Overall Contribution to the Group - Essay Example

Reflective essay Name: Institution: Instructor: Date: Introduction Reflective essay is an essay which will show my participation in the group discussion whereby all what I have been doing during the group discussion in preparation for group presentation will be identified and explained. I was generally being involved through attendance and communication whereby I gave out my ideas concerning the issues we were discussing in the group (George Cheney, 2010, p. 56). As an important aspect in discussion, we managed to pass information through speeches or messages, by use of body language and also exchange of thoughts we had. There are basic skills applied in communication such as the open questions, reflection, clarification, summarizing and also probing. However, I will use the reflection to express the way I communicated with the group members. The concepts or theories I will use in my reflective essay include; the ordinary communication medium, the experience of both the receiver and the sender of the communication and the feedback attained from both the sender and the receiver of the communication (George Cheney, 2010). The group process After our instructor announced that we are supposed to create groups for our presentation, I immediately formed a group with other students. We sat as a group and each one of us was supposed to introduce him or her to the other group members so that we could get to know each other better. Generally, we used English language in the group discussion so I did not have any problems with the language used (Nieto, 2009, p. 67). In addition, there were no problems regarding the communication between the group members and me and this made me to be very comfortable with the group I had. The most predictable problem in the group would have been the different accents we had of which it could not prevent us from the discussion. The challenges I experienced in the previous group was when every member had to be assigned some parts to give ideas on how to handle presentation yet some of the group members never cared about the portions they were assigned to handle since they never gave out any input for them and also did not participate in the discussions. In the following group I had some fear of the same happening although the members seemed to be active (Association, 1993, p. 34). We also wrote our names, email addresses and phone numbers so that we could make things easier after agreeing on when to meet for discussion whereby some of the members failed to give the correct phone number and email addresses. This was also another problem which could be predicted after the discussion started because it seemed that the members who were less willing to give their email addresses and phone numbers were not willing to participate (Rose, 2013, p. 90). Immediately after the lesson which we had been assigned to form groups for presentation, we were supposed to meet for discussion. I tried to look for my friends in the class but since I did not remember any one in the group, I kept on looking for them. However, one of them recognized me and suggested that we go and join the other members so that we could start the discussion. I felt like an idiot for not knowing even a single member of my own group yet we had met once and for the time I had spend looking around yet I could have been looking at them (Westbury, 2000). All in all, I got closer and we off we started. I was seated next to one of the students who never wrote their email address and phone number. He asked whether I viewed the materials we would need for our discussion. I did not have them because I had another group for a different module of which I much concentrated in it instead of this group (George Cheney, 2010, p. 143). Surprisingly, all other group members were very much prepared unlike the way they seemed to be when we met at first. This is because every one of them had the materials for discussion except me. The group leader divided the parts of the slid we were going to use equally thus making each one of us got a slide. The leader wrote down the topics which were contained in the slides and he was able to identify the number of slide covered per topic. We were given a chance to ask any question by the leader if we had any or even give any suggestion. I noted that some of the topics I was given I was unable to handle them and I said to the members I was unable whereby they looked at them and those who were able to handle them were assigned (Nieto, 2009, p. 125). After every member was given a section to handle, it seemed easy for us to solve them and present them. Overall contribution to the group Working in group might seem to be very easy since it is a matter of sitting down, giving out the ideas one has and coming to an agreement of the final answer on a certain question which was being discussed. However, the group work is not as easy as we tend to think it is (Association, 1993, p. 78). In most cases it will depend on the way as a group we decide to solve the assigned problem. In the case of the group I had, we agreed on dividing to each one of us the topics for presentation and the pert I was assigned was deferent from what at first I thought it was. I head to read the whole topic of which I did, and then the next step was to analyze all of it. As I was analyzing, I was supposed to write the important areas to observe during the presentation and also put down the areas I found challenging so that I could ask for assistance. However, all the materials I collected from my topic which I found them being worthy to present I was supposed to read them for the group members who were supposed to decide for me whether they were of a good quality (Nieto, 2009, p. 189). In the next meeting we were supposed to present to the group what we had prepared and my presentation seemed not to be so good just like for other two group members. As a group, the presentations which seemed not to be good were looked upon and I was advised on how to put them for better presentation. I was also assisted in the areas where I found being difficult for me. In the next group presentation, I had very few areas for correction and the portion I was given would be among the best (Rose, 2013, p. 206). Through being assigned the topics for preparing to present, asking the leader necessary questions on the presentation and also discussing the areas I found difficulty in analyzing them and presenting them we had to communicate and also interact. Some of the attributes for communication which we used included: - Every member was supposed to be committed in making the best decisions ever, We were also supposed to identify what was required for the group, We agreed on the procedures which were used in the group, Enhance continuous interaction practices and following of rules set, Make necessary adjustments on the decision made and ensure the changes are put in to practice, Create solution to possible problems and also create an alternative solution in case the actual solution fails (Mary Rosner, 1999, p. 99). However, some of the mistakes I made I have a solution. For example there is the issue on doubting the group members are going to work with. I have come to realize that my judgment to my group members at first sight was wrong since after we met the second round I was the only person in the group who has not found the requirements to for the group (Nieto, 2009, p. 112). The greatest problem was caused by the fact that we did not know each other for the first time we met. This made us keep for ourselves the problems we faced in the group yet because of maybe fear of facing each other and telling the truth (George Cheney, 2010, p. 69). As a group member I should not have allowed this to happen since it contributed to the wrong decisions we made such as; instead of discussing we divided the topics among ourselves thus being certified with that. To avoid all these problems, we should have looked for a group whereby we had worked together which would enhance better interaction with the members and rejecting the decisions which seemed not to work for the group (George Cheney, 2010). Overall contribution to the group process In the group process, I was able to give suggestions for someone else to be assigned the topics which I found being hard for me to solve. I also interacted with the group members and asked for assistance where I found being difficulty for me to handle (Westbury, 2000, p. 63). I was also involved in the evaluation of what each one had done in the areas we were assigned by the group members. I should also check on the skills I usually use in research thus, should work hard and improve on that because my first research was not as perfect as the group members were expecting it to be. References Association, N. B. (1993). Business Education Forum,. US: United Business Education Association,. George Cheney, S. M. (2010). Communication Ethics. UK: Routledge. Mary Rosner, B. B. (1999). History, Reflection, and Narrative. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Nieto, V. G. (2009). Intercultural business communication and simulation and gaming methodology. USA: Peter Lang,. Rose, E. (2013). On Reflection: An Essay on Technology, Education, and the Status of Thought in the 21st Century. Canada: Canadian Scholars’ Press,. Westbury, I. (2000). Teaching As A Reflective Practice. UK: Taylor & Francis. Read More