Introduction
Communication
in the Sciences has challenged me in many ways, on a personal level as well as
academically. Had I not been put into this paper I would have missed an opportunity
to be able to practise what I have learnt over the past three years in my
Anthropological studies. I was confident with the group component of this paper,
as I enjoy interacting with and getting to know different people. I was happy
to adopt the leadership role, although as many of my team mates have mentioned,
I was a relaxed leader, more of a co-ordinator which probably reflects my life
outside of my studies as I am a co-ordinator of many groups and events in my
community. This cross-over between my ‘outside life’ suited my work in this
paper and this group so I didn’t feel daunted but felt I had a very capable
group of people to work with which is why I could ‘relax’ as I trusted their
skill and commitment.
Start-up processes
Our team
formed through my putting a call out on the stream site and my fellow team members
responding. I was initially thinking I should incorporate team members in my
geographical location but after hearing the tutor’s advice I joined with the
first four who replied. I started the face book page for our online discussion
to take place and we agreed to chat via skype. Our first meeting was a little
hazy, five strangers in different parts of the country and not knowing anything
about each other proved a little nerve wracking at first but we soon got down
to business and got to know each others character and background.
Leadership
While I did
step forward as leader, I believe several of my team members could have been
leader. As I started the ball rolling, with setting up ways for us to converse
and opening the drop box and face book page, I assumed this role early on
without really being too aware of it. I was fine to be leader but didn’t mind
if I wasn’t. The most important thing to me was that everyone else was happy
for me to be leader which is why at our first skype meeting I made sure
everyone agreed and although Michelle was absent I told the group that we would
have to make sure Michelle is happy first.
I know as my
other team mates point out I was a co-ordinator rather than a shaper. This
seemed okay as my team were all highly capable and talented individuals. I
don’t believe a shaper position would have suited my team, in fact it may have
produced negative results. I was as much a team worker as a co-ordinator as I
was concerned about the social aspect of my team, if everyone was happy and
felt okay. In one instance, I used my instincts and commonsense when a team
member was concerned about their tasks and not having adequate assignment of
jobs. This person didn’t state outright but I approached them privately
following a skype conversation to discuss possible options and preferences and
I’m glad that I did, as this member
ended up having many hidden talents that I wasn’t aware of in the beginning
such as being a professional editor.
I definitely
assumed a Laissez-Faire relaxed type
of leadership although I made sure we were on task, this may have frustrated a
few of my team members but I had every belief in their abilities and didn’t
feel I needed to hound or be overbearing. I think I balanced the social and
task focuses and knew my weaknesses, unsuitable for a completer-finisher role but I had two amazing highly talented
completer-finishes aboard my team. I think I had as much concern for people as
I had for the task as I knew if people weren’t happy our full potential would
not be met so I felt like an encourager, praising, listening and facilitating
as well as motivating- a situational
leadership style.
Team roles
Michelle was
a terrific resource manager and completer finisher, with her eye for
detail and functional role as an editor she was astute and looked at the fine
detail in our group report. Marina assumed a monitor evaluator type role and an implementer, although I didn’t
realise at the time Marina was very characteristic in this role as monitor evaluator, I mentioned several times
to Marina that she was the critical eye of the group, she thought critically
around organ donation euthanasia and prodded us out of our preconceptions both
morally and ethically on the topic. Once Marina felt assured in her topic and
that she was taking the right direction she provided a wonderful analysis of
her subject, after initially being hesitant of her contribution and asking me
to check it over first, I found a thorough analysis in her portion of the
report. I felt I provided encouragement and reassurance to Marina even though
she didn’t really need it as her work was terrific.
Alicia was a
constant, reliable team member, always there in the background ready to take on
a job such as setting up the survey. Alicia was a great implementer and completer
finisher always happy to get on with the task at hand and get the work done.
Michelle was our completer finisher,
resource investigator extraordinaire. For example Michelle, didn’t feel in
the beginning that she had enough work or roles so she took it upon herself to
assume the ethical framework role as well as the co-editor with Alicia. I
initially suggested Michelle handle all of the survey tasks but looking back
I’m so happy Michelle stepped forward and assumed these roles especially with
her functional background. Michelle was very task focussed and could have
stepped forward as a fellow co-ordinator
I believe.
Floyd
mentioned he felt a little lost at one point and I feel this is a weakness of
mine, as a Laissez-faire type of co-ordinator I probably didn’t direct
enough or provide enough guidance, although Floyd was juggling a huge workload
in his life he was a terrific team worker
and implementer and also could
have been a great co-ordinator. Floyd
also stepped up to jobs such as graphing and collating all of the survey
material and in a mad rush at the end I asked for his help with the minutes as
we didn’t have a formal ‘secretary’. Floyd was happy to take on this task and
produced terrific material.
I put myself
forward as a researcher and co-ordinator after discussion on our topics and
feeling cultural aspects were important to us and our project. I’m not sure how
feasible this was looking back but I felt the leader role wasn’t enough work or
contribution from myself. I have learnt a great deal about myself and my
strengths and weaknesses and hope to apply these in my life. I’m incredibly
proud of our team and what we produced, maintaining all of our deadlines, in fact
handing things in early. The thing I’m most proud of is that we didn’t have one
quarrel or argument the whole time which is pretty good for a group of five strangers
with an incredible amount of pressure and stress on each of us. We all respect
each other and I believe are pretty good friends now, we were just disappointed
we couldn’t get together for a celebration at the end!
Strengths and weaknesses
Although I
tried to help set a timeline and deadlines these were only roughly outlined so
a bit more attention to structure and detail wouldn’t have gone amiss on my
part. We managed to get everything done but maybe a bit of pressure could have
been taken off a few members if more rigid structure was in place. Our strength
was our reliability, commitment, resourcefulness, respect, belief and trust in
each other and mature way of approaching the tasks. We had a great humorous
aspect in our team, encouraged by Floyd which I think is also a strength as it
broke the ice and cemented our friendship. I think we had frustrations with
sorting through the information required for the tasks and I note many times
where I told the group I would double check things with the tutor which I believe
my team mates did as well.
To conclude,
it has been an absolute pleasure being part of such a great team with the
quality of work produced. Who would have known I was a co-ordinator with a
theory y, laissez-faire type of role- I didn’t before I started this course! I
can not say thank you enough to the amazing people in my team who pulled
together so well, through frustrations and personal dilemmas to get through
this huge task on organ donation and provide a critical analysis of the subject.
I have learnt that I need to be more assertive in my directing. I wish everyone
all the best and am sad to say good bye.
