As the Team Building exchange of ideas (EOI) session opened, it rapidly became apparent that there are probably as many different ways to organize weekend teams and names for team member positions as there are Secretariats in Via de Cristo. The meeting started with a comparison of the various position names used across Via de Cristo, to help compare how each Secretariat develops their teams. The EOI featured a robust discussion of how teams were set up and ideas were exchanged on the advantages and disadvantages each Secretariat found with their own systems. Some of the differences were a function of how each community’s traditions, and some are a result of the physical layout of the conference facilities. Ultimately, we learned there were plenty different ways to organize and name the teams, but we are doing nearly all the same jobs in support of a weekend.
Randy Poisel reviewed how INKY organizes team meetings. Other than the head team positions, INKY gives out team assignments at the first team meeting. The team meetings generally mimic the focus of the three days of the weekend, with an emphasis on the essentials and the role of the team in setting the dynamics for each day. The EOI participants compared this practice to their own methods, with several thinking of opportunities to adopt or adapt some of these practices for their own Secretariat.
Reported by John Aclin
