I could not only just pick two colleagues because I feel that each and every one of you has played a big part in my progression within this program. Working within these groups has showed me a great example of collaboration and I feel that we all have worked cooperatively together. Learning from experiences that you all may have had in the past has helped me to be a better decision maker in my present. I wish you all the best of luck and I hope to continue to see your thoughts in your blogs. I know that you all will be successful and will continue to have the passion of advocating the importance of education in young children. I am very satisfied for have this pleasing opportunities of being able to work, learn, and grow with such a pleasant group. 

Adjourning from Groups

Many groups, though not clearly, eventually disband. For groups whose projector task has come to an end, there is an adjourning stage. The group members reflect on their accomplishments and failures as well as determine whether the group will be disassemble or take on another project. To mark this stage, some groups hold a celebratory dinner or simply say thank you and good-bye. (O'Hair& Wiemann, 2012, p. 257-258). 

Sometimes working with groups we tend to develop relationships where we establish so much trust, sometimes from the amount of time we spend working together, that we begin to share personal experiences and begin to look for advice from some of our group members. These relationships originate into friendships which are the hardest good-byes for me. I think that my feelings would be the same rather I was working with a high-performing or clearest established norms groups because it depending on the relationships within the group that I have established.

One group that I have been a part of that was the hardest to leave was when I was a nursing student at Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, Ga. This group was so hard for me to depart from because I had spent over 40 hours a week for a full year with the same group of people. We had been through our ups and downs together, we supported one another in our time of need, begin to know more about members of each other’s families, and we also had experienced the loss of loved ones, and birth of new ones with one another. Even though it was a relief to finish the program it also took some adjusting once we graduated because we did not see one another like we did before each day.

When we departed the ritual we had was a pinning ceremony. In this ceremony the nurses were acknowledged for their accomplishments and struggle that they may have come across in order to succeed throughout the program. We were are pinned and pledged to vow and always stay dedicated to make health a priority.

Working with the colleagues at Walden has been a new experience for me because I have never solely communicated with a group of people only by internet. Even though we do not converse physically, or shall I say face to face, I feel like we are connected and familiar with one another when seeing their names. When adjourning from this group, I feel that we will do what is commonly done which is to physically graduate together at a ceremony. It would be nice that we all participate if able so that we may get to know one another a little better by meeting face to face which can also lead to relationships that will last past the program. Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it helps the group to reflect on what worked or what did work which help the group can make better decisions on what they will and will not do differently the next time.

. Reference

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

           

           Sometimes employees wear many hats and have many responsibilities because their employers or supervisors may think that they are capable of handling things but sometimes we can get overwhelmed which may in turn cause conflict. For example, on top of having the normal teacher responsibilities where I am employed we have dual roles such as being a parent, health, community outreach, safety, or curriculum  coordinator in which we have to plan activities for each age group, have meetings, or plan events once every three months for the children, families, and the community. Every role is planned and implemented well but on top of that our janitor has recently retired and we currently only have one who works at our other site.

Teachers are now to clean all main bathrooms, including their classroom bathrooms, take all trash to a dumpster that’s about 2 blocks away, mop and sweep halls, and perform other janitorial duties that are not a part of the classroom. This is where the unproductive conflict, conflict that is managed poorly and has a negative impact on the individuals and relationships involved, has come in (O'Hair & Wiemann 2012, p.220). One strategy from NVC that I think will have a positive impact is the principle of having empathy. The supervisor over the site did not have empathy for the roles that are already being done and that the extra duties are not shared fairly.  This will cause her not to be judgmental as to her thinking that we are capable of picking up the slack from the extra duties and still continuing to do the other things that we do and not be overwhelmed.

Furthermore, I feel that the human relations approach, the human needs of organizational member share ideas with others and to feel like a member of a group, will also be effective (O'Hair & Wiemann 2012, p.312).  For example, every other Friday the teachers and supervisors can have a group meeting to voice their opinions or any concerns that they may have. We can then strategize solutions as a whole and come to an agreement of what should have to solve any problems.

We have an assistant secretary who takes fees, inputs children information, answer phones, and opens the door. One of my colleagues mentioned that the extra duties that they are asking us to do will cause us to work overtime whereas the assistant is done with her work by 12pm every day and has 3 hours left in which she should help out with some of the responsibilities. Another suggestion was for us to have a suggestion box where we can communicate some of our problems by just writing them down and putting them in the box to be addressed. I hope we all can come to a medium and everyone can calmly address their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation.

Reference

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.