Coaching, Managing

[Travis Hoffman]

We rarely "terminate" a student for lack of motivation or effectiveness, but we certainly have no issue using travel as a key reward for positive behaviors.

Slackers have no business attending competitions. Students often view travel as the most fun part of being on the team. If a student wants "paid" with a seat on the bus, make them earn it with positive, productive behaviors. Otherwise, cut their "pay". Works for me!

Competition travel is a major component of the "salary" of a FIRST student. Use it as a motivator. Suggest that underperforming students will receive a "pay cut" if they don't perform better, and then facilitate ways for them to improve their performance.

[EricH]

I'm with the rest--I don't think removal from the team is the answer. However, I do think there should be some form of negative effect to the individual (that can be turned into a positive effect).

If I were in your shoes, I would start by not allowing the student to volunteer for lead on anything else for this year. But, I would talk to him beforehand and explain that if this were the real world, he'd be out of a job entirely. (At least, without explanation--not that explanation would do much.)

Now, that doesn't mean that he can't be assigned to a task, and hopefully the team leadership assigns tasks that are in the areas he likes. But, the way I'd work it is that if his assigned task (whether it's the website or a robot part or something else) isn't complete by the deadline, he isn't doing anything other than that task at the meetings until it's done!

And, once he's started to show that he can actually hold a realistic deadline, naturally he can get tougher assignments or start volunteering again.

[JaneYoung]

It would be my recommendation to use your team handbook of rules and expectations as a resource. In working through this as a coach and with the student who has chosen to take on leadership roles and failed to meet expectations/deadlines, that can be your guide. If your team does not have a handbook that has provided guidelines in this area, then look at the instructions/directions that you have provided the team, outlining expectations and consequences.

I weigh in on the side that does not dismiss the team member but does make sure the team member is removed from the leadership role and understands why. It's important to have consequences and to stand by those consequences. The student would have to earn your trust and the trust of the team in order to qualify for a leadership position in the future.

It's also important to monitor the attitude of the student and make sure that negativity doesn't fester and grow within the team because of the student's attitude. If that happens, then it is definitely time to consider removing the student from the team.

Jane

[Taylor]

I've had students who didn't "play well with others", miss assigned tasks, etc. Other students approached me about the roes on the team, and perhaps so-and-so didn't belong. My response, and I presume yours as well, is that the person in question needs what FIRST can offer perhaps most of all.
A series of serious conversations are certainly in order. Maybe this student needs a Come-To-Jesus moment (or Ganesh or Allah).

There's a FIRST-A-Holics Anonymous(FAHA) thread in which you can post these questions to the public in an anonymous manner.

[MysterE]

Hi all -

Thanks for all of the answers. I do post these publicly and with my name attached because I think it is important for everyone to know that we all struggle with random decisions as FIRST students, mentors, and coaches. Sometimes I ask questions to see what the FIRST community thinks more to see where all of our minds are, and other times I post because I seriously just do not know.

Being a NEM can be difficult . . . but more than that, being one of three mentors in a team of 30, and the only year-round active mentor can be downright hair-raising. Sometimes it helps to talk to the rest of y'all to keep my sanity and to verify my thoughts on things as well.

On a good note, I did have a discussion with the team member and we've hopefully worked out the situation. Thanks FIRSTers.

[Phyrxes]

We have yet to terminate a student's participation but we have had students suspended or placed on a leave of absence from the team for a variety of reasons. Thus far each of these students has come back focused and ready to be jump back in without any reoccurance of the behavior that resulted in their "vacation" from the team.