Building Teams that Build Robots

One of the best things about being a part of FIRST� is joining a community of like-minded individuals who work toward a common goal. In the short term, that may be building an awesome Robot, but in the long term, that means changing the culture we live in. For every one of us who works for FIRST, participates in the Programs, and most especially donates our time, energy and resources, we do so with the goal that we are making a difference.

Where all that starts is within the team environment. Both students and Mentors/Coaches learn and teach each other more than just how to build and program a Robot. They learn about Leadership, careersthat are open to them in the future, and the how to work as part of a team. In the majority of careers, knowing how to work as part of a team is essential. There are very few jobs in this very connected day and age where people work completely alone. Within a FIRST� Tech Challenge team, by working on teambuilding, team members benefit in the areas of:

6. Networking, socializing, and getting to know each other better.

5. Teamwork and boosting team performance.

4. Competition and bragging rights.

3. Celebration, team spirit, fun, and motivation.

2. Collaboration and the fostering of innovation and creativity.

1. Communication and working better together.

(McDuffee, 2016)

Although we have a great resource for Mentors/Coaches with our Mentor Manual, we have also a great resource for teams who want to focus on team building! The Building Teams that Build Robots Resource is a guide for teams who are looking for tips and tricks on how to better come together as a more cohesive unit.

Reference

McDuffee, Samantha. �6 REASONS WHY LEADERS CHOOSE TEAM BONDING IDEAS THAT WORK.� teambonding. 03 Feb. 2016. Https://www.Teambonding.Com/reasons-for-team-building/. 09 Jan. 2017.