Roles, Team Building, and Dynamics

Group Dynamics

Personally, I have almost always had problems in working with teams for school projects, and I know that many other people have experienced the same.  Part of the problem I feel is that school team assignments have different dynamics then real world assignments.  In the academic world, not all team members working towards a common goal, team life spans are short, and there is a higher chance for a lack a of maturity and work ethics.

Group Thinking

This aspect of a team is commonly the most unproductive group dynamic preventing new ideas and crippling innovation.  When a team thinks only as one and resists thought from outsiders nothing new will ever emerge from the group or the company.  It is important to always be open minded to others and willing to listen and think about the new contributions.  I have found that it can be difficult to break this group thinking state especially when trying to take step back and think about what other are saying.  Is there a way to use their idea or make adjustments?

Balance

Birds of a feather flock together.  I and many others have the bad habit of associating with people that we have a lot in common.  This is not a good habit socially or professionally.  We need diversity in the people we work and socialize with.  Engineers cannot function fully without businessmen, artist, managers, and every other discipline out there.  A business would be incomplete without the balance among its employees. 

Dr. Vanegas was trying to teach us this lesson from day one by assigning us to work in a group in which everyone had their own characteristics.  The most efficient groups will be comprised on a variety of people that vary in discipline, gender, and experiences.  Having a diverse group brings new ideas to the table and allows different good ideas to compete and compromise to develop the best ideas.

I have noticed how this has affected me in my social circle of friends.  This semester I have realized that I have been surrounded by a very diverse group of close friends that have had a significant impact on me.   Various personalities have encouraged me to incorporate into my personality  a little bit of them  thus  causing me to be more well-rounded, a  more diverse thinker, and  a more experienced member of society.  I used to be a very quiet and reserved person and if I had surrounded myself with only those types of people I would have never been able to improve myself.

Rule of Thumb

• ·         Within a team never move blindly

o   Be aware of yourself

o   Be aware of your team

o   Be aware of your surroundings

• ·         Even the most clear instructions are not clear enough

o   Everyone has their own personal interpretation of instructions

• ·         Team work should be a win-win situation and never win-lose or lose-lose

Ranking Matrix

This is a tool that I feel would be very useful for me.  As I mentioned in the leadership section,   I am not strong when it comes to making decisions.  Not only could this tool be used to make professional decisions when dealing with large groups, but I could also use it for making personal decisions such as determining   where a group of friends and I will eat dinner.

Leadership and Creativity

Don't be afraid to be a leader

Leadership

We did an exercise in class in which we were required to come up with as many words as possible to describe the traits of a leader.  Below are some of the responses   the class came up with:


• Hard worker
• Listener
• Balanced
• Fair
• Decisive
• Risk Taker
• Delegator
• Strong
• In Charge
• Confident
• Role Model
• Organized
• Communicator
• Open
• Inspiring
• Knowledgeable
• Responsible
• Reliable
• Time Manager
• Conflict Resolution
• Visionary
• Compassionate
• Critical Thinker
• Responsive
• Goal Oriented
• Integrity

I know what I am and what I need to be…What are you?

Perils of Equilibrium

I had never really considered equilibrium in a negative manner.  Generally, it’s good because it means everything is balanced and working properly. 

In a structure equilibrium is essential, but in life it is a trap.  We work hard to get ahead and have the competitive advantage, but what do you do when you are the best?  At this point it is easy to accept the fact that you are the best and no longer strive to become better.  There are two problems with this.  First, like the tortious and the hare, you may finish first quickly, but when you decide to stop and relax the rest have a chance to surpass you.  Second, when a society believes everything is the best it can be, it ceases to improve and stifles it future progress.   You can only move forward if you’re not standing still, and when you reach equilibrium you are just standing still.

Without this lecture I feel that I had a much higher chance of falling into the trap of equilibrium.  I now   understand that I want to live my life in a constant state of chaos and always striving for an unobtainable equilibrium.