Evaluating Prior Team Performance

BUS 150

Assignment #4 – Team Performance Evaluation

Due: January 8

Instructions:

Below are the instructions for a “prior” team performance evaluation. Create a one-

page essay in which you answer the questions posed. Be honest and thorough in your

responses as this will help you focus on higher team performance in the upcoming

group project.

This evaluation exercise covers (Learning Objectives) LO3.1, LO3.2, LO3.3, and

LO3.5. Reference these learning objectives in the creation of your essay. Review the

grading rubric on page 3, which will be used to grade this assignment.

Evaluation Exercise

Think about a prior team or group project you participated in. Evaluate your performance and that of

your team members in the following categories:

1. How well did you and your team set goals up front?

2. How well did you and your team establish norms, values, roles, and accountabilities?

3. To what degree did you and your team move through various stages of team development

(forming, norming, storming, and performing)?

4. How effective were you and your team members in scheduling meetings? Explain.

5. How effective were the meetings conducted?

6. How well did all the team members participate? Explain reasons for participation and non-

participation.

Assignment #4 – Evaluating Prior Team Performance Page 2

Evaluation Exercise - Continued

7. How well did your team handle differences of opinion?

8. If you were to start the project over again, what three pieces of advice would you give to your

team to drive higher performance?

Assignment Instructions:

Once you have answered the above questions. Prepare your evaluation of the team’s performance that

you selected in essay format; do not submit in question-and-answer format. Submit your essay

following the guidelines below:

Create the following heading:

Full Student Name

BUS 150-section

Assignment #4 – Evaluating Prior Team Performance

• Create the essay in single space with double spacing between paragraphs;

do not indent paragraphs.

• Essay should be one-page long (maximum four paragraphs).

• Save work in MS Word or PDF format.

Note: Work should not be submitted in Pages format; If working on Pages, make sure to save in

MS Word or PDF format.

• Submit via Blackboard.

Writing Rubric

Exceeding Meeting Approaching Not meeting

Professional Message is very professional It reflects:

● Courtesy by being tactful and following standards of business etiquette

● Care by being error-free with careful attention to detail

● Awareness of convention by fully meeting professional standards for message type or demonstrating high- quality creativity

Message is mostly professional It may have minor issues with:

● Courtesy by using too casual of a tone

● Care by having few errors or some inattention to detail

● Awareness of convention by not fully meeting professional standards for message type

Message is somewhat professional It may have minor issues with:

● Courtesy by using too casual of a tone

It may have more significant issues with:

● Care by having several errors or marked inattention to detail

● Awareness of convention by conforming to academic rather than professional standards

Message is largely unprofessional It has significant issues with:

● Courtesy as tone is offensive, violating standards of business etiquette

● Care as it contains errors that detract from credibility

● Awareness of convention by not conforming to professional or classroom standards

Clear Message is very clear and essential information is present ● Leads with the central purpose

(“bottom line up front”)

● Organization structure: main

points are internally coherent and overall message is logically organized

● Clear language: sentence structure and language choices are precise and easy to follow

● Purposeful visual design: basic and advanced visual elements are used strategically and selectively to support audience’s comprehension

Message is mostly clear and essential information is present ● Central purpose is stated but may

not be immediately clear or is saved until the end

● Organizational structure: main

points are internally coherent ● Clear language: wording can be

followed with only limited effort

● Purposeful visual design: basic visual elements are used proficiently to support audience’s comprehension

Message is somewhat clear and most essential information is present ● Central purpose may be implied

● Organizational structure: main points may demonstrate some minor problems with internal coherence

● Clear language: wording may slow audience’s comprehension or introduce ambiguity

● Purposeful visual design: visual elements are used with some minor problems or may be missing

Message is largely unclear and may be missing significant information

● No central purpose given

● Organizational structure lacks coherence

● Unclear language significantly impedes audience’s comprehension

● Visual design without obvious purpose impedes audience’s comprehension

Concise Message is presented as efficiently as possible

● Evidence of careful information selection and fine-scale editing: writer has re-read message very closely and excluded extraneous information, redundancies, or excessive wordiness

Message is mostly efficient ● Evidence of careful information

selection and fine-scale editing: writer has re-read closely and excluded most extraneous information, redundancies, or wordiness

Message is somewhat efficient ● Some evidence of careful

information selection: writer may have re-read some parts closely but message still includes extraneous information, redundancies, or problems with wordiness

● Could still use some fine-scale editing

Message is largely inefficient ● Little evidence of careful

information selection: writer has not re-read closely and message includes an excessive amount of extraneous information, redundancies, and wordiness

● Requires significant fine-scale editing

Evidence-

Driven Note: Evidence

refers to

providing details

to support your

evaluation (claim)

Use of evidence is excellent ● Uses better evidence/uses

evidence better: all claims are

clearly supported by highly relevant, high‐quality evidence; evidence is presented skillfully and accurately

● Cites sources: citations and/or explanation of analysis establish credibility of evidence

Use of evidence is good ● Uses better evidence/uses

evidence better: most claims are supported by relevant evidence; evidence is presented accurately, if inefficiently

● Cites sources: citations credit original sources and/or explanation of analysis is clear

Use of evidence is adequate ● Uses better evidence/uses

evidence better: some claims are supported by evidence but sources may be questionable; the connection between evidence and claims is not immediately clear; evidence is presented with minor inaccuracies or raises issues of clarity

● Cites sources: citations and/or explanations of analysis are incomplete or inefficient

Use of evidence is problematic ● Uses better evidence/uses

evidence better: little or no evidence is provided to support claims; evidence is dubious, or is presented deceptively or with significant inaccuracies

● Cites sources: citations and/or explanation of analysis are missing

Persuasive Note: Refers to

recommendations

made.

Message is highly persuasive ● Makes points: message

communicates an overarching persuasive position

● Connects evidence: all claims advance the writer’s position

● Is ethical: the writer displays honesty and integrity in their communication

Message is persuasive ● Makes points: message states or

clearly implies an overarching persuasive position

● Connects evidence: supporting claims are relevant and consistent with the position, even if not fully developed

● Is ethical: the writer displays honesty and integrity in their communication

Message is somewhat persuasive ● Makes points: message may be more

informative than persuasive, placing the burden on the audience to determine the writer’s position

● Connects evidence: may have some inconsistencies with supporting claims

● Is ethical: minor issues raised regarding honesty and integrity

Message is largely unpersuasive ● Makes points: there is no attempt

to persuade the audience

● Connects evidence: supporting evidence is missing—or, alternatively, evidence contradicts message

● Is ethical: serious issues raised regarding honesty and integrity

Adapted from Kristen Lucas and Jenna Haugen, “BusCom Core Competencies Writing Rubric,” University of Louisville College of Business, 2016.