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MLDP Recap: "Dream Teams vs Scream Teams" with Kate Hilton '99

Kate Hilton '99 gives an overview of the qualities of an effective team. Photo by Hung Nguyen '18.

 This past Tuesday, MLDP welcomed Kate Hilton '99, an expert in leadership and team psychology, for a session entitled “Dream Teams vs Scream Teams.” Hilton began her presentation by giving an overview of what high- and low-functioning teams usually look like, and what qualities they tend to have. She asked participants what their experiences had been with good and bad teams, and what in particular they noticed about those teams.

Students discuss their experiences with good and bad teams. Photo by Hung Nguyen '18.
Each of the four groups jumped into an hour-long activity designed to define the purpose, norms, roles, name, and even the motto of their team. Each decision relied on collective input from the various members of each group, and each member had to express candidly what their strengths and weaknesses were, as well as what vision they had for the team’s function and purpose.

Participants enjoyed the session, in particular because it continued to build familiarity and closeness among the groups we formed in Week 2. Students also said the session was very applicable to their roles in extracurriculars at Dartmouth, seeing as many are involved in existing teams. Hoi Wong ’17 commented, “Last week’s session allowed me to understand how to lead an effective team with its own culture and norms and I have been able to adopt the knowledge to my own organization.”

--Written by Jasper Bingham '17, Student Program Assistant