GROUP PROJECT 2
Abstract
This paper serves as a reflection on the group communication and dynamic presented by the
previous assignment. The purpose of this is to share what communication roles and
responsibilities were given to everyone, while evaluating the success of the group
communication. The analysis of group roles, collaboration, environment, and systems is
necessary in determining the success of the team communication. Outside research and
information is considered when evaluating what communication tactics and systems took place
through the project timeline. The characteristics that are presented encapsulate the experience
and effectiveness of group communication and non-decision-making elements. The result finds
the group to have experienced a challenging task, overcome successfully by pivoting, and
incorporating the key features to a successful small group. The paper will conclude with final
thoughts on the success of the group, and experience of implementing group communication
systems.
Keywords: group communication, group roles, environment, systems, characteristics
GROUP PROJECT 3
Group Project Reflection
The assigned project team consisted of three individuals, Abigail, Liberty, and Erica. All
the individuals faced the challenges of learning everyone’s strengths, communication styles, and
weaknesses in a short amount of time. All three unique individuals shared a common strength of
delegating tasks and setting timelines. The group communicated phenomenally over text
message, and had multiple virtual meetings to delegate tasks, create plans for success, and
cultivate creative approaches to the assignment given.
Group Roles
Every participant was self-assigned specific roles that spoke to their individual strength
for the success of this project. The roles that were chosen were based on our understanding of the
text, including group task roles and group building and maintenance roles. The importance of
maintenance and task roles were presented through this experience, as the team was meeting
virtually and were not initially familiar with one another. Maintenace roles are important to
keeping the social atmosphere positive and healthy, while task roles are important to
accomplishing the common team goals (Beebe & Masterson, 2020, p. 80).
Erica seemed to fall in line with being the encourager and initiator-contributor. Erica took
a quick leadership role by proposing ideas and starting the initial idea building process. Erica
also was the encourager when the rest of the team had doubts about the progress of the project,
or presented ideas that may not have been the best option for the success of the project. The
project topic was initially presented by Erica and was built upon in further detail by other
teammates in the initial meeting.
Liberty took the elaborator and follower role, as she used real life experiences to enhance
the project’s trajectory. Liberty was able to bring her knowledge and understanding of the group
GROUP PROJECT 4
project topic to elaborate and fill in the gaps when necessary. She often allowed the other
teammates to make the initial decision, and pivoted when ideas began to conflict with the
purpose of the project. Having Liberty’s firsthand experience with the mission of the project
allowed the other teammates’ ideas to be created around the needs that were mentioned.
Abigail took the role of summarizer, recorder, information seeker, and standard setter.
Abigail has a strong sense of organization and delegation. She tried to take notes, and recap with
a follow up message of all important details, while delegating specific sections and tasks, based
on the strengths that were presented through the virtual meeting. Abigail enjoys finding statistics,
facts, and truth in all avenues, and encourages the team to seek further sources of information.
Abigail tried to set the standards by referring to the rubric when the team began to go off track.
Group Characteristics
While meeting as a team and working together to successfully accomplish a common
goal, there were characteristics that had to be addressed from the beginning of the first meeting.
One of the characteristics that was important to each member of the group was trust. The group
members all needed to be trusting of one another to fulfill their duty to the team and complete
their assigned tasks by the given due dates determined weekly. Entering the virtual group realm,
the individuals all had an initial lack of trust and knowledge for one another. The members all
decided it would be best to allow the first meeting to primarily be a community fostering
conversation, to build trust and set boundaries and expectations of one another. The course
reading urges the importance of responsiveness in virtual group settings, as responsiveness in
this setting creates trust that tasks will be fulfilled on a timely basis (Beebe & Masterson, 2020,
p. 91). Not only is trust an important piece of a group dynamic, but the ability to lovingly and
constructively correct behaviors and shortcomings is key to group success. It was important for
GROUP PROJECT 5
the team to trust one another, and deposit enough into the relationships created, to be able to
withdrawal and correct one another when necessary. Proverbs 27:6 talks about the importance of
having a friend or teammate who can provide criticism that will benefit one another, rather than
flattering every idea that may not be in the best interests of the whole. Proverbs 27:6 states
“Faithful areCthe wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (English Standard
Bible, 2001/2016). The group created an open and honest dynamic that allowed for this form of
communication to take place, rather than supporting every idea and creating a false reality of
success.
Outside Source Information
When researching further, it is found that a small group is a system, it works as a fully
functional, interdependent collection of parts. Interdependence virtually means there is a reliance
amongst group members to pull their weight to succeed (Fujishin, 2023, p. 5). There is a certain
synergy required to function as a system, which was done seamlessly by Erica, Liberty, and
Abigail. This text also explained mutual influence and adaptation, as both system characteristics
are necessary and important to modify behavior patterns and improve flexibility in shifting
directions in a changing environment. The team had a strong ability to pivot when necessary to
accomplish the common goal, as well as influence one another in positive ways to create a
healthy group dynamic.
Another source talked about the role of group and team feedback in virtual settings,
explaining the effects before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The article did a few studies on
the differences of group feedback, and most results were positive, or neutral. The article
explained the importance of feedback within groups to create a collaborative environment, and
boost team performance (Handke et al., 2021). The team that was assigned for this project was
GROUP PROJECT 6
not afraid to share feedback, creating open and honest communication amongst members,
ultimately improving the health of the new relationship within the group. Giving feedback
weekly was a strategy used within this group to stay focused and monitor progress of
accomplishing the group goal.
Conclusion
Overall, this team has created a healthy environment that allows for communication to be
clear and concise. The team prevailed through obstacles of virtual communication and team
collaboration. The group explored the necessary systems and characteristics of a successful
group before completing any tasks at hand. Every individual of this group has unique strengths,
as well as weaknesses that were able to be learned and used to the best ability of the group.
Utilizing the concepts learned throughout the course allowed the communication of the group to
be as healthy and positive as possible.
GROUP PROJECT 7
References
Beebe, S. A., & Masterson, J. T. (2020). Communicating in Small Groups: Principles and
Practices (12th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson. ISBN: 9780135694237.
English Standard Bible. (2016). Literal Word. https://esv.literalword.com/ (Original work
published 2001)
Fujishin, R. (2023). Creating effective groups. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=WDemEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=group%2Bproject
%2Bcommunication&ots=M6WCqHjOhX&sig=_7US2N8viqC6oE3YtWCArFsFz44#v=
onepage&q=group%20project%20communication&f=false
Handke, L., Klonek, F., Kerschreiter, R., & O’Neill, T. (2021). Unpacking the role of feedback
in virtual team effectiveness. Sage Journals.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10464964211057116
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