The Australia Connections Sports Group - Essay Example

Running Head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY Name Course Lecturer Date Reflective Essay The Australia Connections Sports Group (ACSG) is one of a kind. This is a program for high school, college and university students conducting youth or adult sport activities. The group is headed by a patron who is assisted by other sub group leaders. Just like it is said a group`s or organization`s slogan helps nurture it bonds (William, 1993), ACSG motto is “Come be yourself with us”. It main activities includes scheduled, authorized, official, planned and supervised practices in sports, play offs, try outs, tournaments, games and clinics. Other than sporting activities, ACSG involvement in other events is greatly evident. These include retreats and picnics in an attempt to socialize, eat, drink and have fun together. Team building events like holding annual sports day and competition for the purposes of bring us all together. I have attended as many educational trips and seminars courtesy of ACSG. Welfare and voluntary services like car washes, visits to orphanage homes, fascinating award banquets, end year parties and ceremonies. In addition, fund-raising actions involving the sale of products, coupons and raffle tickets in addition to services like bake sales and coin drops. Mainly, ACSG goal is to explore the sporting potential in young people, maximize it to their achievements in sporting careers. It also aims at educating the youth members and non-members on the importance of sporting activities cum physical activities, good nutrition for better health and keep of sickness and diseases. Recently, the group has embarked on informing people on the causes of the very increasingly evident obesity cases in Australia (Batch & Baur, 2005); it causes symptoms and cure or rather ways of curbing the same. Through this, the group has achieved the confidence of as many organizations whereby it has several opportunities to speak to people in religious meeting, schools, and health facilities among other places on the same. After being accepted in the group, we were taken through a sequence of trainings whereby the prospect of the group was plainly set. Effectual time management is a key area of emphasize in any team. By so doing, team members are insisted to be on track, to ensure they do not miss the mark or waste time on unconstructive things as far as the group activities are concerned (Stephanie, 2003). At ACSG, time management became the first lesson I gained as member. Definite tasks are always divided up amongst members of my group. Initially, the tasks were seen as equally intricate by all team members. However, persistent cooperation between group members erased risk of this perception of inequality. Social interdependence theory outlines a sort of group relation known as called ‘positive interdependence’, that means cooperation. Studies have proven that, cooperative learning experiences promote higher accomplishment (Maughan & Webb, 2001). Eventually, our group achieved triumphant result. To improve the course of action, we agreed to work together as a team to enhance cooperation when errands are distributed out. This has greatly helped me become an effective team player. At ACSG, listening is a core competence I experienced as well. I came to understand that by listening one can relate well but poor listening undermines our ability to communicate with others. In our group meetings, speaker after speaker spoke with an expectation we will grab and exercise what they said. During our group’s trainings, we have to carefully listen to instruction failure to which brings a crash with leaders and other colleagues. According to Hayes (2005), listening has more than just hearing what somebody has said, rather we should interpret, find full and accurate meaning of messages as well as being able to read the non-verbal messages. Therefore, to emerge a good or an effective group member, negotiator, consultant, interviewer, leader, or instructor for that matter, I have to be a good listener which I have advantageously acquired through ACSG. A major problem experienced with the group was conflicts among members. Just like with any other group, issues on responsibility and duty allocations are dominant especially knowing that, all people are not alike in their nature, principle, altitudes, significance and aspirations.  Cultural differences that differ from society to society, clashes of interests, social changes of the different generations (Davidson & Wood, 2004) all called for conflicts at many instances. However, these were systematically and professionally handled in my group. I remember one time a team leader called Jane and Joyce; the two ladies famous of having bitterness towards each another, after an unhealthy argument. They were to be punished by accomplish a task that could only happen if they worked together, failure to which both are to be severely fined to extent of being excommunicated from the group. The two ladies had no choice but to come together, forgive each other and work as team. This taught me we can use specific protocols as a way to makeup conversations and get to solutions fast. By keenly obeying the golden rule of treating others as we would like to be treated, many conflicts can be resolved in less time with happier, healthier results. Otherwise the harsh rule of name the conflict and confront it will carry the day (Davidson & Wood, 2004). Another problem I experienced in working in my group was that we always argued regarding the purpose of the meetings. Almost all time a meeting takes place all of us have dissimilar ideas on what we ought to be doing. It takes much time at each meeting to settle on what we are to do that day and what we need to do for the subsequent meeting. Certain members consider the discussion of transactions a big waste of time as we only have to get them accurate and give them in. One associate became pretty irritated, for example when I insisted that everyone had to be sure about where a figure originated from. I had to realize how to find the arguments to support my opinion. My presence in the group advised me, I had to find the positive evidence to claim that I was right. Finally, we agreed it is important to structure meetings to develop a more professional atmosphere. Contribution in group discussion helped us understand that still talking to the strongest opponents, one can win the argument (Alberti & Michael, 2001.) Thus, I learned how to argue the proper way and conquer the slightest communication difficulty through persuasive communication. Still, I came to learn that being assertive is the way to succeed professionally while being unassertive is more likely to hurt me. I decided within myself, anytime I find a decision is wrong, or a project is headed for disaster I will have to speak up. This of course bearing in mind that there's a difference between being assertive and being horribly pushy, but voicing your opinions in a professional way is key to professional success (Chacko, 2010). Initially at the group, socializing was a major challenge for me. I always took solitary at my own place as long as are not involved in group activities. Anyone trying to communicate or contact me it all came as a bother. I also got so bitter at anyone insisting on my involvement with them as long as it is not the official group work. At one time in our routine duties, I together with my 5 colleagues were assigned a project to accomplish. As soon as a deadline hit things did not go on very well. Having not done much by then, I felt working under pressure, especially with 2 other members always arriving late and procrastinating as far as the project was concerned, and the other two hand all the time to interact and socialize in expense of the derailing project. I always get irritated when things are done the wrong way to extremes of losing the strength to move on. Having been very task oriented all along and eagerly waiting to finish the project and move on to other projects within the group, I became very frustrated with the lack of progress being made by the six of us. I was worried concerning being element of a team that was not to meet assigned time limit. The feeling of defeat got hold of me and I thought ‘I cannot make it’, “Why can’t these others behave”, ‘Why did I begin this in the first place’. But a different thought caught me altogether “why couldn’t you finish the task in the first place” Though feeling down casted and unhappy I shared the whole scenario with Janet, another colleague of mine. She listened to my situation and put in the picture to me that my altitude was more of a problem than the failed colleagues. She also noted my low self-esteem, something I had not realized before. On the realizing the same, I started working towards improvement on the same. I got understand myself better than I knew before. As such, self awareness is an important intrapersonal experience I had at ACSP. Sosik (2001) asserts that, a high degree of self awareness, helps us capitalize on our strengths as well as planning to improve and compensate for my limitations. According to Gilbert (2005) monitoring and changing our behavior which brings self improvement through self awareness, explains to others our desire and willingness to learn and grow. It as well raises the probability of being able to build up close associations and achievement in a line of work (Drucker, 2005). Conclusively, I believe that ACSG has played the greatest role in my personal development. In this regard, group work is very vital for amplified output in whichever organization. Without it ACSG`s help, I would not have solved all the complexities which I had to face so far. When I think of my participation in this group, I immediately think of the kind of learning processes I have been through. Every time I grab a thought on my colleagues, I can’t help but smile in anticipation of the journey I have embarked side by side with them. I have grabbed much more experience on both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that have spelled a total change in my life. My interaction with more than one individual has made me more effective and ready for my professional carrier as well as my personal life. And just like it is said “becoming skilled at doing more with others may be the single most important thing you can do to increase your value - regardless of your level of authority”. References Alberti, R. E. ( 2001.). Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality in Your Life and Relationships. 8th ed. . Atascadero, CA: Impact Publishers. Chacko, T. (2010, 10). The Importance of Being Assertive. Retrieved 10 08, 2012, from www.accenture.com: http://www.accenture.com/Microsites/vaahini/getting-ahead/Pages/the-importance-of-being-assertive.aspx Davidson, J. &. (2004). A Conflict Resolution Model. . Theory into Practice. Vol: 43 No: 1 , 6-13. Drucker, P. F. (2005). Managing Oneself . Harvard Business Review: vol 83. No: 1 , 100-109. Gilbert, J. ( 2005). Self-knowledge is the prerequisite of humanity’: personal development and self-awareness for aid workers. Development in Practice. , Volume 15, NO: 1. Hayes, J. (2005). Interpersonal Skills at Work (2 ED). New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library. Maughan, C., & Webb, J. (2001). Small group learning and assessment. Retrieved October 08, 2012, from the Higher Education Academy website: Sosik, J. J. (2001). Self–other Agreement on Charismatic Leadership: Relationships with Work Attitudes and Managerial Performance,”. Group & Organization Management Vol 26, No. 4 , 484. Stephanie, M. (2003). Real Teams in Small Australia firms. Journal of Management Development, Vol: 22 , Issue 9. William, B. R. (1993). More than 50 Ways to Build Team Consensus. Palatine: IRI/Skylight Publishing, Inc. www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/temp/assessment.html Read More