In a group environment, where team members agree upon or decide to meet regularly there will tend to be some disagreements or conflicts. The main goal or focus in these types of group environment, is to be able to recognize when the conflicts is no longer a conlfict of the project itself, but of personalities. Therefore, that is why groups like these needs to plan in their group a periodic performance evaluation. Assessing where they stand and their progress to their goals, the cohesiveness of the group, and the problems that the exists in the group and how to resolve it.
Group Evaluation is a tool that group members can use to do this. There are three different dimensions to this: Informational, Procedural, & Interpersonal.
Interpersonal dimension is the last of the three dimensions in the group evaluation. It is where the group focuses on the relationships of each individual team members that are there. Because in any event, if there is conflict within the group between team members, it will present to the group a sense of uncomfortableness. Which, in return will strain the group, leaving them unable to be productive towards their project.
Things to address that would help the group are:
1. Positive reinforcement - For example, in my previous group projects from previous semesters, we found that in order to make group members to feel confident and not left out; We would often praise each team members on the things that they do right. This gives them confidence - a form of positive reinforcement.
2. Solidarity - Example: From a previous group project, the team leader had planned out for us parts of the projects that we will do with each other, and others for individual work. This helps bring out each individuals creativity and sense of individual accomplishment.
3. Cooperativeness - Example: In my previous groups when we came together, we had first created a list of rules or values that all of us agreed upon. This is considered our group culture - this is what we use to remind ourselves our responsibility as a group and what is to be expected.
4. Respect Towards Others - Example: Before, we initiate that we are a group, we take time out to learn about each other, to find out how compatible we are. After, we agree upon being in the same group, we use our created group culture and rules to guide us in being respectful to each other.
I really liked this blog. Most of the blogs posted are on Epstein’s ideas but this brings in a different, more applicable concept considering we have been working on our group projects this week. I kind of wish there were more blogs on these ideas because it is so necessary to reminded of these things. In group projects, there are bound to be conflicting personalities with different values and means of working. It’s very important to help each other, positively, but confront the what-ifs and how-comes in terms of the group culture so that nobody feels unequally picked on or pressured. That’s the basis of good group cooperation.
ReplyDeleteI agree, this is a great blog especially after just finding out we will be rating one another. I believe the others are all aimed at completing the necessary requirements for the class and are guided primarily (if not only) by that. This is a new thought, out of line with the usual. That gives it more power and more importance.
ReplyDelete