Excellence, for review.
c. Interruptions: How will the team members prevent interruptions in the middle of someone else's conversation?
Team members agree to treat each other as fellow