TEAM BUILDING

class task sheet and self-study questions This task sheet contains the questions that will be used in your:

final test (FT, 60% of your final mark) partial test (SSAT, 30% of your final mark).

For help with your SSAT questions, see the ONLINE RESOURCES 2009-2010 document attached! For details, see your course programme.

TEXT A: THE SECRET OF EFFECTIVE TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Secret-of-Effective-Team-Building-Activities&id=2833984

(adapted)

#1 culture environment1 goal organization2 organizations solutions3 success4 unison In a corporate5 1____environment, it has been observed6 that to achieve 2____success, you need to have people working in 3____unison in the form of teams to work towards7 a common 4____goal. The age8 of working alone9 is long gone and today, if you can't work in a team, you will find it tough to get employed10. Hence, companies too have realized this and are trying to find 5____solutions that can be used to inculcate a team building 6____culture within11 the organization. There are many team building 7____activities that have been adopted12 in a number of 8____organizations. If you too have a sizable13 9____organization, you ought to pick14 one that will work for your company15.

1 2

Someone who is concerned about protecting the environment is an (derived noun). What adjectives can be derived from organization / organize? 3 What verb does solution come from? What adjective (derivative from solution) means that something cannot have a solution? 4 What negative adverb can be derived from success? 5 Corporate is an adjective derived from the noun (= large company). 6 What noun, other than observation, can be derived from observe? What does it mean? 7 What is the difference between towards and toward? What does the adjective untoward mean? 8 What do you call a person who discriminates against other people based on their age? What is the term for that type of discrimination (all are derivatives from age). 9 What differences are there concerning alone, lone and lonely (all of them are adjectives)? 10 An employer employs an employee. Can you give one more example of an ee suffix noun based on the same logic? 11 Which is (are) correct: within 10 metres from something / within 10 metres of something; within 10 hours from something / within 10 hours of something? 12 What noun(s) can be derived from adopt? 13 What differences are there between size and seize? 14 What differences are there between the verb pick and the phrasal verb pick up? 15 What verb can be derived from the noun company?

#2 activities activities decisions16 integrity17 intervals players preference18 productivity routine19 stage20 team21 teammates Team building 1____activities are designed22 such that people who are in an ineffective 23 2____team are given higher 3____preference than those who have been effective team 4____players. It is made to encourage24 people to trust25 in their 5____teammates and learn to make 6____decisions with them, and not behind them. After all, even if a single26 person in a team is not doing her/his job as they are supposed to, it damages27 the 7____integrity of them team which will then affect28 all the members29 of the team alike30. This will ultimately affect the overall31 8____productivity of the team and might make the team members skeptical about being in a team henceforth32. Thus, before it reaches that extreme 9____stage, a couple of well devised33 10____activities to improve teams should be incorporated into the work 11____routine at regular34 12____intervals.

16 17

What derivatives are possible from decision / decide? What derivatives are possible from integrity? 18 What other derivatives are possible from prefer? 19 What adverb can be derived from routine? What does it mean? 20 Can stage be used as a verb? 21 Can team be used as a phrasal verb? 22 See how the following expressions are used and what they mean: by design, have designs on something. 23 What differences are there between effective / efficient, ineffective / inefficient, effectiveness / efficiency, ineffectiveness / inefficiency? 24 What negative words can be derived from encourage? 25 What is the difference between trusty and trustworthy? 26 What phrasal verb is possible based on single? What is the adverb derived from single? 27 As nouns, what is the difference in usage between damage (uncountable) and damages (always plural)? 28 Study the differences between affect and effect. 29 What is the quality of being a member (derivative from member)? 30 What differences are there regarding unlike, alike, likely and likewise? What other derivatives are possible from like and what do they mean / how can you use them? 31 Overalls is a noun always used in the plural. What does it mean? 32 What does this word mean? 33 If the verb is devise, what is the noun? Can you give one more example to illustrate this pattern? 34 What derivatives are possible from regular?

#3 bonds35 breaks36 company employees fact37 level38 myths people39 results40 team Team building activities also bust 1____myths that some individuals might have about teams. Sometimes, people feel that they might not be noticed41 if they are in a team. These activities helps42 such people realize the 2____fact that when a team succeeds43, the people are all suitably rewarded44 and individual45 3____results don't really matter as much. Your 4____team succeeding is better than you doing so by yourself, because you are ensuring46 that you have the right kind of 5____people working with you. Furthermore47, these activities also help build 6____bonds within the 7____company. If your 8____employees have been working tirelessly48, such activities come as welcome49 9____breaks and are highly appreciated. You might even improve the efficiency of a team, all the way up to the maximum 50 10____level with these activities.

35

Study the differences regarding the following words and their other forms (as verbs, nouns and adjectives): bind, bond, bound. 36 What derivatives are possible from break? 37 What adjective can be derived from fact, meaning true, not based on fiction? What is the adverb? 38 Can level be a verb? 39 What is the difference between people (collective noun) and people / peoples (singular / plural noun)? 40 Study expressions based on the noun result. 41 Study differences regarding note and notice as both nouns and verbs. Pay attention to the fixed expressions possible. 42 How do the verbs help, let and make behave if used in the passive or active voice regarding infinitives with to or without to? 43 Can the verb succeed be used with the to infinitive? How about insist and suggest? 44 What are the differences concerning reward and award (verbs / nouns)? 45 Can the adjective form individual be also used as a noun? 46 Study the differences concerning insure, assure, reassure. What are the corresponding nouns? If we say ensure quality, what is the noun in the corresponding expression quality ____ i.e. Rom: asigurarea calitii. 47 Give a synonym for furthermore in this context. 48 What words can be derived from tire (= fatigue)? 49 Can welcome be a verb? 50 What derivatives are possible from maximum and minimum?

#4 activities changes51 employees experience52 facilitator53 influence54 part55 participants56 players Finally, have a good 1____facilitator to conduct these team building activities. S/he will ensure that the 2____activities are conducted appropriately57 and are having a positive 3____influence on the participants. In fact, no team building activity can be considered58 successful if you are forcing your 4____employees to take 5____part in them. A well conducted activity will leave the 6____participants satisfied59 and recharged60 with the 7____experience. They will look forward to working and making some 8____changes within themselves to become better team 9____players.

51 52

Study derivatives based on change. Also pay attention to prepositions used with change. What derivatives are possible from experience? How about experiment? What differences are there between experience and experiment? 53 This word is a derivative from facile. What other derivatives are possible? 54 What is the difference between having influence on someone and having influence with someone? 55 Study expressions based on the noun part. 56 What prepositions are possible with participate and participation? 57 What derivatives are possible from appropriate? 58 Do we use infinitives or gerunds after the following verbs? Consider, contemplate, avoid, risk, try, regret, forget, remember, stop, start, begin, like, hate, prefer? 59 What derivatives are possible from satisfy? What is the difference between satisfactory and satisfying (adjectives)? 60 What other derivatives are possible from charge (verb)?

#5 activity advantage costs61 effort62 mind63 part Cutting 1____costs and trying to have these activities conducted by someone not qualified 64 will ultimately65 end up in the whole 2____activity backfiring, and perhaps not working as it is supposed66 to. Hence67, do try to make a genuine 3____effort when you are going to add68 some of these activities for your company. For the people taking 4____part in these activities, keep69 in 5____mind that it is all to your own 6____advantage.

61 62

Give a synonym of expensive, derived from cost. Study expressions based on effort. What derivatives are possible from this word? 63 What derivatives are possible from mind? What differences are there concerning mind, brain (plural or singular) and brains (always plural)? 64 What derivatives are possible from qualify / quality? 65 What is the meaning of the adjective ultimate? Can the same form (ultimate) be used as a noun as well? 66 What derivatives are possible from suppose? How about derivatives from synonyms like assume and presume? 67 What does this word mean? 68 What derivatives are possible from add? 69 Can you give a synonym for keep in this expression?

TEXT B: WHY YOU NEED A TEAM IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Need-a-Team-in-Your-Own-Business&id=3393092

(adapted)

#1 business70 consultant duties function71 services72 skills tasks understanding73 Like most small 1____business owners74, you are definitely good at what you do. Who better than you knows your products75 or 2____services? But are you a lawyer? An advertising manager? A marketing 3____consultant? A webmaster? A secretary? Probably not. Even though you will probably have to handle all these 4____tasks yourself at first, successful people realize that they cannot excel 76 in everything. And you know what? You don't have to. By performing77 these 5____duties yourself, at least in the beginning, you will know how to perform them and you gain78 an 6____understanding of the kind of 7____skills that are required79 to perform each 8____function.

70 71

When can the noun business be countable? What is the opposite of function (derived word)? 72 Can service be a verb as well? 73 What prepositions can be used with the noun understanding? 74 What noun can be derived from own to mean the fact that you own something? 75 A product (countable noun) is not the same as produce (uncountable noun). What is the difference? 76 What noun(s) can be derived from excel? 77 In Romanian we say economie performant. Can we also say performant economy in English? 78 What other verb can you derive from gain, meaning to gain something back? 79 What differences are there between request (verb, noun) and require (verb), requirement (noun)?

#2 assistance80 budget81 company employee enterprise82 entrepreneur freak83 leader84 nuance position positions staff85 tasks If you run a medium-size 1____company or you decide to start one, you will most likely hire people to fill all those 2____positions. And maybe when your company grows86, you'll hire people too. If you have already performed some or all of these 3____tasks, you probably know how to describe87 each 4____position to a prospective88 5____employee, so it will be easier to find the right person to work with you. But what if you are a solo 6____entrepreneur? You will probably try to do everything by yourself at the beginning, either because you won't have the 7____budget to hire 8____staff, or because you want to control 89 every aspect and 9____nuance of the business. Many entrepreneurs conclude90 that because the business is their own and they created the 10____enterprise, it cannot run without the 11____leader. I have been there, so I know that exact feeling. But even if you are a "control 12____freak" (like me), you still need 13____assistance.

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What derivatives are possible from assist? Can budget be used as an adjective? What does it mean? 82 What derivatives are possible from enterprise? 83 What does the expression freak accident mean? 84 What are the forms of the verb lead? Can lead be a noun as well? If so, what meanings can lead have as a noun? Are there any differences in pronunciation? 85 What differences are there between staff and personnel? How about differences between staff and stuff? 86 What derivatives are possible from grow? 87 What derivatives are possible from describe? 88 This word is a derivative from prospect. What are the differences regarding prospect, perspective and prospectus? 89 What derivatives are possible from control? 90 What derivatives are possible from conclude?

#3 business expertise key priorities91 strengths92 tasks tasks Even if you can perform all the 1____tasks required to run and grow your 2____business, you will limit93 your success94 if you spend every95 minute of your time handling 3____tasks that are outside your core 4____expertise and 5____strengths. If nothing else, when you delegate96 tasks to people who are more qualified to handle them than you are or perhaps people who charge less than you do, you can better leverage97 yourself and concentrate on the 6____priorities: the 7____key tasks to make your business grow.

91 92

What verb can you form from priority? What are the nouns and verbs that correspond to the following adjectives? Strong, long, wide, broad, high. 93 What derivatives are possible from limit? 94 What is the verb success is derived from? What other derivatives are possible? 95 Look up expressions with every and each. 96 What is the meaning of delegate? How is this word used? 97 What are the meanings of leverage? Can this word be both a noun and a verb?

#4 challenges consultants98 experts99 functions growth input100 insights101 problems slant It is essential102 to your 1____growth and success103 to create what I call a "virtual team." Gather the best 2____experts you can find in the areas you need to complete your skills and 3____functions. These "partners" can help you think throughly and analyze104 different 4____problems, issues and 5____challenges, and add105 a new perspective106 or 6____slant to your point of view. They can add experiences and 7____insights you don't have. Since this small group of trusted advisors 107 serves as 8____consultants to you rather than employees, they are in effect "virtual." They can help you when you need their skills, expertise and 9____input.

98 99

What is the difference between consultancy and consultation? What derivative is possible from expert and refers to a high degree of skill (uncountable noun)? 100 What is the difference between input and output? Study multiple meanings. 101 What prepositions can be used with insight? What adjective can be derived from insight and what does it mean? What is the difference between insight and in-depth? 102 What is the opposite (derivative) of essential? What is the noun from essential? 103 If you have no success, you are... (negative adjective derived from success). 104 What words can be derived from the verb analyze? 105 What words can be derived from the verb add? 106 Study the differences regarding perspective, outlook, prospective and prospectus. 107 What is the difference between advisor and adviser? If you advise someone, you give someone... (noun derived from advise).

#5 business composition focus foundation108 goals host109 issues110 limitations members111 panels112 path purpose113 relationships114 scope team trust way Over the last two years, I tried many different things. I joined 115 different groups: 1____focus groups, "Mastermind Groups," expert 2____panels, peer116 groups, and a 3____host of other groups and associations. Some groups met once a week, some once a month. Often we discussed117 our issues in 4____business, and the 5____purpose was to brainstorm and help each other. But in many cases, I noticed that the people in the group changed118 too often. This made it more difficult to develop close 6____relationships and discover which 7____members could help us and which we could help. The group also lacked a solid119 8____foundation and a consistent120 9____path of development and growth. And with the changing 10____composition of the groups, it was always challenging to get to know people in a meaningful121 11____way and even more difficult to build 12____trust. These 13____limitations made the members reluctant122 to share their personal123 14____issues and challenges. As a result124, I created my own virtual 15____team with people that I knew very well. I created a set of 16____goals for my team and a written description125 of the types of people and experts and the 17____scope of knowledge126 that I needed127.
108

Foundation is derived from the verb found. Make sure that you can differentiate forms and meanings regarding: find, found, fund. 109 What is the meaning of host in this expression? 110 Issue can be a verb or a noun. Study relevant meanings. 111 What is the noun, derived from member, which refers to the quality of being a member? 112 Panel has several meanings. What other expressions are based on the pattern a panel of... ? 113 Study derivatives from purpose and the prepositions that go with this word. 114 Relationship is different from relation. In what ways? What verb are they both derived from? 115 What noun and adjective (same form) can be derived from the verb join? 116 Peer can be a noun. Study its usage. 117 Is it correct to say discuss something or discuss about something? 118 Study derivatives from change. 119 What verb can be derived from solid? 120 What differences are there regarding consistent, constant and substantial? 121 Meaningful is a derivative from mean. What other derivatives are possible from mean? 122 If you are reluctant, you display... (derived noun). 123 What is the difference regarding personal, personnel and staff? Study possible meanings and expressions. 124 What is the difference between result from something and result in something? Is result to / into something also possible? 125 What other derivatives are possible from describe? 126 Knowledge is an uncountable noun. Can you give 3 more examples of uncountable nouns? 127 Study expressions and collocations based on need as a noun.

#6 agreement basis128 business feedback goal opinions program129 rule130 sense131 Since I already knew132 many of these people and I had been in 1____business for a period of time, I knew what I needed and already had a 2____sense of the value133 my team members could provide134, even though we wouldn't meet on a regular 3____basis. My virtual team more or less evolved, and even though we did not create a formal 4____agreement135, we just began meeting with the general 5____goal of helping each other. We knew that we could contact136 each other at any time, and the 6____rule was that they would offer their candid137 7____opinions and provide advice and 8____feedback on an issue or feedback on an idea to start a new 9____program or project.

128 129

What is the plural of basis? What is the difference between basis and base (singulars)? What is the plural of base? Is this the British or the American spelling? What is the other one (British or American)? 130 Can this word be used as a verb as well? What derivatives are possible from rule? 131 Study expressions and collocations based on the noun sense. What differences are there regarding sensible, sensitive, sensibility and sensitivity? What are the opposites (derivatives) of these words? 132 What derivatives are possible from know? 133 What are the differences regarding valuable, valuables and invaluable? 134 What derivatives are possible from provide? 135 What derivatives are possible from agree? 136 Study expressions based on contact. 137 What is the meaning of candid?

#7 business coach138 consultant designer139 goals progress140 state team track My virtual team includes141 a business 1____coach, a financial142 advisor, a lawyer, a graphic 2____designer and a marketing 3____consultant. And I even have a friend who operates143 a 4____business that is similar to mine. We call each other once a month to discuss our monthly 144 5____goals, and help each other focus on them and continue making 6____progress and stay on 7____track. My friend is not in the United States or France; she is in Denmark, so you can understand the sense of a virtual 8____team. The people on your team don't need to be right next to you or located 145 in the same town, 9____state or even in the same country146. They just need to be available147 for you and you for them when needed.

138 139

Study differences regarding coach and couch. Study expressions based on the noun design. 140 Do you do or make progress? 141 What derivatives are possible from include? 142 What derivatives are possible from finance? 143 Study the meanings and usage of the verb operate. Pay attention to expressions, collocations and prepositions. 144 Regarding ly words, are the following words adjectives, adverbs or both? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, early, lively, friendly, cowardly, costly, lovely, wonderfully, nicely, beautifully, economically? 145 What derivatives are possible from locate? 146 If you go to the country, this means you might like to see the... (a derivative from country, also a noun, describing what you could see / visit in villages or areas that are not urban). 147 What derivatives are possible from available?

#8 business judgment148 pressure149 The most important goal is to find a group of people that you feel very confident150 in and comfortable151 with, like to work with, and trust their 1____judgment. During the first year I was in 2____business, I tried152 to accomplish153 everything on my own154; finally this past year I realized155 that to be most productive156 and effective, I had to enlist157 others to help me. My virtual team helps me accomplish a lot more of my goals and be more efficient and more productive. Collectively, they took a lot of the 3____pressure off my shoulders and helped me become even more successful.

148 149

Is this spelling British or American? What is the British / American version? Pressure can also be used as a verb. How? With what prepositions? 150 What derivatives are possible from confident? 151 What derivatives are possible from comfort? 152 What is the meaning of the adjective trying? Study the meanings and expressions based on the word trial. 153 What derivatives are possible from accomplish? 154 What derivatives are possible from own? 155 What derivatives are possible from realize? 156 What derivatives are possible from product? 157 What meanings can the verb enlist have?