My group, known as “Matrix”, was comprised of students who shared a common goal; to produce a successful and effective debate for our group project. Although we shared a common understanding of what the product should be, we each had different ideas of how to produce it. There were instances when tensions arose due to minor disagreements of what actions should be taken to complete our task, however, we were able to use problem-solving steps in order to form a decision to appease the majority. Schwartzman (2014) maintains that there are six steps to solve problems as a group; define the problem or issue, establish criteria for solutions, identify solutions, evaluate solutions, choose the best one, and then implement or test it. Accordingly,
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Schwartzman (2014) defines this role as the person who is essential in dissipating tension amongst the group which makes it possible to continue working together without prolonged animosity. Next, Alma fulfilled the social role of the follower, as defined by Schwartzman (2014) as an individual who carries out the will of others that contains the benefit of converting plans into actions (p. 505). Lastly, I believe I carried out the role of the harmonizer, which Schwartzman (2014) defines as a social role fulfilled by a person who is involved in managing conflicts among group members. As previously mentioned, the argument regarding the moderator position began over a group message. In order to ensure this engagement did not worsen, I sent a message to the group asking that we please wait until we meet in person to analyze the issue. By doing so, I made the initiative to focus on how the problem can be solved rather than who was at fault for creating the issue. Secondly, I also worked in the task role of the initiator as I was the first person to reserve rooms in the library to hold our meetings in and to alert my group members of the times of our …show more content…
These rules originated from areas that we struggled with as a group in what Schwartzman (2014) refers to as the storming stage of group development; this is the stage characterized by confrontation, opposition, and conflict (pp 512). Initially, the most difficult aspect of group intercommunication was the lack of active listening between group members that led to misunderstanding between individuals. This is what caused the only prominent issue that our group endured. Schwartzman (2014) maintains that the willingness of others to understand our position lies at the core of active listening (pp 519). Conversely, I have always prided myself on my willingness to challenge my beliefs by engaging with people who are different from myself; this is how you become a better spokesperson for your cause. It was one of my greatest strengths within this group project, and allowed for an effective debate of ideas without involving character attacks that are so often seen in politics. But this group assignment made me realize that learning the positions of others just to be able to refute their logic is not the same as embracing our differences. In the future, I will strive to learn from other’s viewpoints in order to galvanize innovative thinking while striving to respect
Schwartzman (2014) defines this role as the person who is essential in dissipating tension amongst the group which makes it possible to continue working together without prolonged animosity. Next, Alma fulfilled the social role of the follower, as defined by Schwartzman (2014) as an individual who carries out the will of others that contains the benefit of converting plans into actions (p. 505). Lastly, I believe I carried out the role of the harmonizer, which Schwartzman (2014) defines as a social role fulfilled by a person who is involved in managing conflicts among group members. As previously mentioned, the argument regarding the moderator position began over a group message. In order to ensure this engagement did not worsen, I sent a message to the group asking that we please wait until we meet in person to analyze the issue. By doing so, I made the initiative to focus on how the problem can be solved rather than who was at fault for creating the issue. Secondly, I also worked in the task role of the initiator as I was the first person to reserve rooms in the library to hold our meetings in and to alert my group members of the times of our …show more content…
These rules originated from areas that we struggled with as a group in what Schwartzman (2014) refers to as the storming stage of group development; this is the stage characterized by confrontation, opposition, and conflict (pp 512). Initially, the most difficult aspect of group intercommunication was the lack of active listening between group members that led to misunderstanding between individuals. This is what caused the only prominent issue that our group endured. Schwartzman (2014) maintains that the willingness of others to understand our position lies at the core of active listening (pp 519). Conversely, I have always prided myself on my willingness to challenge my beliefs by engaging with people who are different from myself; this is how you become a better spokesperson for your cause. It was one of my greatest strengths within this group project, and allowed for an effective debate of ideas without involving character attacks that are so often seen in politics. But this group assignment made me realize that learning the positions of others just to be able to refute their logic is not the same as embracing our differences. In the future, I will strive to learn from other’s viewpoints in order to galvanize innovative thinking while striving to respect