Category: Life & Experiences

Introduction

The demands of that particular time weighed heavily upon my mind. It was in the eleventh grade of my schooling when the urge to protect a friend from the arm of the school administration turned out to be another menace so unexpected. It was only about a fortnight and our friendship had developed into more of brotherly affection. Our union with Ken having grown stronger owing to the fact that we shared the basketball team and both of us had begun as novices. We were equally interested to make it to the school team and make it big in terms of prowess and skill. Suffice to say the driving spirit was so common and would tie us with so intertwined cord of interest.

Main body

Our interest in the game, cemented by the incentive of the school, having set the different sets of games as compulsory for us all could only augment our passion. Hence, we were more eager and taciturn to devote our time to practice. The game was what drove our instincts and formed our stories. And needless to say, our stay at the institution was all the bliss. However, inasmuch as we would find access to the facilities, particularly the courts at the numerous free times the curriculum could avail, we faced one major bane.

As it rose to our conscious state that indeed the ball was a necessity to have if at all we had to achieve our goals, we saw it fit to acquire one. It was then that for the first time I recalled that I still had my newly bought ball which by reason of chance or something, escaped the sports department. Being in possession of the same in my closet, Ken and I would only need to inflate it when the need arose and keep the practice going. The plan worked out well and a few times we would go out of the schedule to satisfy our insatiable appetites of play. A few weeks into the game and someone else saw it pleasant to be the alternative possessor of our dear property. It silently got into another students docket without our knowledge.

With the prevailing issue at hand, our progress was imbibed and that was just what we never wanted at the moment. The pressure that rose then, made Ken seek alternative sources. Little did I know that he had thought beyond the scope of acceptable moral standards. It didnt take long before Ken made the bold move and statement that indeed the lost ball was found by none other than him. It was a moment that would only form a grin on my face, being sure that we would soon resume our training program.

Then the turn of the event began turning sour. A week later as Ken was on a private training was busted by John who claimed that it was his. After his long defensive mechanism, for he was also a talented orator, Ken realized that he was losing ground and before it all spilled over on his side, ken had the audacity to include my name in the circus that was forming. Prior to his confrontation, its worth noting that he had actually asked me to stand by him in the quest that the ball was originally mine and to avoid also putting him in the limelight of what appeared to be a theft crime.

Then hell broke loose when John decided to make an appointment and so we arranged for a rendezvous. It was a Friday evening. When I met John that day he didnt seem to be in a party mood. With the stern look on his face, I could certainly understand the rage that was deep boiling within his inner chambers. After a few formal legalities and attempted niceties, we went straight to the issue, the session was rather brief. He asked me if I had the knowledge of the ball. Without bashing an eyelash, I gave him a positive making the debate ensued until he revealed a mark he had placed on the ball. Being my senior at the institution, I didnt want to get entangled in more trash.

Then in embarrassment, Ken took me on the side. In some unwelcoming gesture whispered that he had actually picked the ball arbitrarily on the course of training. Nevertheless, I could not consent to the idea of illegally possessing the ball as that would render me a lawbreaker. Besides, John had threatened to take the issue to the administration and whatever explanation ken was making just looked like a string of inane words to him. Then I stood my ground to acknowledge the ball was mine and that indeed it had lost before being found, but with the uncertainty of the marks of ownership, the same could be his. After all, I wanted also to clear the name of ken whose conduct had been compromised.

Ken slipped away and John took mastery of the situation. He demanded an immediate refund of the full price of the ball besides retaining the item. But of course not without giving the second option of exposing the issue to the school administration of which the repercussion we were all aware of. And whereas ken would utilize his power of speech to get himself off the hook, poor me was left at the mercies of John, who seemed then to enjoy the uneasy tension that was already having the better part on me. Sad to say that I had to bend to his terms so as to make amends. Further, I would only concede, John, having threatened to taint the reputation I had built, and being an aspirant of one of the organizations leadership that ran around the school, such kind of blackmail was the last thing I would withstand at that moment.

Conclusion

And John sank deep into my pockets, as a way of finding leverage in the case. Finally, the spontaneous effects of the action made manifest, as I had to call dad also to augment my fiscal status that had taken a nosedive. Further, a cold relationship ensued, having come to terms that John was also a member of the organization I was eyeing later in the year. Ahem! Ken and I had to part ways, as the initial trust I had built, quickly gave way. The experience also influences the life after my schooling, having resolved to be less of a public figure, with the fear of one day the story, spilling into the public domain and ravish the little reputation I was so keen to protect.

Introduction

Over the past few months while I have been studying in the U.S., the use of English has been a constant companion whereas in the past within my native country I had little use for it. It is due to this change in perspective and use that I have come to a realization that there are a variety of nuances and subtleties to it that I did not even realize and similarly to the character of Amy Tan in the story Mother Tongue I also noticed that my use of English at the present in comparison to that of my father is far better both grammatically and phonetically. Such a realization came as a surprise since prior to my arrival in the U.S. I actually thought that my father could actually speak English rather well. It is due to this that I came to the realization that the context of experience often changes prior opinions based on new information that has been encountered.

My Past

In order to better understand why I was so surprised with this sudden jarring realization (I describe this as jarring since I have always looked up to my father and idolize him), some context is necessary so as to better understand my point of view. When I was younger, I had often seen my father communicate with a variety of individuals using English. At the time I was quite impressed with him since bilingualism was not a common trait where I am from and to see him talk to others in English was quite a feat in my eyes back then. Do note though that at time I barely understood English and had very little context to actually understand what my father was saying. As such, the words that came out of his mouth and the way that he communicated was in my eyes flawless. A few years before I left to study in the U.S., I attended a local language school in order to prepare myself and improve upon my meager rudimentary knowledge of the English language.

At the time I still thought that my fathers version of English was quite good and that I should aspire to be just as good as him. However, over time I noticed a few subtle differences, just as Amy Tan in the story Mother Tongue noted that how her mother spoke English held her back, I believe that how my father spoke English similarly held me back in developing the manner in which I communicated in that particular language. As I mentioned earlier, I idolized my father and tried to emulate him in every way possible, the same applies to the manner in which he spoke English. Despite the language school teaching me a variety of grammar and types of phonetically appropriate methods of speech in relation to proper English speaking, I always differed back to the way in which my father spoke English and how he communicated with it. Thus, I mostly used his rules and his version rather than what the language school taught. What you have to understand was that at the time, my fathers way of speaking English was all I knew and all I aspired to. I had little in the way of sufficient outside context and admittedly the language schools could only do so much without sufficient immersion in the English language to teach me.

Arriving in the U.S.

Based on the previous section, I am sure you can agree that when I arrived in the U.S. I was due for a significant level of culture shock so to speak, both due to the new culture I was experiencing and the fact that the utilization of English here was far different to what I was used to. As I became fully immersed in the local language and over a series of calls I had with my family back home to tell them I was alright, I started to notice that what I knew as English back then was a pale imitation of the real thing. Just as Amy Tan from the story Mother Tongue described her mothers way of speaking as broken English I began to notice that the way in which my father spoke was oddly similar. His phrases, grammar usage, phonetics and even the way in which he would describe certain things was slightly off in my opinion since by then I had more than sufficient context to compare it to. It was an eye opener to be honest since, as I have mentioned several times before, I idolized my father and to consider him inferior in any way was anathema to everything that I stood for. Yet, as the conversations between me and my family kept on coming I was constantly forced towards the realization that what I thought of as I my ideal was something that was from it.

Conclusion

Based on everything that has been presented, it can be seen that the context of experience often changes prior opinions based on new information that has been encountered. In my case, I came to the realization that my fathers English is not as perfect as I once believed it was, however, this does not mean that I respect him any less, rather, I am at the present more open to admitting that he is not perfect but still a good, honest and caring man in my eyes and that is all I have ever needed from him.

Introduction

The article in question dwells upon solidarity among full and half-siblings in a polygamous community. The researchers analyze relationships in families of Mormons living in Angel Park. Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) employ major concepts of inclusive fitness theory. It is necessary to note that the issue of relationships within blended families has not had sufficient attention from researchers though there is a vast amount of literature on sibling differentiation within nuclear middle-class families living in the USA.

Since there is no in-depth ethnographic study of sibling solidarity in polygamous families or no study of sibling solidarity among blended or reconstituted families, the researchers focus on this issue and try to identify the correlation between family bonds and societal norms (Jankowiak & Diderich, 2000, p. 126). Notably, the results of the present research suggest that inclusive fitness theory is consistent in polygamous families.

The research was conducted in the sectarian religious settlement, Angel Park, located in the south-western part of the United States. Thirty-two polygamous families (each family is a household of a man) or seventy individuals were interviewed. The research was conducted between 1992 and 1999 though most data were collected from 1997 to 1999. It is necessary to add that a snowball sampling method was employed to achieve the goal of the research.

Main Body

The researchers use the following forms of solidarity: normative, functional, effectual, and societal (Jankowiak & Diderich, 2000, p. 130). Normative solidarity is the degree to which a family member is committed to perform certain family roles or take up responsibilities. Factual solidarity is family members readiness to assist each other and exchange resources. Effectual solidarity is the way family members feel about each other. In other words, this is the degree of their closeness and the way they express their affection. Associational solidarity is the frequency and nature of interactions.

The researchers examined three hypotheses. First, Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) assume that if ideology plays a major role in forming sibling solidarity, there should be the same closeness between half and full siblings. Secondly, if structural proximity is the major factor affecting sibling solidarity, such variables as age, gender, or degree of relatedness will have an impact on the development of sibling loyalty. Finally, if inclusive fitness is the major factor affecting sibling solidarity, stronger loyalty will be manifested between full siblings.

Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) claim that the first and second hypotheses have not been proved. However, the researchers state that the third hypothesis has been proved. It turns out that family bonds are stronger than societal norms or religious canons. Thus, full siblings reveal a stronger degree of solidarity in all four dimensions mentioned above. It is necessary to note that Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) report quite unexpected findings as most family members noted that they had closer bonds and a more respectful attitude towards their mother even though religious beliefs of Mormons are based on highly patriarchal concepts.

It is also noteworthy that sibling solidarity in full siblings is strong irrespective of the degree of rivalry which can be rather significant as children have to compete for their mothers (and/or fathers) attention. The authors reveal certain limitations to their research and stress that they could not identify whether the trend towards full sibling solidarity is a by-product of a mothers guidance (Jankowiak & Diderich, 2000, p. 137). At that, the researchers note that the data obtained provide insights into issues that are often faced in blended families where parents try to promote certain ideas of sibling solidarity and loyalty.

It is important to add that the authors are working at the Anthropology and Sociology Departments of the University of Nevada. The article can be regarded as reliable as it is published in a peer-reviewed journal. The authors refer to a variety of relevant sources that provide insights into numerous issues associated with sibling solidarity as well as inclusive fitness theory.

Remarkably, Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) implement the research that sheds light on the development of sibling solidarity and factors that tend to affect this process. Clearly, inclusive fitness theory has proved to be consistent within polygamous families. These findings may have a variety of implications in numerous settings and can become the basis of further research.

Apart from the major concern of the research, Jankowiak, and Diderich (2000) provide valuable insights into the life of Mormons (or rather one of the settlements of this religious group) in the USA. It is apparent that major religious canons remain unchanged but these strict rules become blurred in the contemporary world. Thus, even though families in a settlement have to live in harmony and form a big and homogenous family, there are certain clans.

Most importantly, families live in accordance with patriarchal rules but family members tend to feel more attached and respectful to their mothers rather than fathers. Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) stress that interviewees were also surprised to understand that they are more respectful towards their mothers but this understanding did not lead to denial. One of the interesting findings was the way to reveal functional solidarity. Lending money is seen as one of the most potent types of instrumental assistance which is valued significantly. Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) note that scarcity of resources may explain this peculiarity of life in such a community as a religious settlement.

Conclusion

As has been mentioned above, the present study helps understand the way sibling solidarity develops. Thus, it is clear that full siblings will be closer to each other and this closeness will be manifested even more in blended families. Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) state that there is a rivalry between full siblings as well as between half-siblings. However, this rivalry may become more serious when it happens between full and half-siblings.

Apart from mentioning the issues involved, Jankowiak and Diderich (2000) suggest a factor that may have an impact on the development of solidarity between siblings. The way mothers bring up their children has a great effect on sibling solidarity though this process is yet to be researched.

Reference List

Jankowiak, W., & Diderich, M. (2000). Sibling solidarity in a polygamous community in the USA: Unpacking inclusive fitness. Evolution and Human Behaviour, 21(1), 125-139.

Introduction

Leadership, as a partnership between a leader and group members, is embodied in many roles (DuBrin, 2013). The skills of people occupying leading positions are of vital importance for ensuring the successful performance of the whole organization (Schein, 2010). My experience of being a Company Commander in Junior Reserves Officers Training Corps (JROTC) played a crucial role in defining my priorities, improving my leadership skills, and influencing my plans for the future.

The impact of Being a Company Commander in JROTC

The experience of being a Company Commander in JROTC had a huge impact on my perception of leadership. My participation in planning and coaching activities contributed to my understanding of the importance of having teaching skills for any leader. I learned how to share my knowledge and mentor the members of the group. Such knowledge is of vital importance for any person willing to become a successful leader. This experience taught me that being a leader is not all about controlling and leading the people. It also largely depends on the ability to share knowledge and guide the people on their way to achieving new goals and attaining new skills.

The Contribution

While being a Company Commander, I made my best to contribute to the groups good performance and develop leadership skills in its members. I put much effort into helping the members of the unit to develop strong motivation and choose the right direction for achieving the main goals related to the primary purpose of participation in JROTC. I believe, my hard work enabled me to make a contribution to the success of the organization by sharing its ideas with the students and developing respect for the U.S. Armed Forces.

The Knowledge

This experience helped me to learn more about my personality. I discovered that certain traits enabled me to be a successful leader and guide the people on their way to achieving particular goals. I learned that I am emotionally stable while dealing with stressful situations and competitive and decisive while overcoming obstacles on the way to achieving the goals. These traits help me to be an effective leader, as they contribute to better self-resistance and determination on results (Daft, 2015; Batra, 2011).

I also found out that my enthusiasm and self-confidence combined with an ability to find logic and practical solutions help me to take risks and successfully cope with them. Such experience taught me that the combination of willingness to be a risk-taker with skills in effective decision-making is essential for any leader (Sundheim, 2013; Mayers, Zepeda, & Benson, 2013).

The Influence on the Plans for the Future

The experience of being a Company Commander greatly influenced my plans for the future. The attained team-building skills and a better understanding of the importance of patriotism and citizenship motivated me to choose to become an Army Officer. JROTC helped me to reveal certain sides of my personality that enable me to become a competent leader.

Conclusion

My participation in JROTC as a Company Commander benefited me with essential knowledge about the specifics of a leadership role and helped me to understand my personality better and set the goals for the future.

References

Batra, S. (2011). Organization development systems (5th ed.). New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company.

Daft, R. (2015). The leadership experience (6th ed.). Stamford, Connecticut: Cengage Learning.

DuBrin, A. (2013). Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills (7th ed.). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Mayers, R., Zepeda, S., & Benson, B. (2013). Call to teacher leadership. New York: Routledge.

Schein, E. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4th ed). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.

Sundheim, D. (2013). Taking smart risks: How sharp leaders win when stakes are high. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.

Introduction

This report is a personal reflection on Mt. Everest critical experience by a small team of four members. The report adopts Christopher Johns model of a guided framework for personal reflection. The model covers four critical aspects namely: the challenging experience, the personal reflection on the experience, any factors that influence the outcome, learning that occurs and alternative course of action.

Our team comprises four members. The team will develop a report that responds to the question How to Take the Group to the Peak of Mt Everest Successfully. This small team comprises individuals with different skills. There are a number of factors that influenced the teams outcomes. The team lacked multi-skilled members but each of the members had unique skills and abilities. Due to the small number of team members reaching conclusions was not such a challenging task. This gave the team an advantage in the way the team functioned and the resultant outcomes (Dyer, and Dyer 2007). Furthermore, there are other key determinants to the teams outcomes. The team communications strategies would have enhanced relationships amongst group members. This would have reflected the teams cohesiveness. The extent to which members shared the vision, the type of task each member was given as well as the structure of the group determined the outcomes (Guinan, Cooprider and Faraj 1998). For assured results, the team had to develop a collaborative operational strategy that would result in overall goal sharedness. Each of the team members had their roles clearly defined. Furthermore were to be rewarded continuously to motivate them (Runde and Flanagan 2008).

Experiences

I noticed that my team had mixed experiences. Even though some of the encounters were fairly easy the team had to go through a number of problems. I noticed that the team experienced problems from the initial stages of the projects because of the inability to learn from experiences. Furthermore, before embarking on the task the group did not identify possible problems it might encounter (Kayes and Burnett 2006). What affected the team learning is that initially, individual team members did not appreciate the importance of sharing individual knowledge learned with the rest of the team (Kayes, Kayes and Kolb 2005). This also affected the way in which decision was arrived at in the team (Klein 1998). The team had to adopt alternatives strategies and methods to survive the new obstacles. This asserted the group readiness to be innovative and flexible enough in face of a challenge or unanticipated occurrence. This flexibility helped the team to adopt a new conflict resolution mechanism as well as the general teamwork design (Baugh 2004). When the team achieved what it had aimed to achieve, members were satisfied and motivated. There was a feeling that everything was going on well. However, conflict emerged when the team encountered challenges (Runde and Flanagan 2008).

The team went through a series of experiences. These were determined by a number of forces. To begin with, the negative experiences were influenced by the team relationship model as well as members past experiences. Furthermore, each of the individual team members has had previously experienced negative team outcomes in-class assignments. Most of the individuals also came from backgrounds that glorified individual heroism. As such, each member thought that standing out in the group was more important than supporting other group members. This implicitly encouraging competition rather than collaboration which in turn created a negative mindset about team work. Thus members did not have a pre-existing knowledge of effective collaboration and thus the poor communication dynamics in the group (Brooks 2009). Therefore each of the members was only focused on accomplishing their own individual roles without reflecting on how they would affect the entire team.

The teams response to the negative experiences was reinforced by the fact that each of the group members was a fast learner. It meant that every group member was able to identify hindrances to the groups success. Furthermore, the individuals were flexible enough to adopt new strategies that would help the team work more effectively. Therefore because team members were able to identify the communication barriers that existed in the group, they started to open up. This greatly improved information flow, which improved the quality of decision-making (De Dreu, and West. 2001).

Reflections

Team managers can effectively improve team efficiency by focusing on establishing a workable team model. The workable team models must focus on each of the following areas: leadership, the roles of team members, the relationships within the team, resources available as well as the process of accomplishing tasks (Starcevich n.d.). Team roles were allocated according to a persons ability and preference. As such my team roles as a strategist and harmonizer were allocated to me because of my critical thinking as well as strong logistical abilities. This position involved harmonizing all team activities for a shared outcome (Pitts, Graves, and Finney 1995). Is also involved in strategizing upon consideration of emerging challenges. For effective performance, I had to incorporate every members skills and opinions in arriving at decisions. From time to time I was asked to give an evaluation of the teams achievement as well as the gains made or not made. This means that I had to ensure that the team goals and objectives were achieved within the given time as well as lead the team in searching for and adopting new strategies for success in case of unanticipated challenge (Belbin 2010a). Therefore I had to establish essential cooperation among group members and ensure that communication was not hindered by the poor flow of information (Levi 2011). The figure below shows how an effective team model combines team functions

Because my role also involved allocating roles as they arose, I had to acquire reliable information and quality data about individual team members skills, abilities, and competencies. Furthermore, I gave members the opportunity to choose the individual roles they would be comfortable with. This was to enhance individual satisfaction with the group task as well as ensure the creation of a formidable team that was able to utilize its human resources well I also had to ensure that each member clearly understood the team roles as well as their functional roles (Levi 2011).. I had to ensure that individual roles did not obscure the shared group vision. Each member thus had to understand that the functional role each of them was playing was for the sake of the group. Whenever members were stuck in their functional roles assigned to them, I encouraged others to contribute and help that the member overcome the obstacle (Belbin 2010b).

As stated earlier this role had been given to me by other group members based on a number of factors. I am relatively liberal-minded which means that I have the ability to consider other peoples opinions before arriving at any decision. Furthermore, I am a critical thinker who takes time to arrive at a critical decision. My critical mind helped me to identify any flow in any opinion or strategy. I thus was able to summarize various situations into a concrete decision (Belbin 2010b).

To achieve group objectives the group had to consider a number of external factors. Time was the most crucial of these factors. Members had to make sure that they were time-conscious in executing their function roles so as not to affect the entire groups achievement. Moreover, knowledge sharing and the flow of information had to be effective. Members had to use short clear statements in expressing their views. If any member did not understand anything they had the opportunity to seek clarification (Belbin 2010b). To avoid the conflict and the challenges that the team faced, the team should have focused on following the Tuckman Team Model. This model gives four sequential stages that a normal team follows before it becomes effectively functional. The stages are forming the group, the storming stage that involves thrashing out differences, the norming stage involving negotiation, and the performing stage (Clements and Jones 2008). The figure below describes the Tuckman model

Alternative courses of action

When it comes to dealing with conflict it is important to establish the cause of the conflict and deal with the cause. This means that the problem is dealt with once and for all. Moreover, the earlier conflict was identified the sooner it was solved thus preventing it from generating a fully-fledged problem that might derail the groups objectives. Suffice to say the group experience both structured and unstructured problems. The unstructured problems presented the group with more challenges than the structured problems. Therefore, members had to take responsibility for identifying any issue they felt would generate a conflict or problem. Furthermore, negotiation became a very practical alternative in dealing with any conflict (Nagel and Sellamna n.d.). This replaced the earlier strategy where the team leaders mediated between conflicting ideas or team members (Asherman and Asherman 2001). As the group strategist, it means that I had to allow a lot more negotiation in redesigning the group strategies.

Furthermore, the management of information had to be improved tremendously (Levi 2011). This meant that there was a need to be an official information disseminator for the group whose primary role was to be the custodian and disseminator of that information. This role was to ensure that information was analyzed and summarized into useable data and also make sure that that information was delivered where it was needed in time. They also had to gather relevant information (Goleman 2000). Furthermore, there was a need to adopt other qualities to enhance my leadership roles. Initially, I was a laid back liberal strategist who let team members gain group have too much way. This delayed decision making. Thus I had to adopt more assertive behavior, especially during critical decision-making. I realized that I should have asked a more direct question, requested more direct answers, and became a little bit more affirmative in the options that the group should have seriously considered. Assertiveness and affirmation needed to be done moderately without being overbearing (Manz and Sims 1981; Goleman, McKee and Boyatzis 2004).

Initially, I felt that as long as members took the task they were comfortable with this was sufficient for emotional satisfaction. However, I should have had an awareness of the team members changing emotional needs and seek ways to satisfy them (Goleman 2000). Strategies that were formed by the group thus should have reflected the members emotional needs. As a leader mandated to lead the group towards making strategic decisions I would have listened to the members more keenly, picking the emotions expressed in their statements. This would have ensured that there was attained emotional harmony in the group for the sustained outcome (Salas, Druskat, and Mount 2006)

Lessons learned

Mt Everests critical experience has given me valuable insights into how a team works. Through the experiences, I have gained valuable knowledge of team dynamics as well as effective team roles for use in the future. I have learned that strategizing for a team is a complicated affair. It is impossible to have this process without a conflict of opinions arising. Thus it is important to adopt the best conflict resolution mechanism for the group. Negotiation became the best conflict resolution mechanism for any team. This is because when there is an established method for negotiation the team becomes self-sufficient in effectively solving its problem internally (Nagel and Sellamna n.d.). Furthermore, it makes the conflicting most inert to be actively involved in reaching a weighted compromise. As such the decisions reached are always satisfactory to all parties (De Dreu, and Weingart, 2003).

Each of the members was allocated specific roles had and as such lead the team in undertaking that role. So as a strategist, I had to lead the team in evaluating and adopting the best strategies as needs arose. Thus I became a team leader in that respect. Team leadership thus involves having emotional intelligence. This required that is should have been aware of my own emotional needs and how they affected group outcomes. Moreover, I should also have established a way of understanding other team members emotional needs. In future group roles, I have to ensure that members are constantly emotionally satisfied. This creates a rich emotional environment for the sustained outcome (Pherwani and Mandell 2003). Furthermore, any role I assume in any team should supplement the team leaders efforts. If that role I am playing requires me to assume leadership at a certain time, I should adopt various leadership methods according to group needs. In this case, a combination of affiliative, coercive, and participatory methods ensures sustained group outcomes (Goleman 2000).

Other than cohesiveness goal and vision sharedness, the effective team must have a very effective information management mechanism. Teams fail not because of having the wrong information but in the way the right information is managed. Thus in future group leadership roles, I will ensure that the team establishes a mechanism that not only relays the right information where it is needed at the time is needed but also one that gathers and analyses the right information. Furthermore, the team must understand its informational needs ( Galliers and Leidner 2003).

Conclusion

The effectiveness of any teamwork depends on a number of factors. The type of leadership determines the extent of the success the team achieves. Leadership in a team is not just a designation of the identified team leader. Each member of that team becomes a leader by the virtue of the role they are playing for that team. This means that the team depends on every individual to effectively play their roles and understand that their individual contribution has a direct consequence on the group outcomes. Thus cohesiveness, as well as an unhindered information flow, are vital for assured team success. Lastly, emotional cohesiveness ensures that the members gain the emotional security necessary for creating an effective connection amongst successful group members.

List of References

Asherman, I. and , Asherman, S. 2001. Negotiation Sourcebook-Amherst, MA: HRD Press.

Baugh, G.2004. The influence of interpersonal flexibility on work team conflict over time. A dissertation. Submitted to the office of graduate studies of Texas A&M University.

Belbin, R. M. 2010a. Team Roles at Work. Burlington, MA : Butterworth-Heinemann.

Belbin, R. M. 2010b. Management Teams: Why They Succeed Or Fail. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Brooks, K. 2009. You Majored In What? Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career. New York: Penguin Books.

Clements, P and Jones, J. 2008. The Diversity Training Handbook: A Practical Guide London: Kogan Page.

De Dreu, C and Weingart, R. 2003. Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis.

Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol 88(4), Aug 741-749. Web.

De Dreu, C, West, M. 2001. Minority dissent and team innovation: The importance of participation in decision making. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol 86(6).

Dyer, W. and Dyer, J. 2007. Team building: proven strategies for improving team performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Galleries, R. and Leidner, D. 2003. Strategic Information Management: Challenges And Strategies In Team Work. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann,

Goleman, D. 2000. Leadership That Get Results. Harvard Business Review. Web.

Goleman, D. , Boyatzis, R. and McKee, A. 2004. Primal Leadership: Learning To Lead With Emotional Intelligence. Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press.

JISC Infonet n.d. Team development. Web.

Kayes, B., Kayes, C., & Kolb, D. (2005). Experiential learning in teams. Simulation and Gaming, 36(3), 330-354.

Kayes, C. and Burnett, G. 2006. Team Learning in Organizations: A Review and Integration. School of Business. Web.

Klein, G. (1998). Sources of power: How people make decisions. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Levi, D. 2011. Group Dynamics for Teams. California: Sage.

Mandell, B. and Pherwani, S. 2003. Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership Style: A Gender Comparison.

Journal of Business and Psychology. Vol.17, Number 3, 387-404, Web.

Manz, C. and Sims, H. 1980. Self-Management as a Substitute for Leadership: A Social Learning Theory Perspective.The Academy of Management Review. Vol. 5, No. 3. Web.

Nagel, U and Sellamna, N. n.d. Conflicts in Team. Web.

Pitts, S., Graves, K. and Finney, M. 1995. Team tactics: innovative strategies for teaching and learning. Pennsylvania: J. Weston Walch.

Runde, C. E. and Flanagan, T. A. 2008. Building Conflict Competent Teams. san Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass.

Salas, F. , Druskat, V. and Mount, G. 2006. Linking emotional intelligence and performance at work: current research evidence with groups and individuals. New Jersey. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates , Inc.

Starcevich, M. n.d. A MODEL OF AN effective team. Web.

Introduction

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It stands at 5.5 miles above sea level. For a number of centuries, the mountain was considered to be a sacred place. The mountain was not known to many people around the world for a number of years. According to Steve Jenkin, a renowned specialist in sports and recreation, it was not until about 180 years ago that the mountain became known to many (Jenkins, 1999, p.23). Since then, various groups including adventurers, scientists, and other climbers have been fascinated by the features of Mount Everest especially the peak. A significant number of individuals have succeeded in reaching the peak but others have failed or even died. Most of the people who have been to the peak of Mount Everest describe it to be a place of great beauty and their climbing of the mountain as a great adventure but of immense danger (Jenkins, 1999, p.23). Some individuals have referred to Mount Everest as a field of corpses. Despite this, people still try to conquer the mountain. In order to conquer the mountain, a high degree of coordination and teamwork is necessary. According to Ann, Heinrichs, a specialist in extreme sports, climbing the mountain with pride and disrespect can lead to a disaster (2010, p. 57).

In evaluating and analyzing the project, Christopher Johns framework is used. According to three scholars who include Anna Adams, Christopher, Kayes, and David Kolb, Christopher Johns framework is composed of four main steps. These include experience, reflection, influencing factors, alternatives or other choices, and the lessons learned (2008, p.45).

Experience

To reach the peak of the mountain, the project involved a team of four people. Working on the project was a great experience. This is due to the fact that it presented an opportunity to develop my leadership skills. In addition, the team project presented an opportunity to develop other skills by sharing with other team members. Two computer technology specialists Sarmiento, John, and Stahl George (2008, p.492), are of the opinion that teamwork leads to the acquisition of new skills and techniques. This is due to the fact that different individuals have diverse skills. For example, some of the team members were of the opinion that the team should consult the Sherpa people on mountain climbing. This is because they have sufficient knowledge of mountain climbing since they live in high altitudes.

The project was very successful. This arose from the fact that the team members were assigned roles in which they were well conversant. According to Srinivas Kandula, a human resource management specialist, the success of a team is dependent on the effectiveness with which the entire task is divided into small tasks and assigned to the various team members according to their skills and experience (2007, p.173). Sundstrom Erick, a teamwork specialist (1999, p.45), further asserts that individual commitment in a team is what leads to the success of teamwork.

The team project worked as expected. This arose from the fact that all the team members understood their duties in addition to adhering to the set time frame of completing the task. Additionally, I was involved in detailed planning in cooperation with other members of the team. As the team strategist, I appreciated the importance of taking authority in ensuring that all the team members understood the significance of following the formulated strategies in an effort to ensure the attainment of the groups mission. In order to achieve its goal, a team leader must have the power to ensure that the team succeeds. One of the forms of power that I appreciated in leading a team as the team strategist leader is personal power. According to Peter Guy Northouse (2010, p. 8), a team leader must have personal power which is derived from possessing sufficient knowledge or being likable.

From the team project, I appreciated the importance of developing expert knowledge, especially when developing strategies that the team would follow in climbing the mountain. This is due to the fact that climbing Mount Everest presents a great challenge that can lead to death. Therefore, there is no room for mistakes.

One of the factors which contributed to my experience is the diverse viewpoints that were put across by the other team members. According to Hernadez Simon, a marketing specialist, teamwork aids in minimizing risks inherent in the process of executing a particular task single-handedly (2002). This is because the various parties assist each other. Upon developing the strategies which the team would follow to reach the top of the mountain, I was under an obligation to share them with the other team members. As a result, I was required to defend my ideas and prove that they were effective. Despite the fact that I took into account the recommendations made by the group members, I appreciated the importance of sharing executing the plan in a way in which others could not.

Reflection

According to Kavita Singh (2010, p. 240), a specialist in organizational behavior, it is vital for individuals intended to form a team to conduct a concrete analysis of the task ahead. One of the ways through which this can be achieved is by taking into account Tuckmans model of group development. The model consists of five stages which include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. In the forming stage, the available resources and the task at hand are taken into consideration (Singh, 2010, p. 240). At the storming stage, the group members clearly understand their roles. At the norming stage, Sarmiento, John, and Stahl, George (2008), group dynamic specialists assert that the group members start resolving their differences. In the performing stage, norms to guide the operation of the group are established. After the completion of the task, the group is disbanded. During the establishment of the group, these stages were followed.

According to Daniel Levi, a specialist in group dynamics, there are different challenges involved in the process of executing its roles. Hansen, Richard, a business and economist specialist (2006, p.11), it is important for the parties involved to adopt strategies that are effective. This means that the team must have a member who is knowledgeable in the formulation of strategies.

In the group, I played the role of a strategist assistant. For a number of years, I had been involved in a number of projects which made me appreciate the importance of formulating effective strategies. My role was to ensure that there were well-laid strategies to ensure that the group reached the top of the mountain. To ensure that the group was successful, the roles were clearly defined and divided amongst the group members. As a result, there was no overlapping of roles.

The group adopted my role. The decision to adopt the role arose from the realization of the challenges associated with climbing Mount Everest. In the process of formulating my strategies, I was guided by the inherent risk. According to two renowned professors from the University of Ottawa, Shaunna Burke and Terry Orlick, it takes approximately 2 months to reach the peak of the mountain. In addition, it is a dangerous task. According to Burke and Orlick (2007, p.43), approximately 300 people have died in an effort to reach the peak. Their death has resulted from a number of factors such as loss of will, fatigue, extreme weather conditions, loss of focus, high altitude sickness, and injury. Considering the inherent risk, the group came to a consensus that it was necessary for effective strategies to be put into place.

According to Sullivan (1998, p.341), the success of a team is dependent on its composition. Additionally, a team must have members with different skills and abilities to undertake the various tasks. Members of a particular team possess different personalities. These personalities include competitors, cooperators, and individualists. Competitors are mainly concerned with their individual success rather than that of a group. On the other hand, individualists are focused on attaining their personal goals. This means that the success or lack thereof is not a concern to competitors.

The cooperators are mainly focused on attaining the goals of the team. Additionally, cooperators are concerned with the outcome of their actions in addition to that of others. The dominant personality which characterizes our group is cooperators.

An alternative course of action

In addition to the basic strategies necessary to reach the peak of the mountain safely, I also considered the importance of preparing the team members mentally. One of the strategies which I incorporated is the use of imagery. I indicated to the team members the importance of imagining themselves at the peak of the mountain. This was necessary for preparing them to be acquainted with the difficult phases of climbing the mountain.

I also considered the importance of inquiring from the other team members about their thoughts and feelings on the expeditions. For example, considering the opinion of the team members aided in identifying other obstacles that might have been overlooked. For example, some of the issues which the team members raised relate to oxygen depletion, conflict with other climbers, and exhaustion. By considering the opinion of other team members I was able to avert possible conflicts that might limit the success of the team.

In setting the strategies, I also considered that it would be paramount to set short term goals to ensure that the success of the event. Considering the challenging task of climbing the mountain, short term goals are necessary. This arises from the fact that it would aid them in remaining focused. According to Forrester, William and Tashchian, Adam (2006, p.45), setting short term goals play a vital role in the process of attaining the desired goal. This is due to the fact that it eliminates possibilities of the team members from being overwhelmed by the immense size of the intended goal (William & Adam, 2006, p.45). The team members would be assigned roles according to their personalities. I would use the Belbin model in determining the main roles. According to the Belbin model, a team is composed of different roles arising from their personalities (Select Knowledge, 2007, p. 32). The main roles are illustrated in the chart below.

Source: Select Knowledge.

I would also consider training the team members on some of the necessary skills when climbing the mountain. Some of these strategies relate to safety so as to avoid injuries. This is due to the fact that the safety of the group is not only dependent on the group but also on individual responsibilities. Each of the members had to ensure that they adhere to the set safety regulations. Additionally, I would also consider training the team members so as to acclimatize them with a high attitude. These techniques would play a vital role in ensuring that the climbing expedition is successful.

Learning

The project presented me with an opportunity to understand the issues which are necessary for the success of the team. These skills can be of great importance in the business environment. According to two organizational behavior specialists, Belal Kaifi and Sulaiman Noori (2010, p.88), teams are an essential component in the success of the business, especially in the modern world. Teams are very effective in solving organizational challenges. Some of the issues I appreciated relate to the importance of all the team members understanding the mission, vision, and purpose of the team. Kaifi and Noori (2010, p.88) further assert that understanding the goals provide a sense of direction amongst all the team members. The project also provided an opportunity to appreciate the importance of translating the teams goals into specific, measurable, accurate, reliable, and time bound objectives. According to Glenn Parker (2009, p. 3), breaking down the teams goals into short term objectives increases the probability of a team succeeding. This is of great importance in the future when formulating objectives aimed at achieving specific goals.

Upon breaking down the overall goal into a number of tasks, the various team members should be assigned their respective roles in accordance with their skills and expertise. Michaelsen, Lincoln, Bauman Knight, and Fink, Lawrence who are renowned scholars in human resource management are of the opinion that the team leader must clarify the roles to avoid conflict of interest (2004, p. 45).

From the project, I also appreciated the importance of empowering team members in their roles. As a result, they can be able to make decisions without any influence. The resultant effect is a high degree of efficiency. The project also gave me an opportunity to appreciate the importance of selecting the right people in forming a team. This arises from the fact that the attainment of the teams goal is dependent on all the team members. This is further explained by Kaifi and Noori (2010, p. 99) who are of the opinion that, the success of a team is affected by the existing social cohesion. As a result, all members of the team must share their skills, capabilities, and expertise with others. In addition, selecting individuals with a common goal aids in creating an environment conducive to the operation of the team. This arises from the fact that all the team members will enjoy working with each other.

From the project, I also appreciated the importance of openness. According to Nath, Daniel (2008), a team is composed of individuals with different viewpoints and ideas. This might result in conflicts between team members. To avert this, team members must be ready to listen to the opinions of the other group members.

In addition, I also appreciated the importance of setting a timeframe in an effort to achieve a certain goal. The resultant effect is that the intended benefits are achieved.

Conclusion

The team project was a great opportunity for me to understand the importance of working as a team. For example, I appreciated the importance of role clarification amongst the various team members. This is due to the fact that the success of the teams is dependent on the contribution of all the team members. Additionally, clarification of roles aids in averting conflict of interest amongst the team members. After assigning team roles, the various parties should be given the authority to make their own decisions. They should not be restrained from acting in any way. The existence of freedom of action will ensure that the team members are motivated in their roles. From the project, I developed a comprehensive understanding of sharing and respecting the opinions of other team members.

Reference List

Adams, A. Kayes, C. & Kolb, D. 2008. Experiential learning in teams. New York: Case Western Reserve University.

Burke, S. & Orlick, T. Mental strategies of elite Mount Everest climbers. Journal of Excellence. Vol. 3, Issue 8, pp. 42-67. Ottawa: Ottawa University.

Clayton, M. & Hailstone, P., 2009. The management models pocketbook. Alresford: Management Pocketbooks.

Glenn, P., 2009. Teamwork 20 steps to success. New York: Human Resource Development Pr.

Hansen, R., 2006. Benefits of and problems with students teams: suggestions for improving team projects. Journal of Education for Business. Vol. 82, issue 1, pp. 11-19.

Heinrich, A., 2010. Mount Everest. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. Hernadez, S., 2002. Team learning in a marketing principles course: cooperative

structures that facilitate active learning and higher-level thinking. Journal of Marketing Education. Vol. 24, issue 1, pp. 73-85.

Forrester, W. & Tashchian, A., 2006. Modeling relationship between cohesion and performance in student workgroup. International Journal of Management. Vol. 23, issue 3, pp. 458-464.

Jenkins, S., 1999. The top of the world: climbing Mount Everest. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Kaifi, B. & Noori, S., 2007. Organizational behavior: a study on managers, employees and teams. Journal of Management Policy and practice. Vol. 12, issue 1. California: University of California.

Kandula, S., 2007. Human resource management in practice: With 300 models techniques and tools. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India.

Kavita, S., 2010. Organizational behavior: text and cases. Chandigarh: Upper Saddle River.

Levi, D., 2011. Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage.

Michaelsen, L., Bauman, K. A. & Fink, L., 2004. Team-based learning: A transformative use of small groups in college teaching. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Nath, D., 2008. Building trust and cohesiveness in a leadership team: A practitioners perspective. Reflection. Vol. 9, issue 1, pp. 24-36.

Northouse, G., 2010. Leadership: theory and practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Sarmiento, J. W. & Stahl, G., 2008. Group creativity in interaction: Collaborative referencing, remembering, and bridging. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. Vol. 24, issue no. 5, pp. 492-504.

Select Knowledge. 2007. Managing teams. New York: Select Knowledge.

Sundstrom, E., 1999. Supporting work team effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Sullivan, P., 1998. Profiting from intellectual capital: extracting value from innovation. New York: John Wiley.

Williams, S. K., & Anderson, J. S., 2008. Teams lab: Promoting effective teamwork in operations management classes. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education. Vol. 6. Issue no. 1, pp. 159-166.

Introduction

Thinking traps are often encountered whenever an important decision needs to be made. It could be a life-altering choice for education, expensive purchase of property, relationship decision, or any other high-impact choice. There are a number of such traps that can be encountered and each one can be capable of swaying a persons opinion. However, being aware of them could prevent poor and uninformed decisions from being committed. Recently, I had to be a guiding voice in a decision to purchase a new car for my relatives. They were intimidated by the variety of choices and had very specific needs and budget allowances. In this paper, I will reflect on the thinking traps I encountered and for the most part was able to avoid while making a decision on this matter.

The Situation

I have a very healthy relationship with my aunt and uncle. For years they consulted me on the matters of purchasing expensive pieces of equipment and appliances. A few months ago, they asked me to help with choosing a new car. Their old one is currently beyond repair. The market is currently filled with a wide range of cars that would be appropriate for their use, but the differences between manufacturers and optional versions of models are very confusing to them. They are not rich and often cannot replace an item if it does not have a warranty, so it is really important for them to make sure that everything they buy is reliable. They also often go camping which makes cargo compartments a priority. Gas mileage, warranty types, and length, as well as the previously mentioned elements, had to be considered for this decision.

All or Nothing Thinking

During my first examination of the market, I was not fully prepared for this task, and now that I reflect on my initial search, I understand which thinking traps I let myself fall into. The first one was all or nothing thinking. When filtering through the available options, I was preoccupied with making sure that the car met all the requirements set by the relatives of the highest possible quality. Unfortunately, this thinking did not result in a viable option, so I was forced to reconsider my choices. This trap may often affect people when judging other people or actions, but it may be encountered even when making purchasing decisions (Chittenden & Anthony, 2013).

Over-Generalization

Another trap that initially affected my reasoning is over-generalization. Three years ago, I had a serious issue while riding in a Toyota vehicle. A tire blew while my friend was driving and the car swerved onto the side of the road. Nobody was hurt during the event, but my opinion of the manufacturer became very low. I over-generalized by thinking of all Toyota vehicles as dangerous and unreliable, despite the fact they do not have lower reliability than those of other brands. I decided to read the information on their reliability to gain a better idea of the situation after seeing generally positive reviews of the cars they produce (Schoenleber & Gratz, 2018).

Jumping to Conclusions

This might be slightly embarrassing, but when choosing a car for my relatives, I assume that it would need to have the same or similar color as their old vehicle. I meticulously searched through the online catalogs for similar colors and even excluded some perspective options of cars that did not allow for the same shade of blue as their original vehicle was. I never fully prevented this issue from affecting my decision because after assuming, I did not think about it a second time. To my surprise, they were not concerned with the color of the car and even preferred to be different for the sake of novelty. I believe that this type of assumption can be extremely dangerous in situations that concern peoples wellbeing (Laptook, 2015).

Exaggeration and Magnification

Before I started my search, my uncle made sure to emphasize the importance of cargo space inside the car and how often they plan to use it for camping. This conversation forced me to believe that it is a need of the highest priority for them. In some portions of the search, I began to lean more towards choices that had large trunks but were not as reliable as others. During our next contact, I made sure to ask him if this approach was correct and he said that I should prioritize reliability instead while keeping cargo space the second place in the list of priorities. Such misunderstandings can lead to much larger issues in the future, as more important problems can be overshadowed by less important ones (Kerns, Roux, Connell, & Shattuck, 2016).

Minimization

This thinking trap was directly tied to the previous one during my decision-making. As I stated earlier, I began to overlook issues in cars such as lower reliability, insufficient warranty coverage, as well as other problems when the car had a lot of cargo space. This issue was solved during the same conversation with my uncle as he pointed out the importance of reliability over other factors (Tidball, 2016).

Emotional Reasoning

When I was younger, my family had a comfortable Ford family vehicle. While I was not fully aware of the manufacturer or why cars may be good or bad, I still developed an emotional connection to the Ford brand of vehicles. This led me to initially prioritize Ford cars over others with no evidence of them being more reliable than other brands. Such thinking is extremely common when dealing with topics that are tied to good or bad memories. However, this trap can lead to negative outcomes despite the emotional connection (Tidball, 2016).

Confirmation Bias

Continuing from the previous trap, when looking at the reviews and statistics of the Ford vehicles, I often considered any negative feedback as a magnification of issues on the part of the reviewer or misleading information. In my memories, Ford vehicles never broke down in the middle of a trip and were the most comfortable out of all others. This was not true. Memories often present a false reality based on emotions experienced at that time, rather than a clear fact. Eventually, I had to admit that there was no benefit to what I was doing and I widened my horizons of the matter of car brands (Tidball, 2016).

Conclusion

I experienced the majority of common thinking traps when choosing a car for my relatives. It was a very important purchase for them, and I wanted to make sure that it would last them for decades with minimal issues. By the end, I managed to avoid almost all the traps after thinking about what I was doing and consulting with the relatives. My choice was beneficial to them, and they still use the car with no issues. By reflecting on this matter right now, I gained a better understanding of the issues I had during the selection process, and I will try to avoid them in the future.

References

Chittenden, D., & Anthony, P. (2013). A cognitive behavioural approach to working with parents and families. Community Practitioner; London, 86(12), 3134.

Kerns, C. M., Roux, A. M., Connell, J. E., & Shattuck, P. T. (2016). Adapting cognitive behavioral techniques to address anxiety and depression in cognitively able emerging adults on the autism spectrum. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 23(3), 329340.

Laptook, R. (2015). Managing childhood problems. The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 31(3), 16.

Schoenleber, M., & Gratz, K. L. (2018). Self-acceptance group therapy: A transdiagnostic, cognitive-behavioral treatment for shame. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 25(1), 7586.

Tidball, K. G. (2016). Traps in and of our minds: relationships between human logic, dialectical traps and social-ecological traps. Sustainability Science; Dordrecht, 11(6), 867876.

Individual Questions

Although defining ones life purpose is a task that cannot always be clearly defined (otherwise, things would be much simpler), I think I have found a general definition that I am willing to commit to. My life purpose is to ensure constant growth in various aspects of my personality. In everything I do, I would like to ask myself, How does this contribute to my development? There are multiple ways in which a person can grow, so I am not talking about some particular actions but rather an attitude. I want to make sure that, with every endeavor, I make a contribution to my intellectual, mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical development, thus becoming smarter, stronger, more enduring, more fulfilled, more satisfied, and more understanding. Therefore, I do not want to engage in activities that I know will not make me better in any way but will be a waste of time oreven worsewill deteriorate my characteristics. I find this life purpose worth trying to stick to because what I want to achieve is to become the best version of who I am over the years of my personal and professional life in the future.

As any person engaging in interaction, I have faced conflicts, and the ones that I particularly recall every time are the conflicts between me and other people involved in a common project where we had to spend a lot of time together and come up with a lot of solutions really fast. The work was rather tense, and what I felt was that I thought I knew how everything needed to be done, so I was spending a lot of time trying to convince my teammates that I was right. We did not understand each other, and the atmosphere was rather nervous, as one of my teammates and I even yelled at each other at some point. After the end of the project, upon reflecting on my behavior, I realized that I really lacked the willingness to listen to other peoples points. It is not how I normally behave, but back then, decisions needed to be made quickly, so the pressure made me less flexible than I actually want to be. In fairness, my colleagues demonstrated a lack of patience and cooperation skills, too. I define those conflicts as conflicts of authoritarian nature: under pressure, we wanted to control things rather than to cooperate, and the way to resolve those conflicts is to adopt a more cooperative attitude.

Upon analyzing my personality, I have discovered that my biggest strength is compassion manifested in striving for understanding people. I highly appreciate this trait because I think it is very beneficialnot only in my personal life, as some may think, i.e. for building stronger personal relationships, but also in my profession. Successful performance largely depends on the ability to understand other people because, whatever one does, he or she almost inevitably deals with people, and the unwillingness or inability to understand what people you deal with want is a major barrier to being success. My major weakness is being committed to ideals, which is manifested in a lowered ability to compromise, tolerate failures in other peoples works, cooperate (because I tend to think I know what is better), and also cope with criticism. This weakness of mine is somewhat contradictory to my strength described above, but I do not think it is so uncommon for a person to have contradictory characteristics. Now that I understand this contradiction, I think I am more prepared to be working toward enhancing my strengths and applying them wisely while at the same time working on my weaknesses and trying to become more flexible.

This understanding of my strengths and weaknesses comes from my Types Test results. As a Harmony type, I have the feeling of balancing and looking for perfect proportions, which is why I am likely to be willing to listen to different people and try to reconcile their opinions and positions. However, being an Idealistic type at the same time, I may be the opposite of a Harmony type in a sense, since Idealistic types are often inflexible and not open enough to what other people have to say. I think being dedicated to perfect examples is important, but it should be alleviated if it prevents a person from successfully cooperating with other people, which is why I am glad I have discovered this contradiction in myself and reflected on it.

Reflecting on the Exercise

I think that this exercise is useful in terms of summarizing once again the characteristics of my personality I have discovered through recalling particular examples, such as conflicts I faced, and trying to address big questions, such as the question of the purpose of life. What makes this exercise good for team building is that people who will need to work together get to share and each expresses his or her experiences and attitudes on the same subjects, which is a large contribution to the mutual understanding. Not only people get to talk openly about issues that are relevant to their common work, but they can also identify problems that they have already faced or are likely to face, which will help avoid conflicts and increase cooperation in the future. This provides a common context in which future conflicts can be more successfully resolved. In other words, team members understand what words to use and what to refer to when addressing conflicts that may occur among them.

It was quite comfortable for me to reveal myself to the team because I knew that everyone was involved in the mutual self-disclosure, so everyone would get to reveal things about him or her. It was somewhat challenging to talk about conflicts and weaknesses, which is only natural I think, but I was not unwilling to do so because I understood the purpose of the exercise. A lesson that I learned was that leadership was much more connected to understanding people that one leads than it is usually thought.

Concerning changes in my life, I think I will try to become more disciplined by adopting more definitive scheduling and planning practices. I understand that it will require commitment and will possibly change my everyday habits, but I am up for the challenge. I think the exercise can be improved by creating an atmosphere where people are even less inhibited and more willing to talk about relevant issues. I think it can be done by extending the number of subjects that can be discussed and including those that the members of the team are likely to talk about in an informal way. I think the exercise has helped me in a recent conflict where I demonstrated a lack of patience: I decided to take more time to explain what I wanted and how I proposed to get it done, which allowed the reduction of tension because, previously in the conflict, I was acting rather inflexibly.

The socio-cultural norms define how we need to behave in various social settings. We learn most of these tacit rules while growing up. The cultural values, religious expectations, and social practices define our etiquette, especially in social gatherings. Some of these norms are so entrenched that when one fails to observe them, he or she may be considered mentally abnormal. I had an experience in the elevator that made me learn a lot about the consequences of breaking some of these tacit rules. It happened when I visited a local restaurant and had to use an elevator.

The Expected Behavior

When in an elevator, one is expected to be calm. When one is in the midst of strangers, it is normal to say hi and ask for assistance when it is needed. One should avoid being pushy in the elevator and any erratic behavior that may agitate others within the elevator should be avoided as much as possible. When getting out of the elevator, one should allow those who are nearest to the door to leave first.

What I Did that Did Not Conform To Expected Behavior?

On this day, I got into the elevator and started singing and dancing. I found three ladies and a gentleman in the elevator. I did not utter a single word to any of them, but kept singing, dancing, and smiling at them. Just before leaving, I shook hands with all of them and rushed out.

How People around Me Reacted?

The people around me were visibly shocked and amused by my actions. They looked at me inquisitively and made deliberate efforts to avoid being close to me. It was evident that they were not certain about my state of mind. One specific girl went as far as hiding behind the gentleman, only stealing glimpses at me and smiling when she was sure I was looking the other way. I noticed that they were in relief when I finally left. While in the restaurant, I noticed that two ladies who were with me in the elevator deliberately avoided sitting anywhere near me. The avoided making eye contact with me but they ensured that they monitored my movements.

My Own Reaction

I knew I was acting in an abnormal way, and I personally felt amused. I smiled as a read fear in the eyes of some of the people who were with me in the elevator. I felt sorry for the young woman who felt threatened but at the time amused by my acts. I tried to remain calm during the entire time.

What I Have Learned?

The incident in the elevator made me learn a lot about how cultural rules work and why we should follow them. In most of the cases, these rules are not made in writing. They are expected to be part of us based on our upbringing and the social environment in which we live. These rules are meant to ensure that there is order in the society. They define our etiquette, especially how we need to relate with others. When one fails to follow these basic rules, people tend to develop a feeling that he or she is mentally abnormal. In many cases, people may not stop one from breaking these simple tacit rules, especially if they do not feel their social sphere is threatened. However, they take note of such behavior and tend to avoid such people as much as possible. Normal behavior earns people respect, but that cannot be the case if one drifts away from the socio-cultural expectations. The decision of the two ladies to avoid me indicates that they were convinced I was mentally retarded. Although I behaved in a normal way once I entered the restaurant, the memory of my actions in the elevator made them develop a negative perception towards me. While others who had not seen me in the elevator appeared comfortable sitting near me, the two were worried about my presence. I realized that the first impression that one creates may lasts.

Which of four personal stories captured for the radio program This American Life is your favourite?

The program I have enjoyed most of all is about the listeners sharing their stories (477: Getting Away with It). It represents the stories shared by the people who had phoned the program of Ira Glass. It proves that nearly anyone in hos or her life did something bad. It could be cheating at school or telling lies, but over one thousand of the listeners who phoned the special number of the program reported they did not always act decently. A lot of stories were connected with school or college. Students are very inventive when they need something. Thus, boys in one class learned Morse Code and used it to cheat during teats just tapping the answers.

Other people played jokes on the surrounding individuals or broke some rules. On the whole, I like these stories because people were not scared to reveal their secrets to the audience. Certainly, the phone calls were anonymous. However, the disclosure of personal stories that were kept to themselves for year demands courage. This program proved that the people are not as decent as they pretend. Almost everyone has at least a small dark secret he or she is ashamed of despite getting away with it.

Personal story of getting away with it

I used to be a nice child and cannot remember something really bad. However, I used to mistreat my younger brother and a cousin. They are four and six years younger than me and my friends. No wonder that we did not want to play together. Thus, when they came to us and wanted to play together we would suggest playing hide-and-seek and hide somewhere where they could not get us, at the attic for example. At that time, I had no problems with getting away with it. I was sure we did not do anything bad. Now I am a bit ashamed of behaving like that. However, the childhood experience is forgotten and we are good friends now. We can remember our past experiences and laugh together.

How does this experience of listening to radio stories differ from watching TV shows about the same content?

Listening to various kinds of material is very popular. The research revealed that as of 2014 64 percent of American young people from 12 to 24-year-olds and 37 percent of adults from 25 to 54-year-olds listen to the radio online during the week (Wen par.3). About a third of people admitted listening to a podcast at least once. Listening is more convenient than watching since one does not need to sit somewhere. Listening on the go is the thing that most of the people do. In the rush that the majority of people live listening is a perfect way to learn something interesting or to get information. Emma Rodero (qtd. in Wen par.11) provided a research on the influence of audio material on peoples attention.

The study revealed that a dramatized audio structure, using voice actors who tell the story exclusively through dialogue, stimulate listeners imagination more than a typical voice of God narration (Wen Par. 11). The participants of the experiment admitted that they had brighter images in their minds when they listened to a dramatized story. Besides, such stories kept the listeners more interested and exited. Finally, during listening the attention is concentrated on the voices and on the content, while the watching may distract attention of the viewer from the essence of the story with constantly changing picture.

Works Cited

477: Getting Away with It. This American Life. 2012. Web.

Wen, Tiffany. Inside the Podcast Brain: Why Do Audio Stories Captivate? The Atlantic. 2015. Web.