Working in a Team

I've always had a little anxiety when it comes to working in a team and I really haven't always understood why. Mostly I believe it's due to a fear of being judged harshly by team members. The readings and assignment this week certainly highlighted what can inform a persons ability to exist in a team environment. After doing the two self assessments I've found that when it comes to my cultural values I find time orientation, future orientation, and gender egalitarianism to be paramount. When I'm part of a team I think their is an initial fear that my values will contradict with that of a team member but in experience I've found generally even when a person has different values mine tend to compliment the others in reaching a team goal. The second assessment on tolerance showed me that when it comes to working with any individual I seem to be a little ahead of the curb. Almost all the questions asked were things I have experienced and found I have no issues with. My work with the New York City homeless has brought me into contact with people from all different walks of life and I've found I'm very able to work with them in an effort to reach a common goal. As we found in the other readings being comfortable around people you come into contact with in the work place can be incredibly important to facilitating the goals of an organization. For my personal life working with people with criminal convictions, varying cultural backgrounds, alternative sexual identities and preferences, and different standards for appropriate behavior is extremely common place. As a result I feel uniquely equipped to handle diversity in the work place better then most and when it comes to working in a team I feel very capable.