Week 16 Discussion #2

Review the Observation of an Outside Group project. What did you find useful/not useful? Did you like this project? Why/why not? Why did you choose the group you observed for this project? In short, briefly introduce your project to the members of the class, and discuss its usefulness, frustrations, etc.... (I expect for most, that the answer to this question will be quite long - go ahead and make it as long as you'd like).
In this assignment, I observed an organization called Aiesic. Once every other week, they discuss about world issued and opportunities to intern in foreign countries. The reason I chose to analyze this group was because a friend highly recommended it. It did not hurt that he has been a member of the group for three years. I thought it would be interesting to hear other people offer their opinions on the current world news. The thing I found useful was learning about the Aiesic organizations throughout the world. There are many chapters in the California area as well. A group like this consists of diverse individuals which make it unique. The people from certain parts of the country have great knowledge on news from their hometown. When I listened in on one of the discussion, a member from Taiwan had strong opinions of the conflict between his place and China. I realized that a diverse group of people offer interesting insight based from their culture. It results in an engaging and enlightening discussion on important news stories. The best thing about it was how people split into small groups to talk about a particular topic. In the end, everyone would come together and each leader summarizes the main points of their discussion. I felt that the organization of the meeting was effective in a large group environment. The leaders allowed everyone the chance to contribute in the conversations. As a result, there were no frustrations from observing the small group. All members got along well since they have been together for the last few years.
I enjoyed this project since I got to understand more on how the small group process works. It was a great change of pace from participating in a group to just witnessing a weekly meeting. I was also able to learn some good fundamentals in order to have an effective group. Maybe in future group projects, I will implement the useful skills necessary for success.

Week 16 Discussion 2

How does CMC differ from f2f communication? (Think outside the box).
CMC, which stands for “Computer Mediated Communication”, involves using media like video, audio, and text messages for communication purposes. One can communicate by using technology related objects. Face to face communication is where people talk in a real life setting. A person can understand the content, recognize the vocal tone, gestures, and can see one’s facial expressions. Many people are becoming used to using social networks like facebook, twitter, and My Space. It is a good way to keep up with good friends and classmates, but not conducive in meeting new friends. In a sense, the dialogue between two people is shielded from a computer. They can type anything they want, but the viewer cannot tell if it is what the sender truly meant. For example, the things they type on the computer might not characterize their true selves. As more people become used to text messaging, they might not feel the need to communicate face to face anymore.
Computer Mediated Communication does help when I do not have time to chat with people during the week. It is convenient to ask each other about one’s day via computer. Overall, I prefer face to face communication where I would truly know more about the other person. I like to see how people react or actually respond to things I say. By seeing other’s true emotions, I will get a sense of how they truly feel. From reading lol’s or emoticons, I don’t really enjoy it as much compared to hearing real laughter.

Week 16 Number 3 on concept that needs further discussion

The concept I that I thought needs further discussion was Social presence. It “is the perception among participants that the communication medium facilitates the development of social-emotional-relational communication and shared meaning among group members (Harris & Sherblom, 301).” People believe they could find how dedicated the person is towards group communication. It involves the various tasks and discussion that occurs within the medium. Individuals can tell the feelings from the particular person. From a normal meeting, we can find out fellow member’s emotional reactions to certain ideas. If their facial cues show differently than their response, it is obvious that they disapprove the decision. More ideas are exchanged between group members in a face to face meeting.
When communication involves text, it is difficult to find more about other members. It would be hard to tell what they truly think about the discussion topic. One can listen to their voice, but not see their nonverbal expressions. There are instances where you can’t tell if the other person is comfortable, attentive, and relaxed. From reading messages, an individual won’t be able to hear the pitch, volume, or projection of the other’s voice. Most people prefer posting on message boards or blogs because they fear others listening to their speech. There is the sentiment that they enjoy typing more than communicating in real life situations. By talking face to face, an individual will get to know more about other’s mannerisms and understand who they truly are.

Week 14 Question 2

Briefly outline an example of collaborative conflict resolution that you have engaged in. Contrast that with a competitive conflict. Which was more satisfying to you? To the other party?
In a collaborative conflict, it is considered a win-win situation. For this situation, nobody is supposed to be better than the other. Everyone has the opportunity to share their own opinions regarding significant issues. It also requires each member to listen carefully to different perspectives, and be able to come up with the best solution. In my experience working in small groups, I notice that most of the time we have collaborative conflict. We each had our own viewpoints which needed to be clearly explained. Each member need to take time to comprehend what everyone else is saying. Inevitably, we all disagreed all certain things but it comes with the territory. Everyone each explained with great detail why their own ideas were solid. Eventually, we combined the strengths of each perspectives into the final decision. As a result, I was satisfied with the end result since everyone contributed toward the process.
A competitive conflict is defined as a win-lose predicament. This is where an individual’s own opinions come into play, instead of coming to a mutual agreement. I have encountered instances where I was involved in competitive conflict. My friend and I have different tastes when it comes to television shows. He takes interests in a show like “Big Bang Theory”, while I prefer “Entourage”. There are times where we would try to persuade our friends to watch one show over the other. We would explain the greatness of our preferred show while stating the negatives of the shows we dislike. Although we were competitive, it was all in good fun.

Discussion week 14 number 1

Distinguish among a forum, panel, colloquium, and symposium as a mans for making a public presentation. Which one would you prefer? Why?
A forum, panel, colloquium, and symposium are all significant methods in discussion and presentations. A forum is where a group has the chance to speak and listen to the opinions from an audience. All audience members have the chance to participate in the discussion. After the group presentation, the audience can offer their own viewpoints on specific topics. Each member take turns in speaking their mind. A moderator might pick the speakers or they line up behind the microphone. The speakers mention their standing on an issue, give their arguments, and answer to questions and commend from the audience.
A panel is a public setting where a group of four to eight experts converse on an issue in front of audience members. The format uses problem solving methods in a lighter way of communication to gain the audience’s interest. The moderator first gives an explanation of the format, introduces the problems that will be discussed, and gives a brief background on the speakers. They also record the time, and review the speaker’s stand on the issues. There is no communication involved between the expert panelists and audience members.
In a colloquium is where three to six experts are picked for their contrasting viewpoints, talk about the problems by using the problem solving concept. Everything is in front of the audience with the moderator leading the conversation. Its objective is to “identify, develop, and work through possible solutions to a problem for the benefit and with participation of the audience” (220). The moderator introduced the colloquium, announces the problem, talks about the group, and gives the discussion format. They have to specifically persuade participation from the audience by allowing them to comment and provide queries. A symposium is “a series of two to six brief speeches made on different aspects of a complex and difficult problem” (221). All the speakers are knowledgeable on certain areas within the problem. The objective is to provide “complex technical information to the audience about the problem” (221). Every speech is well organized, rehearsed, and professional which does not allow audience members to interrupt.
The format I prefer is the forum because it allows the audience to be involved. It gives people the chance to raise questions they were unsure about from hearing the presentation. From asking questions and offering opinions, it helps them understand more on the problems. The speakers will also learn more about the audience’s contrasting takes on particular issues. Most importantly, people will become more interested during the presentation in a forum setting.

Week 14, Number 3

Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that we have not already discussed, that you found useful or interesting and discuss it.

A concept I found to be interesting was on focus groups. If there is a question an individual wants to know, it is best to ask the people in the group. There is a possibility that they might not know the answer, but they might give great suggestion to one’s issue. A focus group gives specific and complete solutions to a particular problem. It assists people in finding each other’s “values, interests, and attitudes” (206). Usually in a focus group, the facilitator brings up a specific question to the group and they have a discussion. By asking questions, this helps the group to evaluate certain issues from detailed conversation. Everyone makes an effort in observing the important details.
I like how the focus groups record the whole meeting and analyze it afterwards. It is important to not forget the crucial statements during the group discussion. Advertising and marketing agencies use focus groups to review a customer’s like or dislike on a product. By looking over the weaknesses and strengths, they can become even more successful. I like how in focus groups, people are asked open ended questions and can give their own opinions. They don’t have to focus on arriving to one solution. It is essential to concentrate more on the problems at hand.

Week 13 Post 2

Name five cultural barriers to creativity. Why do you think these would keep a group from being creative? Have you experienced any of these personally? Explain.
The five cultural barriers involve conformity, expectation of practicality and efficiency, situations for competition or cooperation, expectation of politeness, and relying on expert knowledge. These barriers prevents a group from being creative because people are more used to following set rules which places them on equal footing with everyone else. Ever since starting school, students are taught to raise hands, stand in line, listen carefully to the teacher, and abide by other specific rules. Because of this, we often develop the habit of following too close to the book. We put too much reliance on book concepts which prevents us from developing our own ideas. As a result, people do not notice many things from a different perspective. There are times where individuals need to branch out and think of new examples, thoughts, and solutions.
I have experienced the requirement to be polite and following rules for social order. In Chinese culture, we are expected to treat adults with respect, especially our parents. There was a moment where I disagreed on my dad’s ideas on raising the prices in the menu. I thought the current prices were fine, and did not need to go any higher. I told him that it would not be a good idea, since customers might not be pleased with it. There is the possibility that this might turn them away from eating at our successful restaurant. After hearing what I had to say, my father was not too pleased. He mentioned that it was his decision only, and he believed the food was too cheap. My father was disappointed that I would go too far in arguing with his idea. From that time on, I realized that it was the wrong course of action. There were many customers that still came, even though there was a raise in prices. Since my dad has led the business for many years, I should have trusted his instincts. Even though I had my doubts, it was inconsiderate of me to argue with my father.

DIscussion number one on Creativity

In most instances, it is hard for me to think creatively on a lot of things. When it comes to working at my parent’s restaurant, I often think of ideas based on a few years of experience. During the weekends, the restaurant is packed with customers especially for take out. There are moments where customers get disappointed after waiting for an order for a long period of time. Unfortunately, some might decide to cancel their order and want their money back. Even I became a little bit frustrated seeing customers wait too long for their take out order to come out. One day, I decided to create a take out waiting list where I write down the names and numbers of the people who are inside the restaurant. By doing this, there has to be an employee who goes back and check if the order is the ready. They have to let the packers know to first pack the orders of customers who are waiting in front. I noticed that the orders arrived quicker, and customers became satisfied.
I feel that this experience fit into the chapter’s concepts of creativity. I was basically learning from past experience of witness customers complaining over waiting too long for their food. By creating a waiting list, it was a trial and error experiment that was not previously used. I looked at the previous issues as a chance to improve customer service. It did not feel like an obstacle that will hinder our established success. There was not the reliance of having to wait for the packer to bring out the take out food. From using some of these guidelines, I felt I put my creative problem solving skills to good use.

Week 13 discussion on Interesting concept

One concept I found interesting was openness. Before, I did not realize openness as a significant factor in creativity. There are some people who feel shy to voice their messages. They fear the negative response they might receive when offering their opinions. Most are unsure how honest they should be in conveying their message. It is possible that other individuals will use the person’s statement and argue against it. The person might also wonder how others will express their true feelings and opinions on certain subjects.
In previous group assignments, I often hold back my opinions in discussions. I usually think about how members will react to particular things I might say. My partners offer great suggestions; therefore, I feel that my thoughts will waste the group’s time. What I should have realized is that group activities give you the opportunity to speak your mind. Others will listen to anything you say if it contributes to group discussion. It is an open forum where anyone can feel free to share their opinions. Eventually, an open group will help in a creative group environment.

Chapter 7 Discusson #2

There have been many instances where I have used selective attention while listening to conversations. From previous experience, I realized it was kind of rude to not really listen to particular things my friends were saying, since it was not a subject of interest. Recently in a small group conversation with classmates, they would talk about motorcycles, cars, and motor sports. Those were topics I was not interested in, since I did not know much about it. When they talked about class work or entertainment, I would pay more attention in the conversation. I would join in, and talk about the current happenings in American popular culture. I found out I lose focus when my classmates talked about a subject I am unfamiliar with. As the transition into school or movie related topics, my attention span increases tenfold.
A way I was able to overcome this was to make an effort in listening attentively in their conversation on motor sports. I would start asking them basic questions, like “what is the best motorcycle, what is the best car?” I was able to learn about the differences between driving a car and a motorcycle. There was also a television channel called Fuel TV where they showed all types of motor races around the world, which I found fascinating. From asking questions and fully listening, I was able to expand my interests on new things.

Discussion #2 on four phases of listening

I believe the first phase, which is sensing, is the one I found to be most difficult. It happened about a month ago when I was meeting an old friend from Canada. We have not met since about ten years ago, so it was nice to meet her again. My Canadian friend and I used to talk about anything like sports, cars, and movies. Since we have not talked for a long period, it was quite difficult to develop a solid conversation. My friend was majoring in business, so she talked about the current economic situation in Canada the whole time. Unfortunately, I don’t know too much about business at all. During the whole time, I was just nodding or saying “oh” after each of her statements. I thought it was kind of boring to listen to her talk about business. I did not really pay attention, and thought about something else. It was bad to be tuning her out, so I decided to give short agreement responses. When she was talking about sports and cars, I would give her selective attention. Those topics were my interests as well, which saved the conversation.
This situation could have been overcome if I would listen more attentively to her. It does not matter if I did not know too much about it. The best thing would to ask questions to her about things I was not able to grasp. This might show her that I am actually listening, and am interested in learning about the state of Canada’s economics. By sensing the message, it will make the conversation flow more smoothly.

Week 9 discussion on interesting concept

Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that has not already been discussed during this discussion week,that you found useful or interesting, and discuss it.

A concept I found interesting in this chapter is a person’s motivation in listening. In being a better listener, the individual needs to have great motivation. By listening attentively, he or she will gain a better understanding of another person’s thoughts. As a result, this helps one find the right solutions to particular problems. There also is the possibility of accomplishing goals and gaining individual satisfaction for doing a great job. In the book, it states that listening is a crucial skill for successful business leaders to have. Unfortunately, most employees mention their managers don’t listen to the ideas they bring up. When this happens, they might think the manager is tuning them out and does not care about their opinions. This may leave the employer unsatisfied with his job, and make him not willing to speak to the boss again. This might lead to a lack of motivation for the worker to put forth the effort in his profession.
In any situation, it is preferable to try one’s best to listen to whatever the speaker says. There are many rewards like forming new friendships, learning something new, appreciate conversations, and avoid making errors. For example, in a school environment, whoever listens attentively usually gets good grades. If a student refuses to listen, he or she might not understand significant course material. By concentrating in lectures, the student has the motivation to maintain a high G.P.A, and make an effort to graduate from college as soon as possible. Most importantly, having the motivation to listen will have great benefits in the long run in one’s career.

Discussion Post on Proxemics and Chronomics

Proxemics is the way people use space in communication or in various other situations. In a business or sports setting, managers can use space whichever they want. If an employee makes a mistake, the manager might be letting them know their errors at a close distance. Fiery head coaches like Bobby Knight would get up into his player’s face and yell at him. If it is a fellow employee, it would not be right to stand so close to him/her while providing an explanation. When meeting someone for the first time, it is common for many people to be a few feet from each other while having a conversation. Once you get to know him/her better, they become more comfortable in talking at a closer space. If I am looking for a seat in the movie theaters, I leave a space from strangers when sitting. When the theater is pretty crowded, I have no choice but to sit next to the unfamiliar person. It totally depends on the person’s job position, familiarity and situation.
Chronimics is how people use their time. In most cultures people are particular in being on time at a job or meeting. Obviously when people are late, the manager becomes disappointed. When someone makes a habit of it, a higher authority might fire you. If one is constantly late to class, the professor will dock your grade. For a small group meeting, it would be inconsiderate to be late all the time. Other members might now show it, but they would fell truly disappointed. Coming from a Chinese family, my parents are pretty lenient when it comes to time. They don’t really fret when someone is even half an hour late to a gathering. It is a chance to have a great time, so the essence of being on time is not a big deal. I usually call a group member 15-20 minutes before the meeting letting them know I will be late. Even when meeting friends, I use the same course of action.

Disussion Post Number 2

Return to the eight principles of nonverbal communication. Pick two principles, and provide new examples of how they operate in a group or team.

One of the principles of nonverbal communication is the quality of relationships is first established by nonverbal actions. From nonverbal cues, people can tell if how we feel about certain things. If a manager asks you to do something and you just nod, he or she may think that is considered rude. I learned this the hard way on the first day at my new job. The manager was giving me an introduction, but I just nodded my head. He started getting frustrated and told me to stop doing that. I understood his message, and stopped doing that from then on. It was very disrespectful of me to nod as it did not show I was really paying attention to what he said. A part of me was nervous, so I resorted to that type of behavior. By saying “yes mam” or sir, it shows that you are focused and have the passion to do your job. Another bad former habit of mine was when I try to avoid saying “hi” to people I recognize in public places. They may think that I am inconsiderate by not greeting them politely. In fact, I am just shy whenever I see classmates in public venues. They might also think that I dislike them since I am showing a nonverbal message of avoidance.
Another principle in nonverbal communication is “our interpretations of participants’ behaviors are guided by context and power relationships (p.114).” In the three major sports of basketball, football, and baseball you often see teammates patting each other in their back sides as a symbol of support. For a business setting, it is inappropriate to do that specific action. A lot of people may believe that it is odd in a work place or even at a school. It is better to hi five, fist bump, or even offer words of encouragement to a co worker. In most work environments, people don’t like to be touched in any way. These types of nonverbal actions highly depend on the situation or setting. If it was me, I would prefer the high fives or supportive words as it shows that someone is really there for you.

Question 3 for this week's discussion

​A concept I found really interesting in the chapter was humor. Working on a group project or presentation can be pretty stressful. There are time constraints, disagreements, and arguments during the group process. It is always nice to have some humor involved to relieve possible tension and inevitable stress. Usually, it takes an individual’s mind off all the pressure of getting things done a certain way. When someone tells a funny joke, everyone feels relieved and relaxed from working long hours. It makes people think that not everything needs to be taken seriously. Humor also helps the group move forward whenever they are stuck on a particular task. Most importantly, it does not hurt to laugh every once in a while, especially during stressful times.

In my experience in group projects, there were always jokes involved. There were times where I thought it was very distracting and wasted our group time. Back then, I was mainly focused on getting the assignment done the right way and turned in on time. It was bad of me to not listen to someone’s joke. I later understood that humor was a significant part of group work. It helped me relieve all the stress and nerves in working on an important project. I noticed that humor certainly helped bring the group closer together and allowed all of us to be more open.

Week 4 post on experience on being stereotyped

Are you, or have you ever been a member of a group that has been stereotyped? Does your experience reflect the concepts identified in this chapter? How? Are there differences? What are they?
I have been a member of a group that has been stereotyped. Since I am of Chinese American descent, many people may classify me as caring only about academics. Some might consider me to be a geek since I wear glasses and look like an academically focused individual. It is true that most Chinese families put a lot of pressure on their sons or daughters to get straight A’s. They want them to get accepted by high profile schools such as Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Harvard. Fortunately, my parents are not as demanding compared to other Asian families. They accept me for who I am, and I feel truly grateful for that.
Many classmates find it surprising that I like playing sports, enjoy watching movies, and find science to be extremely difficult. I try to explain to them that not everything in life is about school and getting good grades. It is just putting too much stress in oneself if you think too much about that. Nothing has to be taken too seriously; therefore, I try my best to be calm, be active and enjoy living life to its fullest. Other people may also think that the Chinese only care only about their own kind. To their surprise, I open up to people from all cultures. I find it discouraging how some Chinese people put down other ethnicities without getting to know them. Actually, I feel more comfortable making friends of different ethnicities.
I found that my experience reflects the concepts in Chapter 5. Harris mentions that, “This person confirms our stereotypes, the stereotype, rather than the individual” (p.89). People have these perceptions of Chinese people from word or mouth or watching television. The fact is that they only know some Asians to be bookworms, but not everyone falls under the category. We are all unique in our own way, and it would be nice for others to realize that.

Week 4 Question 2

Question #2) Explain the concept "white men of privilege". Do you agree with the concept? Why or why not?
The concept “white men of privilege” means that people of high class and well educated get first dibs on a high profile job. It is similar to the NFL coach hiring process where the general manager or owner chooses a white head coach with great football pedigree. They do interview the African American candidate to abide by the Rooney Rule, but they already know who their head coach will be. This wastes the African American’s time, since the general manager won’t assess this candidate thoroughly. Another example is housing discrimination where the person instantly lets the high class Caucasian own the house. They won’t bother handing the house keys to a minority, since they are being stereotyped in a negative way.
Therefore, I disagree with the concept “white men of privilege”. Coming from a Chinese family, my parents have been working tirelessly to support their children. Now, they have a successful restaurant business that is still running on strong. They immigrated to this country because it gives many people the opportunity to succeed. Since my parents came from a poor family, the popular corporations would not hire them. I was disappointed to hear how some companies are like that. They don’t take into consideration how hard they worked to get to this position. The tenant, who was Caucasian, gave my father the chance to run the business. It did not matter to him that he was Asian and lacked a college education. All he wanted was to have a successful restaurant run by a dependable individual.
Fortunately in my parent’s restaurant, they are an equal opportunity employer. All we care about is the effort one puts in his/her task, and if they are nice to customers. Family background, facial features and ethnicity does not factor into their decision making process.

Week 4 Question 3 on interesting chapter concepts

The concept I found the most interesting in this chapter was the importance of diversity in small groups. What is amazing about the United States are that we get to meet all kinds of people of contrasting cultures. Most individuals are willing to blend in a melting pot society. Unfortunately, some people are uncomfortable working with someone of a different ethnicity. It is not always the case where people from the same race or color come through with a well thought decision. They may agree with the decision they made without a second thought. By working with people of different ethnicities, one gets to know more about the other individual’s background and culture. By having diverse members, it makes the small group process much more fulfilling. We take time listening to each other’s different viewpoints which we had no former knowledge about.

I am fortunate enough to be a part of a diverse staff in working at a restaurant. Our group of hosts/hostesses consists of an African American, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai descent. One person is well organized, reserved while the other individual is a real go getter. Although we come from different backgrounds, we all work well together. One common trait is that everyone works extremely hard and is dedicated in our work. What makes it so great is that we learn about each other’s unique culture.

Week 3 Group Norms at SJSU, experiences in group norms

There are certainly group norms at San Jose State. In many classes, students are not allowed to talk when the professor is lecturing. It is considered rude and inconsiderate to speak while the teacher is speaking. Students are not supposed to text message during the class period. Some people are able to do it, but I think it is rude. Obviously, an individual can’t eat while class is going on. All professors require their students to be on time to class. If a student has been late, their grade will get docked. Another norm is students can’t talk while their classmates are giving presentations. If someone does speak, the presenter will consider it as a disruption.
In the group of individuals that I spend time with, there are norms that occur. Usually, my friends and I talk about anything like school, sports, daily life, etc. There are some things like politics or religion that we won’t even touch. There is the inevitable possibility that it will be a sore subject, and we will have disagreements. Some of my friends might be sensitive about politics and religion. I don’t want to damper our great friendship by mentioning those two topics. Another group norm is that my friends and I call each other before arriving to a hang out spot or house. If we suddenly show up without a verbal notice, it might be considered impolite. It is also best to let my friends know if I will be late to a movie, club, or café. There was another time where I asked my friend about his grades. He told me that he did not want to talk about it. I understood what he meant, and never asked about his grades again. He probably wanted to not think about his grades, and talk about another subject. It would be kind of embarrassing to tell a friend that you earned a bad grade. I think it was best for me not to bring up conversations about grades.

Week 3 Discussion #2

2). What are the functions of norms in groups? Can you give a personal example not already discussed this week? Have you ever experienced a violation of a norm? Explain.
In most group work, each member has their own particular role. There is the leader who organizes the group meetings and brings up a lot of the ideas. The norms are not brought down from the leader. Instead, everyone already knows their roles and accept it. There are not that many occurrences where group members are dissatisfied with their role. Some individuals may speak out many times during the group process, but it is to help everyone out. Other individuals might not talk too much at all, but still take the notes to get a better grasp of the group discussions.
I had many experiences with group norms in preparation for presentations. Although I did not speak up as often, I was still able to listen and take detailed notes. When the group was getting off track, I referred to my notes where the topic left off. A lot of my group mates relied on me to keep the group focused in the discussions. I was used to everyone asking me if I had any opinions to offer. I always agreed with everyone else’s ideas, so I did not bother to state any possible disagreements. Basically, I accepted my role as a note taker and attentive listener.
There was an instance where I have experienced the disruption of group norms. In the restaurant, everyone was expected to dress formally which meant no jeans. At work, I was wearing jeans and my shirt was not tucked in. My sister scolded me on this, and told me that it is not showing a good example to fellow employees. They might think that because I am the manager’s brother, I could do anything I want. I understood my sister’s words, and never broke the dress code from then on.

Week Three Discussion on Interesting concept from readings.

One concept that I found to be the most interesting was Grupthink. There is a possibility of making a horrible decision that may come back and haunt a group for quite a while. Janis’s examples of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Watergate break-in relates to this fact. A group may make an immediate response instead of taking the time to think about it. They don’t think about other possible alternatives and consequences from making a particular decision. By making a rapid decision, a group may think that it will be a complete success which is not always the case. The possibility of failure never crosses their mind as a group are satisfied with the decision making process.

In group think, not everyone’s opinions are heard. Some group members are pressured to conform or agree with the majority decision. The problem is that the leader won’t bother listening to other people’s suggestions. As a result, there is no group cohesion at all which certainly leads to decision making mistakes. The best way to succeed in a group is to discuss all the ideas thoroughly and take into account everyone’s contrasting viewpoints.

Question two on entropy and equifinality

In small groups, it is not productive to be stuck in entropy. Things won’t progress when the group is stuck in neutral. By providing new ideas and input, group work will move smoothly forward. After forming new thoughts to group mates, there needs to be some time to discuss it. Everyone else might want to ask questions and give some further suggestions. Group members need to come to a complete understanding of what was just said before moving onwards. When there is too much input and not time to digest the information, it is basically an overload of information. There might be a possibility of confusion and chaos among the group.

In equifinality, each individual in the group has their strengths and weaknesses. They use different ways to get things done in a small group environment. One person may have an abundance of ideas he/she is not afraid to share with the group. Another member might be more comfortable asking questions to gain a better understanding. Someone else is great at taking notes and reminding group members what topic was just discussed if things get off track. In a small group, there needs to be a good blend of characteristics to be successful.

Week one Post 2 on Chapter 2 concept

One concept I thought interesting was the “Sensitivity to initial conditions” section. Similar to real life, first impressions are also important in small groups. If someone is twenty minutes late to the first group meeting, the other group members would be suspicious of that particular person. When he/she is tardy to future meetings, their group mates will wonder if they are really dedicated in helping the group. They will begin to have doubts on the individual’s efforts to be punctual. Not only is being on time is crucial, but providing suggestions are significant as well.
If someone in the group is just sitting there doing nothing, he/she is not making a good contribution. The other group members might think that they are disinterested in helping the group move forward. They will consider this particular person as unproductive in the group process. It is better to carefully record notes and ask questions if something is unclear. For some people, it takes time for them to get into the small group discussion. By writing notes, it helps the person think clearly and bring up new ideas. This demonstrates to other group members that he or she uses any means to participate. Most importantly, they will recognize this person as a hard worker.

Week 2 Discussion

In small groups, people often fall into the trap of relying on other members a little too much. When I was in Saint Mary’s College, we were divided into small groups to work on an upcoming presentation. I was relieved to be in a group with extremely intelligent and dedicated individuals. When we held group meetings, I never brought up a single idea. I basically agreed with everything my fellow group members said. When they asked me if I had any ideas, I just replied with, “your ideas are all better than mine.” I felt that I was kind of holding back because I was thinking too much about their possible reactions to my stupid ideas. It seemed like they were disappointed that I did not bring anything to the table. After reading chapter one, I realized how important it is to fully contribute within a small group. If someone is has many ideas in his/her head, it is better to say it right away rather than keeping it to themselves. It shows that you are trying your best and are willing to do anything make the group as successful as possible.

For the past three years, I have been working at Taiwan Restaurant for the last couple of years. There are many instances where I realize that the small group is a big factor within the job field. My position is that of an assistant and host during the busy weekends. A lot of times, my sister, dad and I discuss business related manners. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. My father’s specialty is managing what goes on in the kitchen. My sister knows how to persuade new customers to come try the restaurant through advertisements. She is also able to deal with customer complaints and hire the right workers. My strengths are in handling business in the front of the restaurant. When we meet once every month, we each would offer our own opinions. All of us share a common goal in making the restaurant successful in the long run. We all work extremely hard to help each out when problems arise.

In group work, it is pertinent for everyone to be on the same page. Each person has their own ideas to help the group. Like in sports, all members work cohesively as a unit in order to get great results. Nothing gets done when one person does not contribute. It should be a necessity for every group member to have the desire to be successful.

Hello

Hi this is Ari Gold. I am a Junior and will apply for graduation in a few weeks. Hopefully, I will graduate by the end of this year. My major is Japanese and Communications is my minor. I actually started choosing Comm as a minor at the end of last semester, since I only have two more classes left to take to complete it. I also chose Communication as a minor because I want to improve in my speaking/communication skills. When I was at Saint Mary's College, I was kind of shy in participating in the Communication courses. Lately, I have been making an effort in participating a lot more in last semester's classes. Hopefully in this class, I will learn how to be an effective communicator.
Small group communication will be important in whatever future endeavor I pursue. My family has a popular restaurant called Taiwan Restaurant. There are instances where my sister holds employee meetings to discuss things that they are doing well and things that they need to improve on. If I want to be a manager someday, I have to learn certain techinique to conduct group meetings. I am willing to learn all the concepts involved within a small group communication.
This is actually my first time taking an online course, so I have to get used to blogging and posting right away. My hobbies include watching movies, tv shows, sports, dancing, and reading. As you can see from my display name, Ari Gold is one of my favorite tv chracters from a popular show called "Entourage". I am looking forward to taking this course and meeting you all.