1. Why is it important to clarify a team’s purpose? Once the task is given, why is clarification necessary? It is very important to define a team’s purpose. Without knowing its purpose, team members do not know what tasks to pursue. Clarification is necessary in order to avoid misunderstandings. 2. What role does this purpose play in defining team membership? Why do you suppose others have “excused themselves” from the team? If people know the purpose of the team, they will also know if they are capable or have the skills and abilities necessary to achieve it. 3. How effective is the team leader? Explain. I believe that this team has not started on its right foot. The purpose of the team should have been made clear since formation and members should have been informed. The team leader is not effective because clearly he does not know himself what the purpose of the team is. Without knowing the purpose of the team, the goal, then nobody knows what the next step is. 4. Meeting management techniques – using agendas, having a scribe and timekeeper are intended to make meetings more effective. In what ways could these techniques have the opposite effect? If the meeting does not take long and there are not many points to discuss, then developing an agenda, having a scribe and a timekeeper might take more time than the meeting itself. 5. If you were asked to participate in this meeting, what would you do to get the process back on track? First of all, I would find out the purpose of the team. Secondly, based on the purpose, I would find out how many team members are needed for the team and appoint them, not before asking them if they think they are qualified for the job or not. I would not start meetings without all members present (I am referring to the present case in which three people are missing). Once the members of the team are appointed, then I would hold a meeting and clarify its purpose and tasks.