It's So Hard to Say Good-Bye

One of the most successful groups that I was on involved the planning for our high school reunion. Our class president stepped down from planning after our 5 year reunion and I took over and planned the next 3 reunions with different classmates each time. This last reunion, I worked with a classmate who lived in Michigan while I live in Pennsylvania. We had several face-to-face meetings over the course of a year and numerous online chats via Facebook. We had to work through the last minute cancellation of a DJ as well as last minute questions & reservations by classmates. All in all, the reunion was a success and classmates are still talking about the events three years after the festivities. Stephanie and I became close friends during the planning process despite the distance, but as the need to communicate on a regular basis after the reunion diminished, so did our connections. Gradually more and more time went between phone calls and chat messages to the point where we only see each other twice per year. Looking back, our goal was accomplished so it would be necessary to adjourn that part of our relationship, but our friend connection has continued in a different capacity (O'Hair & Weimann, 2012).

I've worked in other successful group projects at work and have found the same conclusion that while the work is done, it is difficult to transition to a different form of relationship. I also worked on a planning committee for an early learning expo where I had continual contact with other directors. During our planning process, we would talk about issues and successes at work while serving as a sounding board for one another. Once the expo ended, that personal connection also ended. I wish we would have set up further meeting dates just to connect with other administrators who "get it". This team was the hardest to leave as I felt that I would be returning to the role of director with no one to talk things through with.

There have been several names that I see continually in each of the groups I have worked in throughout my studies here. It is a pleasure to learn about their experiences and know that I am not alone in struggles. While graduation is not too terribly far away, I believe we will all need a sense of closure but also the ability to connect again if needed.

Adjourning brings closure to the team. There have been times where adjourning has been the only positive effect of the team as in the results being less than stellar. Other times adjourning can be emotional, either because the team has done so well and there is excitement about the accomplishment or because close bonds have formed and the team may not have the option to work together again.

Reference:

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's