Communication Theory & Practice (CTP) Blog 3: Personality Types
I wouldn’t say I have a terrible group experience, but I definitely have one that wasn’t good. My freshman year of college, I took a communication class, specifically focusing on media and society. In the class, we had lectures everyday, few individual assignments, and many group projects. For one of the group tasks, I was put with people who were all similar in nature to me. I’m introverted, at least when in new environments around people I don’t know yet, and it seemed like everyone else in the group was, too. Nobody was really willing to take charge at first. Not that we all weren’t willing to contribute to the assignment, it just seemed like it was really difficult for all of us to be able to find the courage to speak up first. I don’t think it helped that it was an introductory level course, so the majority (if not all) of the group was first year students. The problems didn’t end once the project was completed. Because my group members and I were all rather reserved, it was also difficult for us to figure out who would contribute to which part of the presentation. It got to the point where some of my group members would reach out to the rest of us prior to our presentation date, saying they couldn’t make it to class the day our assignment was to be displayed. I’m not sure if these individuals genuinely couldn’t make it to class, or if it was just an excuse to get out of the work they didn’t feel comfortable executing. Because of this reason, it’s clear that it’s best for introverts to adopt extroverted qualities from time to time, and vice versa. Each has their benefits, and sometimes the best thing somebody can do is to simply adapt to their situation. If I could go back to the time I had to work with that group, I would’ve stepped up and taken charge. However, saying it and doing it are two different things, and we can’t go back and control our actions of past experiences. This is why I feel that the statement made by John H. Bradley in his 1997 study, The Effect of Personality Type On Team Performance has a high sense of accuracy. Bradley wrote, “The ideal team should be highly diversified in the talents and knowledge each member contributes, while maintaining open, non-threatening communication” (Bradley 1997). A team that contains people with varying personality types and traits is one that will most likely be able to communicate effectively due to its diversified perspectives and senses of comfortability based on the different social roles. That being said, the answer doesn’t always involve an individual needing to change the way they communicate, rather they just need to collaborate with people who are unalike themselves.
When you described how you wish you would have taken initiative during that project, I felt like I could relate when it came to how I used to be when I had to work in groups for projects or assignments. Now I feel like I am better at taking charge when it comes to trying to lead my group if members get confused or lost. You did a great job explaining.
ReplyDeleteI love the last part you added, about how people don't need to change the way they communicate, they just need to collaborate effectively with others who are unalike themselves. Well said! Sorry to hear that your beginning group project didn't go well, but like you said freshman courses can be nerve wracking. I also consider myself to be an introvert in most cases, but when I'm around other introverts, like in a group setting, I am usually able to speak out more. Even though it can feel nerve wracking speaking out in a group, people need to remember you are all there for the same reason and good communication is the key to finishing a well thought out project.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand! Personally, I like to give others the chance to take the lead in group work because I’m confident I can step in if needed. My main goal when working with others is to ensure everyone is on the same page, communicating well, and, most importantly, feeling comfortable. I especially enjoy working with my shy teammates because I get to encourage them to speak up at their own pace. Watching them gain confidence and improve through our interactions is always so rewarding.
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