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.