Good communications are needed in life in general, especially in the work place. We need to
be able to express ourselves accordingly with the correct body language, usage of words and
expressing our concerns at the right time and place. Great leadership is especially important
for solving problems in a group setting because I strongly feel that in order to flow
accordingly and successfully as a team, the group needs a great leader to take over and
control the madness from time to time. By this, I mean someone that is responsible,
confident, and most importantly approachable to those with any problem or concern both big
or small. Taking things back to third week's learning, I was mostly always against group
norms because I felt as if it was unfair to those who wanted to do things their own way and
made the new employees feel uncomfortable and isolated. After last wee's assignment I
came to understand that group norms links to cohesiveness and the positive atmosphere of
the work place. I would consider being dependable, understanding, focused, excellent
communication skills, approachable, open minded, and to be able to use critical thinking.
This person needs all these plus more to be able to make fast decisions at a moment notice
to be able to use critical thinking to solve a problem or dispute. They are the main point of
contact when something goes wrong or right. Leadership or team leader are the glue that
holds a group together. Without this an organization will not go anywhere. I am applying all
that I do know and read these past few weeks at work and with my coworkers. By displaying
certain roles in the workforce and seen the different roles is fun to watch workers form into
the roles of the Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing at work. Cohesion at work has
differently been a major role in what we do everyday for our clients, I like seeing this action
in full force. A small group of people at work always agree to do certain activities enough
through they are not wanting to participate with the group they do it anyways. This is a
problem at work at time and we have a peer at work who is a liaison that report concerns to
upper management. The employees write or talk with the liaison about the topics that cause
them hardship and we can discuss it either one on one or in group if more people have the
same problem. This seems to work so far. When making decisions and solving problems in
a group or team you must first be an active listener, be logical, and be a good communicator.
In order to be a good problem solver you must know what the problem is, know how
everyone feels about the problem evaluate the options, be open minded and some times you
have to be creative to solve a problem or make a decision. I use what I learn in this class
everyday in both my home work life. I am part of a team at work as a member of my family.
I have learned how to be a good and positive leader. I have learned how to be an active team
member. This class has help to learn to use my team members strengths and weaknesses to
help better our team. I have learned in order for someone to follow my lead I must first be a
leader that deserves to be followed, lead by example. Most important I need to listen and be
a good communicator. I know now that a person can have more than one role in the team or
group. When making decisions and solving problems in a group setting it is important to
consider multiple factors in order to achieve positive and efficient outcomes. For instance,
consideration of what stage a group's development is at before making decisions or solving
problems is important. If a group's development is not far along and is in the forming or
storming stage large and major decisions should be made carefully. These early stages are
sometimes rife with conflict and such decisions can lead to increased issues and tension that
is hard to overcome. Other factors such as how leadership styles will be applied will affect
overall group cohesion. Styles such as democratic, autocratic, strategic, etc, all carry there
own elements that will shape how a team will respond to demands and decisions being
made. As I am currently in a leadership role I will use the lessons in this course as a
reminder to critically assess the characteristics of my group / team. It will be important to do
this along with my analysis of current tasks and goals if I wish to continue being an effective
leader in the future. There are several things to consider when making decisions in a group
setting, such as time, member skill, independence and self-direction, availability to required
information, group size. In solving problems in a group setting, there are advantages and
disadvantages.
Advantages: More choices to resources, creative ideas, and perceptions, which helps
strengthen the final decision. Involvement gives a more broad context and the importance of
executing the decision. It also gives enhancing empowerment, which results in improved
productivity and efficiency.
Disadvantages: Groupthink is where members yield to the will of the group. Self Censorship
is where some members ignore practical examinations of alternatives in order not to cause
arguments. I now have a better understanding of some of the techniques I had already used
in past situations. I will be better prepared to use alternative ways of looking at a team/group
in decision making. To have a successful team/group there has to be open communication
between all members of the team, which will help build the team dynamics in trust. Being
able to be a strong leader will help in managing conflict by developing specific roles within
the team. There are a variety of ways to make decisions as a group. Identify the decision to
be made: before beginning to gather information and list alternatives it's important as a
group to understand clearly what you are trying to decide so you have a goal to focus your
discussion. Analyze the issue under discussion: Once the decision is made examine the
data and resources that you already have and identify what additional information you may
need. Establish criteria: Identify the criteria or conditions that would determine whether a
chosen solution is successful. Ideally a solution will be feasible move the group froward and
meet the needs of every group member.Brainstorm potential solutions: Using the
resources and information collected above brainstorm for potential solutions for the problem
or decision identified in the first step. This involves collecting as many ideas as possible.
Evaluate options and select the best one: Once you have a list of potential solutions now
you ready to evaluate them for the best alternative according to the criteria identified in step
3. Implement the solution: This involves identifying the resources necessary to implement
the decision as well as the potential obstacles then take action. Monitor and evaluate the
outcome: Based on the criteria identified in step 3 evaluate whether the decision was
successful.
In the future if I'm ever presented with a problem or decision in a team setting I would listen
to the problem, asking the entire group whats their thoughts on the problem, gather any
information that may help with solving this problem, evaluate all the information that I have
and make a reasonable decision based on what information I have gathered. Some things we
need to consider when making decisions and solving problems within a group or team could
be how we communicate with one another, our body language, how well the team gets
along, and many more. Working in a group/team is very different than working on your
own. When working in a team we need to consider others ideas with an open mind even if
we don't agree doesn't mean their ideas are wrong. We should follow the guidelines that the
leader has set to make sure things stay on track and are finished timely. Voicing our opinion
in a way that isn't hurtful to others but also letting them know what our ideas are and how
they could benefit the team or group. When solving problems among the group we should
make sure the right form of communication is being used so the tension won't rise and the
issue will be resolved without further issues that could potentially impact the group. We
should all hold one another accountable for the work that needs to be completed but also
offer encouragement if you see a team member struggle, sometimes an uplifting word helps
motive another member.
Applying what I have learned over the last five weeks in my professional life will greatly
impact my team at work, I think we have a lot of communication issues at the moment and
maybe if I speak up and throw out some new ideas on how to better improve the situation
we are having we will have more better days within our team. When making decisions and
solving problems in a group or team you need to consider everyone ideas, allow everyone
the opportunity to get involved and voice their opinions and concerns. You must understand
that teamwork revolves around everyone's participation and making decisions together helps
build the team. Tread lightly on members ego, be genuine in wanting to make decisions as a
team, avoid negative gestures, body language says a lot, speak clearly, compromise, listen to
other members of the team, and treat everyone with respect. When someone offers a good
suggestion praise that person, give encouragement and support to one another. When
presented with a problem or decision in a team setting I would allow myself to listen to the
problem and think of ways I'm able to resolve the problem without causing a bigger
problem. I can ask other members of the team their thoughts and feelings and whether they
have any ideas to offer. I will examine the big picture, allowing myself to identify who
would be affected and how so that I'm able to communicate everything with everyone and
we are all on the same page. When solving a problem within a group you need to worry
about everybody in that group, their beliefs, options, and concerns. You need to realize it is
not only your voice that matters, that everybody in the group has the right to speak up and
voice what they are thinking and the other group members need to be respectful and listen to
them. When working in groups I will use what I learned in this class by communicating with
others, if there is an issue I will make sure I communicate that right away. I will make sure
we have a strong leadership, if not I will make sure I am a strong leader. Conflict resolution
needs to be clear, this falls within communication if the team is communicating well then
when conflicts arise they should be dealt with professionally. I will stress with team
dynamics that we all need to be able to trust one another and if we cannot do that it will drag
down the team as a whole. There are multiple factors to be considered when it comes to
making decisions and problem solving in a group or team. First the team/group members
have to be able to work together by displaying great communication and understanding
among each other. Also everyone in the team/group has to be able to voice their opinions
and ideas to the rest of the team/group members. Not only is listening important but
considering everyone's input and apply it to the task at hand is also as important in order to
have good self esteem in the team/group's chemistry. Determining who will take the
responsibility of being the leader of the team/group is as essential in order to ensure a great
cohesiveness in a group. Being a great leader comes with understanding that there will be
highs and lows in a team/groups foundation but the way the leader can resolve and motivate
members will determine how effective things can be accomplished. This class has given me
a greater understanding of what a team needs to be successful and how groups can
intertwine together to make work for efficient. I will know how to become a better leader
and guide people in a great path to succeed together. Being aware of everyone's abilities and
qualities that they bring to a team/group is important to provide an outstanding and effective
task. Some of the things that you should consider when making decisions and solving
problems within a group are common grounds, manage the emotions within the group,
appropriate assertiveness, create an alternative solution, make sure the issue is clear, active
listening, achieve a trade off, and consider what everyone in the group thinks should be done
about the issue. I can apply what I have learned in this class when presented with a problem
or decision in a team setting by listening to what everyone thinks should be done about the
issue. I can also make sure that everyone agrees with the decision being made about what to
do about the issue rather than just doing what one person thinks should be done about the
issue. The first week we learned about working in teams and how to handle working with
others in a team. The second week we learned about group development strategies and what
all could happen while forming a group or team. The third week was about leadership and
conflict management. I learned that out conflicts should always be made clear to our leaders.
Last week we learned about team dynamics and what helped to make a team. During this
class I have learned that throughout my years in school and work I have not really had any
true leadership within the groups or teams that I have been in. I think the biggest concerns
would be not only the difficulty of the situation or problem, but also the actual group
members understanding, interest, knowledge, or capabilities. There may also be some
members who work on there part better alone, where others work better as a group. This
could possibly effect other parts- if you have someone who is more introverted and the rest
of the team are extroverts, the difference could stress the introvert out and possibly make
their work not as great as it normally would be. Also, letting people know that some of the
decisions made are not personal, rather just an agreed solution to better fit the problem.
What one person believes is the best situation, others may feel it needs a different approach.
Because I do have a lot of "team" based groups in my employer, I think this class has helped
me to think outside of my "norm". Being able to asses the group situation and get to know
people and how they work in a group setting will help me make sure the group can work
together smoothly and effectively. Assessing how people work and what their strengths and
weakness will also let me know what to assign them. five common and important
characteristics to consider are task difficulty, number of possible solutions, group members.
Interest in problem, group member, familiarity with problem and the need to solution
acceptance. The problem-solving process involves through discussion, actions and decisions
that occur from the consideration of problematic situation to the group. The problem that
groups face are varied, but some common problems include budgeting funds, raising fund,
planning events, addressing customer or citizen complaints, creating or adapting produces or
services to fit needs, supporting members, and raising awareness about issues or cause.I
have learned a lot in this class when it comes to solving a problem or making a decision in a
team setting, the first week what are some typical situations that may occur in phase of
group development. The forming process is when most team members are positive and
polite. Week 3 conflict in a group when we or encounter with a conflict in a group how will
you handle the conflict you should be able to talk with that team member to see can the
conflict be solved without the leader stepping in but sometimes most conflicts or solve when
the leader step in a hear both sides and come up with a solution to solve the conflict.
