Team presentation
As a team member of the group, members of the group introduced themselves initiating the process of knowing one other. Initially, there was suspicion and hesitancy but progression to the second stage (storm) receded after each member had defined roles and tasks. This stage was relatively more difficult than the first one with some of the members exhibiting leadership skills, causing some tension. However, the following stage (norm) where group members decided specific roles increased the tolerance level, easing the tension within the group and helped in resolving some conflicts from the previous stage. This also increased the level of trust and cooperation between group members and facilitated group advancement towards achievement of the goal. As the group members began to channelize their energy to accomplishment of tasks, group effectiveness increased. Finally, the final stage of adjournment is when the discussions and planning had achieved the rightful purpose and we felt that there was less need to interact with each other and we could go about working independently to achieve our tasks.
Reflection
Working in a team has educated me regarding the significance of collective working and group discussions which taught me the dynamics of team building and functioning. I also learnt the importance of defining individual tasks so that each team member would individually undertake one and contribute towards the success of the project. I also learnt that communication is of crucial importance and interactions and communication are an important and indispensable aspect of effective group functioning. When interacting with members of a group, it is essential to comprehend their communication styles so that one can address personal styles the limitations and challenges of the other members of the group leading to enhanced functioning. Respect for members of the group is an essential aspect of enhanced group dynamics and facilitates trust and harmonious relationships between members. Practical experience with working in a group will reinforce the knowledge i have gained through the course and will have a crucial impact on my future academic and professional career.
Recommendation plan for communication skills
The one most important lesson I learnt from this group assignment is the importance of communication skills for the effective functioning of group dynamics. I do believe that my oral communication skills are good; however, there is much scope for improvement with regard to my written communication skills. I feel that I should be better equipped to present my thoughts, ideas and plans through the written medium.
Smart Goals
With the intention of improving my presentation skills, I have devised a smart plan so that I can achieve this Specific goal. I want to improve the manner in which I present data and material to make it look more appealing and interesting to read. In order to do this, I will have to focus on two important areas – learning how to take notes and organising them to present through reports and drafts.
I aspire to maintain a record of all the reports I have drafted so far and compare them with the samples of the best reports of students of my class. I also wish to take help from my professor by asking to mark the final report so that I know where I stand and how much I have improved. I will compare these grades to my previous grades and will have a precise measure of how much progress I have made by measuring the goal.
My primary goal is to attain a score of 90% in the final report which will be marked by my professor upon my request.
By putting this plan into action and achieving substantial results in my written presentation skills, I will have the ability and expertise to write well, which is an extremely crucial aspect of academic and professional success. Whether I plan to further my education or begin work, my written communication skills are important to my growth and development. Considering my enthusiasm and desire to learn, I have set a time limit of three months to achieve my goals and I have set a timetable to prepare one report every week. This way I will be doing 4 reports in a month and about 12 reports by the end of three months.