Groups Developments and Functioning throughout the Project - Coursework Example

Group Reflection Essay: Organizational Change Name Course Institution Instructor Abstract Group projects can be easy to execute, but also the most complicated if the emerging issues and challenges are not keenly looked into. Members of any group need to compromise on some of the diverging opinions and form a stronger coalition rested upon mutual trust and respect, planning and time management, consensus building and proper decision making process. In the light of these, my group working on the analysis of effective organization change in modern firms experienced both success and failure in trying to the meet the above key issues that underpin the success of any group. Achievements such a consensus building, planning and effective communication were realized. This was so despite failures in the fronts such as time management among others. Similarly, this essay covers the group’s developments and functioning throughout the project. It also articulates how things could have been done differently that could have made the objectives to be met easily. Group Reflection Essay: Organizational Change Working in a team can be as easy as discussing ideas or reaching desired agreements on pertinent matters. However, this can turn out as one of the most difficult tasks carried out by anyone irrespective of gander, age and even level of professionalism. Any project requires given levels of commitments from every group member, some show of responsibility and the need to compromise on divisive arguments for the sake of a larger goal- project’s success. These matters are not so easy to achieve, especially in a group made of individuals from various backgrounds which makes it harder to achieve some of the group’s desired objectives. How much harder to do so in the case of an organizational change group that focuses not only on organizational changes, but also on the complexities facing modern organizations. Despite the challenges that the group went through during the painstaking exercise of analyzing organizational changes, many of the project’s activities were a success. This is because we agreed, disagreed and moved forward. Therefore, this paper aims at presenting things that succeeded and others that might not have worked well; it evaluates the development of the group members in light of class readings, and proposes areas that need changes for future accomplishments. As always the case, any group that is made up of people from various backgrounds experiences challenges. Similarly, despite the magnitude of such challenges, some levels of success are realized[Win99]. Therefore, I consider it may obligation to articulate, as clear as I can, some of the things that worked well during the group project on organizational change. These issues are many with some being large and small, but issues such as reaching consensus, planning, communication and decision making among others were met with measurable success. Reaching consensus has largely remained the gauge against which the success of any group, academic or business, is rated. Members must learn on how to reach consensus on matters that are central to the activities of the group[Win99]. In the case of our group, we found ways on how to tackle pertinent matters like organizational change approaches and the complexities facing modern organizations. We agreed on some of the ways through which individual thinking among members of the organization can help spur and sustain effective change in an organization. Through it all, we not only agreed on these matters, but also articulated each of them in the light of its advantages, complexities and disadvantages according to the context of modern organizational frame work. Similarly, we ironed out group differences on the complexities facing modern organizations and how managements may initiate and sustain mitigation measures that will ensure that such complexities are brought to minimum. We saw this as highly necessary since complexities, if not fully understood, may turn out to haunt organizations thus derailing their objectives and hampering their achievements[Con09]. The group members also contributed, unanimously, in regard to how effective changes in modern organizations may be ensured. We looked on the most possible ways of bringing about these changes in the view of the parameters and prerequisite matters needed before such changes are effected in an organization. Similarly, together, we keenly looked on how such effects may be sustained in organization while noting that modern organizations face serious challenges ranging from financial capability to human resource problems. We determined that such changes may only take effect if all members of an organization work together towards their initiation and sustainability; a task that may require compromise and self denial. On reaching consensus, the group also worked on the possible approaches that may be taken to bring about change in modern organizations. The group realized that in order to bring about change in an organization, all stakeholders of the organization must do their part; they must contribute towards sustaining that change which will make the organization achieve some of its desired objectives[Hal10]. Similarly, the group members agreed that organizational change is a continuous process; it as ongoing exercise, and should never be stopped since the environment in which modern organizations operate keeps on changing on a daily basis. In addition to reaching consensus, the group also did some incredible work on the planning front. Like in business, the group members understood that if they failed to plan, then they would be planning to fail. As a result, each of the group members contributed towards ensuring that there were proper plans, and that those plans were strictly adhered to in order for the group to realize its mission in regard to analyzing organizational changes in modern organizations. Therefore, while reporting on the achievements of the group, it is paramount that some light be shed in regard to the planning effectiveness of the members of the group. Despite being a painstaking exercise, the group members ensured that there were proper plans detailing what the group would do, identifying the requirements and outlining the mechanisms through which those requirements may be obtained. Planning also involved preparation of the time schedule that expressed the activities to be carried during the project execution[Sen06]. The schedule articulated what could be done, the time in which it would be done and the place in which it could be carried out. Therefore, planning is one of the things that worked well during the project execution. According to the tenets of organizational change, effective communication and instant decision making are keys to the success of any project. These ones also applied in the project as well as the group members vowed to strengthening internal consultations and making sound decisions. We communicated more often, especially on matters that could lead to diverging opinions. Similarly, we resolved to make instant decisions. It should be known that little things like miscommunication and even lack of it may lead to conflicts that, at best, only derail the project. In addition, delayed decisions also contribute to anxiety among members of a group that works on a particular project to the extent that morale and hard-work spirit get suppressed. This should not be allowed as it only acts as an obstacle towards group’s achievements[Hal10]. Therefore, these reasons formed the basis for which the group members resolved to make instant decisions and communicate more often and effectively during the project execution. Well, a lot has been articulated on what went well during the project execution in accordance with the organizational change. In the above statements, it is clear that there are substantial issues to celebrate about in regard to project achievements: reaching consensus, planning, communication and instant decision making. However, issues such as time management, member personal commitment, articulation of rules and internal practices during the project execution among others remained problematic throughout the exercise. They not only represent things that never worked well, but also to those that obstructed members from achieving some of the group objectives, at least, in time. Time management was one the areas in which many group members confronted one another, verbally, as it delayed the execution of the project with greater margins. Throughout the project, it was realized that many members would not report on time for discussions, or even for the execution of some activities. This translated to delay in the execution of the project as a whole while putting a lot of pressure on the available materials. Similarly, time that was wasted in delays led to serious protraction of the time allocated for the project. However, it should be noted that time was never a problem per see. Members found ways of dealing with lateness by formulating rules and regulations that curbed lateness and made members more responsible and accountable. On the other hand, member commitment to the project activities remained dwindling for the lager part of the project execution. Many group members were more relaxed and a bit careless. They did not show up in time and carried out most of the project’s activities with less vigor as was not expected. These and among other factors made the groups commitment towards the project execution questionable. Nevertheless, despite continuing for considerable amount of time, this changed as members became aware that time was much spent and they embarked on serious business of completing the project successfully. Commitment and determination underpin any project as project execution is always a difficult and complicated task[Win99]. It is even harder for projects of this nature, analysis of organizational change in modern organizations. In addition to wavering commitment and time factor, articulation of procedural rules and interaction practices that aimed at guiding members’ conduct during the project execution proved difficult to come by. In fact, many of the group members did not show the level of corporation needed as each person supported those rules that he was more convinced not break. All the same, members opposed any penalty that would follow abrogation of any member rules and regulation. This reminded me of the complexities that face modern organizations as workers, and even members of the management always are in support of regulations that suit their needs and oppose those that do not. For far too long, streamlining organizations with rules and regulations that are not only strict, but also reinforce penalties has been one of the hardest measures to be achieved by the top organizational managements in many businesses, antique and modern[Con09]. In spite of the challenges that were inherent in coming up with these procedural rules and regulations, the project continued as members finally agreed on some basic ones that were enough to push the project forward. My group started from a humble beginning formed by backgrounds of inexperience, nascent mutual trust and fear for inadequate skills. It was a group that was made up of people with varied academic backgrounds and from heterogeneous social set ups. We struggled to agree on most of the things as people only trusted their own opinions. This made it more difficult to forge ahead given the unlimited arguments and disagreements that we always had especially on the modest way in which things could be done. That is the reason why my statement that the team started from humble beginnings is more authentic and provable. However, we grew out of our childish stubbornness of self-trust and forged a stronger coalition after we had learnt to trust one another’s opinion and accepted that, despite varying opinions that we harbored, we had one goal to achieve. A goal to fulfill the project’s objectives and desired aims united us despite our differences and kept us working towards the same direction despite our inadequate skills. According to Belbin team functioning theory, we understood that a project team is not necessarily made of people with titles, but a party of individuals, each of whom has responsibilities as well as rights that must be accepted by all[Win99]. Similarly, the theory underscores that members of a group not only seek out responsibilities, but also perform better in those that are more natural to them despite adequate skills. This theory formed the hallmark of the group’s development as it trained us on how to compromise and reach consensus, showed us the need for mutual trust and respect[Win99]. The group also developed high quality organizational skills. We learnt organizational development and self-designing strategy as central tools in the organizational management as a whole. Self-designing organization, for example, maintains that adaptive change in any organization is a demand and not a necessity that should be strengthened through self-designing strategy. Similarly, we recognized the theory of change and noted that change in an organization is an ongoing thing; a continuing process that needs not be stopped. We accepted that change does not follow a precise straight path, rather; it takes flexible routes that may not be precise or straight[Sen06]. In addition, following the theory of organizational development, the group noticed that, like in business where globalization, information technology and managerial innovation play crucial roles, the group needed to communicate more often, plan effectively and encourage member participation in order to achieve the project’s goals[Con09]. On the same note, the members grew in the knowledge that individual contributions were as important as group performance. They realized that this individual performance can only be enhanced through goal setting, performance appraisal and reward systems. After the analysis and scrutiny of things that worked and those that never worked, group’s development and functioning, comes a time of reflection on how things could work differently and what should be done to improve the state of affairs. To enhance the performance of my group I would recommend that consensus is not just a recommendation, but a necessity. It must be upheld at every stage of any group activity since its absence only drives the group into acrimony and failure. Similarly, improving group’s functioning will require not just consensus but things like effective time management, reliable strategic planning and unity of common purpose[Hal10]. It will also entail instant decision making and self-designing strategy that will ensure that projects are not only executed at the correct time, but also in the appropriate manner. Implementing these few but effective issues will improve the group and develop it further to the point of being trusted with mega-projects than this. Concisely, it is suffice to say that the project succeeded and the group developed in its functioning. The members learnt the spirit of tolerance and consensus building, mutual trust and respect, planning and time management, decision making process and effective communication. Through it all, the group grew in the knowledge of organizational development and group performance as demonstrated in the Belbin team functioning theory and self-designing strategy. Therefore, the project was a success, so was the group. References Win99: , (Windell, Robert, & Cecil, 1999), Con09: , (Connor & Lake, 2009), Hal10: , (Hall, Stone, & Kunkel, 2010), Sen06: , (Senior & Flemming, 2006), Read More