Working with groups - Essay Example

HERE HERE YOUR HERE HERE Important Learning Empowerment was the most important learning from Chapter One. In Stubbs’ conceptual model of groups empowerment makes for better communications between group members and helps in building motivation. Empowerment helps the group to better use each others’ talents and knowledge so that better relationships are developed. This is important in groups because it makes communications more meaningful and the group more effective. In the group, I learned that I have pre-set beliefs and values that surface in the group discussions.

These values and personality issues strongly influence how others react to my knowledge and discussion. They can sometimes be positive and sometimes negative depending on how they are translated by others in the group. In relation to myself with others, I learned that my strong value system seems to make me a candidate for leadership in the group. People seem to appreciate my outspoken attitudes. The positive way that followers in the group responded to my thoughts and ideas made me the person who would empower others that made the group function better.

The most difficult activity in the group was getting meaningful feedback. Because most in the group found common values and attitudes, people did not want to challenge the discussion for fear of conflict. This seemed to limit productivity that Stubbs talks about in the textbook. Stubbs also mentions that situations are always in a state of flux in a group and this was hard to reduce to make discussion more productive and valuable. What I learned that would be most valuable to a future career is linked to the last discussion about fear of conflict and good social connection in the group.

I learned that when people get along very well in a group, they will sometimes hold onto the truth and not provide thoughts or ideas that might cause harm to these connections. This is why a group seems to need a leader to keep conversation focused and empower others to be honest. The group seems to need a leader to keep things productive when others are concerned about making everyone happy. For example, English is my second language and it made translating difficult at times. Rather than say they did not understand, they wanted to keep peace in the group.

A real professional commits to excellence which was in the leadership video. Excellence is honesty in a group that wants to be productive even if it means creating productive conflict. The leadership video also said that people need to embrace humor and optimism with a quote by the disabled Helen Keller to inspire. Even if the group had problems or concerns they should be open about it because a true professional will keep things productive. The professional will also find humor and keep things optimistic with group members so that people are empowered to describe their real thoughts and feelings.

No real damage would be done in the group if people follow optimism and humor and continue to seek excellence. This was my first time in a group like this one and I learned a great deal about being a leader. I hope I expressed just how much I actually learned and how it all ties together.