Developing teamwork skills inside and outside the classroom

Richard Hicks, Queensland University of Technology
Andrew Leicester, Queensland university of Technology

Article comments

Richard E. Hicks and J. Andrew Leicester (1995) Developing teamwork skills inside and outside the classroom

Social Science Monographs: No. 1, 1995 - ISBN 1864351403.

Pulished by the School of Social Science: Queensland University of Technology.

Reproduced with permission © Copyright Richard E. Hicks and J. Andrew Leicester

Abstract

In many professional and managerial areas interpersonal and teamwork skilIs are essential competencies which help deliver effectiveness in practice. Yet many tertiary programs fail to give extensive training in these skills. One program which gives such emphasis is the postgraduate project management course conducted at the Queensland University of Technology. This article indicates the balance given in training both to the academic requirements and to the development of "the reflective practitioner" approach in the project management learning context. Reference is made in particular to the program of in-class experiential and self-development exercises and to the off-campus wilderness and action-adventure camps developed as part of the route to building interpersonal and teamwork skills and attitudes. Much of the success of the program has been due to the cross-School and cross disciplinary contribution and expertise from the host School of Construction Management and from the School of Social Science, in a program which recognises the relevance of knowledge and process skills from construction, project and general management and from managerial and organisational psychology.