Effective Team Communication
Experts:
Andy Baker, FRC Team 3940
Mike Corsetto, FRC Team 1678
Hosted By:
GameSense
Effective Communication
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Team Building
Communication Expectations
Conflict Management
Effective Drive Coach Communication
Team Building: Goals
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Get to know each other
– Set aside Team Building activities can sometimes be the only way to get to know
each other
– Team meetings can often be too busy otherwise
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Learn to work together
– Depending on the activity, Team Building can also be geared towards learning to
work together
– Discover teammates personality types and communications styles
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Develop a sense of belonging
– Recognized or not, everyone has an innate desire to belong
– To know and be known is powerful
– Passion, dedication and productivity follow belonging
Team Building: Best Practices
• Prepare an Activity
• Define team roles
– Both student and mentor
– Make sure everyone understands what is
expected during Build Season
Communication Expectations
• Purpose: foundation for everything
– Recruiting, design, finances,
sponsorships, awards, negotiations, etc.
Determining Expectations: Best Practices
• Set Team Goals
– Depend on them to help guide your team
– Set competition goals and use them to focus
team efforts
• Have a Team Contract
– For students and mentors
Communications Methods: Written
• Online (emails, social media, web
presence, discussion board participation)
• Letters
• Press Releases
• Presentation Materials
Communications Methods: Verbal
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Meeting leadership
Making presentations
Learning and mastering interview skills
Negotiating with other teams
“Selling” team to others
Communications Methods: Non-Verbal
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Body Position
Facial Expressions
Focus
Listening Ability
Communication Tools
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Email Distribution List
Group Texts
Team Website
Social Media
– Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Best Practices: Team Meetings
• Hold weekly team meetings, some host
throughout the year
• Empower students to run meetings
• Create agenda in advance
• Send reminders for key meetings
Communication at Build Season
• Have daily quick build review
• Use a common white board to allocate design
topics:
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Motor
Put-Asides
Overall Concept
Sub-Team Goals
Timelines or Gantt Charts
Conflict Management
• Every team will have “RoboDrama”
– Be prepared!
• Key Tools for Conflicts:
– Well-defined team leadership and roles
– Clear, accepted team goals
– Open channels of communication for
students, mentors, parents
Mentors and Conflict
• Train mentors:
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Accept diversity and differing opinions
Watch for early signs of conflict
Step in and assist difficult situations quickly
Do not put yourself in compromising positions
• Have mentor meetings
• Recruit diverse mentors
Working with Parents
• Make team rules clear
• Give clear expectations regarding
fundraising and team finances
• Make a clear and precise schedule
• Assign support tasks
Best Practices to Avoid Conflict
• Provide equal opportunities to students
– Recruit students that reflect the demographics
in your school or area
– Watch for any prejudices and correct bad
behavior
– Create environment for students of different
backgrounds to build a relationship
Best Practices to Avoid Conflict
• Have clear processes to determine how
students get select roles
– Application process for roles (driver, operator,
pit boss, etc.)
– Voting for leadership positions (president,
lead mechanic, etc.)
– Entry and exit interviews
Best Practices to Avoid Conflict
• Have clear expectations regarding Team
Confidentiality
– Design
– Game Play
– Team Issues
• Don’t air your team’s dirty laundry!
• Don’t encourage or listen to rumors or hearsay
If Conflict Occurs…
• Involve team leadership immediately
• Interview (isolate) involved parties
• Determine short term solution that will not
negatively impact the team
• Inform parents and school administration
• Determine a long-term solution
Leadership Roles & Conflict
• Make unified decisions
– Follow team and school/organization rules
• Be clear in communicating decisions
– To involved parties
– To team (when appropriate)
Conflict with Other Teams
• Outside an Event:
– Contact FIRST Regional Director or District
Leadership
– Clearly define the issue
– Be willing to discuss the issue with other team
– Move on and forgive
Conflict with Other Teams
• At an Event:
– Contact key volunteers and event leaders
– Protect teammates, but expect them to be
accountable
– Don’t let this distract team from goals
– Move on and forgive
Drive Coach Communication
• Goal:
– Develop and execute an effective match
strategy both on and off the field
Before an Event
• Good communication starts in the shop
– Start Drive Team in the fall, or by the second
week of Build Season at the latest
– Learn to work together on projects
– Time spent working as a team helps members
to understand each other’s communication
style
Practice! Practice! Practice!
• It’s not just learning how to drive the robot
• Practice before Stop Build Day to test
strategies
• Ultimate Goal: Drive Team Cruise Control
Coach Responsibilities at Practice
• Establish strategy for team to practice and
how it will be done
• Stand behind Drivers and guide them
through strategy
• Debrief with Drive Team after each round
Pre-Event Preparation
• Watch broadcasts of other events with (at least)
your Drive Team
• Find a robot with similar design, evaluate
strategy for qualification and elimination rounds
• Develop Drive Team terminology to describe
certain strategies you expect to use
At Events
• Develop relationships with other teams
– Learn names
• Ask questions about their robot
• Watch them on the practice field
Pre-Match Preparation
• Develop “in-house” strategy
– Select a strategy that is the best fit for the match
– Process is easier the more you practice (remember:
auto pilot!)
– Use data from Scout Team
• Have method of communication in place before event
– Discuss the strategy you expect from the opposing
alliance
Working with Alliances
• Hardest part of coaching: Alliance Strategy
Discussion
• Key: Be Cooperative
Selecting Alliance Strategy
1. Ask what alliance teams want to do
2. Assess how their goals work with your “in-house” strategy
3. Present your strategy
– Highlight how it incorporates each team’s goals and how it will win the
match
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Allow strategy to take place with input from each team
Discuss until are parties are comfortable with strategy
Do a “once over” of strategy and confirm
Shake hands and with teams Good Luck
What NOT To Do
• Do NOT dominate the discussion
• Do NOT lie about your robot’s capabilities
• Do NOT belittle other teams
– Even when you think your robot is better
• Do NOT break the rules- or the robots
Drive Coach Best Practices
• Right Before Match:
– Communicate strategy with Drive Team
– Review quickly with alliance members in
queue line
During the Match
• Stay Calm
– Calm does not mean passive
– Stay in control of your words and actions
• Watch the Field
– Drivers are focused on robot
– Have their next move ready when they finish a task
• Watch the Clock
– Critical role for coach
– Execute key strategy at appropriate times
During the Match
• Communicate with Drivers
– Method will vary based on Driver skill and game mechanics
– Speak clearly and be intentional with words
– Gets better with practice
• Communicate with Other Teams
– Work out cues before match
– Verbal reminders are appropriate
– If needed, explain mid-match strategy changes to other coaches
After the Match
• Thank & Congratulate EVERYONE
– Handshakes and High-fives all around
– Thank teammates and opponents
• Debrief with Drive Team
– What went wrong?
– What went right?
– How can we improve for next match?
Effective Team Communication
QUESTIONS?