The Diversity in Thinking Patterns - Term Paper Example

22 April Reflective learning: This report presents my reflective account of the teamwork in which I worked in the first group assignment. Our team was diverse in terms of the culture of members. Having come from different regions of the world, every team member had had a unique angle of visualizing things. The diversity in thinking patterns minimized dysfunctional conflicts, and we were better able to work in peace and harmony. The team was able to benefit from a variety of perspectives that not only made the flow of activities uninterrupted and simpler, but also improved the quality of work. One of our primary goals was to make the work innovative, original and creative to the maximum extent. In order to achieve that, we used to do brainstorming. It helped us collect the required information at the outset so that we would be able to be articulate in manipulating the data thus retrieved. The ideas collected through brainstorming were exchanged with one another and the best and most practicable ones were selected for further consideration. The communication generally went calm and meaningful. Owing to the diversity of cultures we came from, each one of us had his/her own mother tongue that was different from others. Nonetheless, it was essential to select one language as a medium of communication so that the inconveniences could be minimized. Therefore, we mutually decided to conduct all conversations in English alone. This solved the problem to much an extent. Those of us, who were not very fluent in English in the start, started to gain confidence with the passage of time, and improved English speaking skill. Quite often, we used to indulge in functional conflicts. The criticism made by team members was carefully constructed and was based on prudent observation. Accordingly, the team members took criticism positive and used it as a means to improve their individualistic and collective performance. In order to make sure that the quality of relationship and understanding between individual members of the team did not decline, we would conduct a complain and confront session in which every body would be free to say anything to anyone and criticize one another. This session not only helped regulate the tensions, but also used to be a very enjoyable activity. In the very first meeting, we had divided our responsibilities according to one another’s interests. Belbin team roles like implementer, shaper, and coordinator had to be distributed among the team members. Each of these roles had their own requirements. Fore example, playing the role of implementer required the individual to be quite well organized in his/her approach and to be predictable. The individual, as an implementer, should choose ideas and implement them slowly but effectively. The role of shaper asked the individual to invest too much energy and action in the work. The individual was supposed to insensitively challenge other team members to make them move on. The one who assumed the role of coordinator would make others concentrate on the work and would be in a controlling position. Roles were assigned according to individuals’ interests. Where two or more people had the same interests, it was essential to assign the responsibility to only one while others had to sacrifice. In order to solve such issues without any fuss, we would conduct the voting. The individual who won maximum votes would be assigned the responsibility to his/her choice, while others had to select from the remaining options. Thus, rational measures were taken to make important decisions in minimum time and with maximum efficiency. In every work that is to be accomplished by a team, it is quite essential for all members of the team to always be fully aware of the progress of work. We had a meeting at the end of every single day in which we would make one another aware of the progress made during the very day and would plan the target for the following day. We looked up to the meetings in order to realize where we stood compared to where we should have been standing at a certain point in time according to the schedule. The meeting used to be a very interactive session and helped us keep track of time. This improved productivity manifolds and we were able to finish our work much before the deadline. We celebrated the rest of the time! Some of the benefits achieved from teamwork were as follows: Dysfunctional conflicts were minimized. Mutual understanding and cooperation was enhanced. Interrelationships among team members were improved. Work was finished before deadline, and Enjoyment was infused into serious work, thus everyone was able to deliver his best! Teamwork only bears fruition when all members of the team are comfortable with one another and their efforts are directed at the achievement of goals. In order for every team member to display best performance, it is imperative that he/she is comfortable with the role assigned. Every individual’s personal choice should be given due importance and consideration while assigning the responsibilities. In cases of common interest, some joyful means should be employed to decide the division of responsibilities. There should be no such thing as a one-man-show in the teamwork. This distorts the team spirit and gives rise to dysfunctional conflicts, and the work is affected at the end of the day. In our case, division of responsibilities was made through voting, so no grudge, if any, could upset anyone. Moreover, the complain and confront played a big role to convert criticism into joyful exchange of views, so that everyone would feel refreshed and only know what areas to work upon in order to improve as a team member. I believe that teamwork is about maintenance of right attitude throughout the course of work. One has to have right state of mind and optimism in approach in order to be a good team member. Together, we developed a collaborative atmosphere in which we were able to make use of our best abilities and generate better business outcomes within the time allowed. My role in the team was to monitor and evaluate the work. A monitor and evaluator visualizes things in the big picture. He is required to be very prudent in his approach because he assumes a fundamental role in keeping the work on the right track. The area that a monitor and evaluator particularly needs to master is the ability to influence others and make them conform to the strategies suggested by him. A monitor essentially leads the team and as an evaluator, he picks out drawbacks in the process, and proposes measures to improve the performance of the team as a whole. In order to do justice with his duty, a monitor / evaluator must be able to convince others. As a monitor / evaluator, I was able to make myself understood to others and together, we achieved success. Read More