Diamonds in the rough: A case study of team development across disciplines, distances, and institutions

Multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional teams are becoming more prevalent in higher education although research has generally focused on teams formed in the same organizations and/or the same field. This ethnographic case study analyzed the experiences of ten faculty in a successful technology-intensive, agriculture-related project. The team's development mirrored Tuckman's four-stage model. Members reported differences in motivation, timeline pressure, variations in evaluation and rewards, the critical role of the leader, importance of cohesion, need for frequent interaction, and importance of developing trust. Contrary to previous research, the leader did not have higher status than members, and approached the role with empathy. Some members reported they lacked consideration in balancing project expectations with faculty assignments. It was concluded that these teams will continue to be hindered by similar obstacles if administrators do not acknowledge, evaluate and reward their efforts. Further research into the leader's behaviors in successful multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional higher education teams is needed.