{"id":5843,"date":"2020-10-09T10:58:06","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T14:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/?p=5843"},"modified":"2020-10-09T10:58:06","modified_gmt":"2020-10-09T14:58:06","slug":"small-bites-theres-no-i-in-team-building-with-collaboration-on-the-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/2020\/10\/09\/small-bites-theres-no-i-in-team-building-with-collaboration-on-the-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Bites – There’s No “I” in…Team Building with Collaboration on the Farm"},"content":{"rendered":"

Authored by Coaches Polly Shyka and Leslie Forstadt<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Small Bites are short, informational articles with practical ideas about stress reduction, improved communication, and farm and family well-being. They are written by coaches from UMaine Extension\u2019s Farm Coaching<\/a> team. Farm Coaches are available at no cost to work remotely with farmers and farm teams.<\/em><\/p>\n

Team Building with Collaboration on the Farm<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Coaches and leaders the world over aim to cultivate a sense of team spirit, togetherness, cohesion in their teams. Cooperatives work hard to maintain a sense of community and alignment among varying personalities in their teams.\u00a0Farmers who are small business leaders, and those in organizing roles in cooperatives, may find great benefit in finding ways to intentionally team build. You know how the banks have \u201cJeans Friday?\u201d Dressing up or dressing down may have no relevance on the farm, as we dress for the work to be done, but there are so many ways to bring people together.<\/p>\n

We want the farms as workplaces to be mutually beneficial, not superficially \u201cfun\u201d, but truly places of deep and broad collaboration and commitment.<\/p>\n

Leadership and guidance sends clear messages. Here are a few specific ideas that may increase a sense of team vibe and togetherness:<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n