The small group exercise Desert Survival Situation, requires group members to work together to complete the task of ranking fifteen items needed in a survival scenario. In order to accomplish the task in the thirty-minute time limit, an effective group has to develop quickly. Group members must communicate with each other and come up with a method for making group decisions. I undertook this challenge along with my classmates, Maria, Pablo and Cecilia. Our group was able to complete the task, but our group item rankings were notably different from our individual item rankings. In this paper, I will explore how our small group developed, and was affected by the advantages and disadvantages of group work.
Stages of Group Development
All groups …show more content…
It was unspoken, but known that, no one would be spoken down too or ridiculed for their ideas, that everyone would have the opportunity to speak without interruption. “The group structure solidified and the group had assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior” (Robbins & Judge, 2014, p. 133). Ideas were expressed freely and feedback given without any fear of seeming foolish. Criticism was accepted and expected as we wanted to come up with the best rankings possible with sound reasoning to back it up. When groups achieve cohesion, communication is enhanced, multiplying work efficiency and …show more content…
Starting with a nominal group technique, we introduced our independent theories and then brainstormed alternative uses for the items, which would increase an item’s importance. Finally, we debated the merits of each item and voted to assign it a ranking. We were able to complete out group task, however, group decision making was notably the most difficult part of this challenge. As we were involved in the decision-making process, some of the disadvantages of working in groups were encountered. Conflicts and groupthink occurred, costing the group valuable time and
Stages of Group Development
All groups …show more content…
It was unspoken, but known that, no one would be spoken down too or ridiculed for their ideas, that everyone would have the opportunity to speak without interruption. “The group structure solidified and the group had assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior” (Robbins & Judge, 2014, p. 133). Ideas were expressed freely and feedback given without any fear of seeming foolish. Criticism was accepted and expected as we wanted to come up with the best rankings possible with sound reasoning to back it up. When groups achieve cohesion, communication is enhanced, multiplying work efficiency and …show more content…
Starting with a nominal group technique, we introduced our independent theories and then brainstormed alternative uses for the items, which would increase an item’s importance. Finally, we debated the merits of each item and voted to assign it a ranking. We were able to complete out group task, however, group decision making was notably the most difficult part of this challenge. As we were involved in the decision-making process, some of the disadvantages of working in groups were encountered. Conflicts and groupthink occurred, costing the group valuable time and