Analyzing Group Roles, Dynamics, Communication, and Conflict Resolution (Essay Sample)

Analyzing Group Roles, dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution
A group performs effectively when each group member is allocated clear responsibilities, and every role is performed efficiently to achieve the group’s goal. In spite of the clear roles and responsibilities, a group can still fall short of its maximum potential. This happens due to some reasons such as uncooperative group members, reduced flexibility among group members, and conflict and disagreements in the group. According to Belbin 2014, group members tend to assume different roles. He defines group role as a tendency to interrelate, contribute, and behave with others in a particularly unique way. If all members portray similar functions and style of behavior, members are more likely to conflict, creating an imbalanced group. However, when members understand their roles, they can develop their strengths and manage their weaknesses as individuals, as well as improve how they contribute to group work.
The group included a chairperson, a minute taker, and a report writer. The Chairperson assumed the role of a group leader. He ensured that the group is balanced where members have defined roles. The group leader monitored, and evaluated the progress of each member. It is paramount to have a monitor evaluator in the group to analyze and evaluate the ideas that members contribute to their effectiveness in the set goal. A group leader is a problem solver. In our case, he stepped to help resolve conflict and kept pushing us when we felt like quitting. The second member was the report writer who was more of an implementer who made all efforts to ensure that things are done in time. Most people who assume this role convert the group’s concepts and ideas into practical actions and working plans. Unfortunately, the minute taker as the implementer was conservative and reluctant to embrace changes when members proposed changes. The minute taker was I and assumed the coordination role as I took the group’s minutes. I also saw that all members were participating in the group work and maintained order during group work.
People assume different personalities, which, together with the roles allocated form dynamics. The group included several individual dynamic such as a motivator (the chairperson), an innovator (the report writer), and implementer (the minute taker), and an evaluator (the chairperson) among other positive dynamics. Some of the dynamic that were eliminated include a joker, a nagator, a withdrawer, and the aggressor (Veer, 2015). This is because negative dynamic such as bullying can reduce the groups’ effectiveness. The group adapted to an open communication policy where all members communicated clearly. All forms of communication such as email, shared documents, and meetings were used, and ambiguity avoided. Negotiations were the conflict resolving strategies used. This included bringing together multiple parties to discuss problems and find solutions. The dialogue was used to come up with the most appropriate resolution (Long, 2013).
The group brought in diverse cultural-related aspects such as attitudes, norms, and behaviors. The group members come from different cultural backgrounds. Each culture had a different stance, norms, and practices that affected (positively or negatively) the functioning of the group. Culture is defined as a learned or acquired set of assumptions that shapes people’s perceptions of the world around them, and of appropriate norms, attitudes, values, and behaviors (Wade, 2004). Fairness was a typical value for the Chinese member, who was the minute taker. The Chinese culture value fairness and equal treatment of all without preferential treatment to some people, despite their social or economic class. However, the other cultures in the group reported that certain individuals or groups should receive better treatment at the expense of others. The two members from North America stated that competition was an important aspect of achieving better performance. Nevertheless, my Chinese background believes that competition is unhealthy and lead to disharmony.
More so, Americans belief in individualism and that is why they prefer defined roles assigned to individual group members. On the other hand, I as a member from the China that relied on group work/ group consensus for decision-making. The American and North American in the group were quiet when working, but I found silence disturbing and preferred talking and humming to get work done. Cultural identity is very crucial in the group, and people are encouraged to bring in their dynamic cultural behaviors, values, and attitude in the group. However, some cultural norms, attitudes, and behaviors vary across cultures, which can lead to conflict. For instance, people from different cultures misunderstand most non-verbal communication. In our group, we frequently disagreed and misunderstood some of the verbal/nonverbal cues from each other, which made us argue a lot. Conflict in the group paralyzes operations, and it becomes difficult to achieve group goals within the required time.
A negotiation is an important communication process where multiple parties discuss emerging problems and attempt to find solutions using dialogue to reach a resolution (Magrane, 2015). In this case, the negotiation format that was used was a principled negotiation. This form is also known as integrative negotiation, in which parties collaborate to come up with a value-creating agreement that leaves everyone happy with the result as well as with the status of the relationship. In other words, the negation process aimed at working on shared interest, trust, and understanding each other to develop mutually beneficial solutions. Preparation is crucial in reaching an optimal agreement. The preparation stage included knowing the personal needs and limits, understanding the needs of the other party as well as anticipating their limits, and developing creative solutions. In the preparation and planning stage, seven elements were included; interests, options, alternatives, legitimacy, relationship, communication, and commitment (Magrane ,2015).
First, the plan considered the benefit of both parties. Common interests were highlighted to create mutual understanding and create a peaceful foundation for agreement. Second, the plan brainstormed options for agreement. The option...