As an Organizational Psychology major, I registered for a required course titled “Group/Team Development”. I did not have a course description to inform me about the dynamics of groups but I was intrigued by the opportunity to be a part of a membership where people learned how to interact in groups. Specifically, I was thinking, that I was supposed to link with individuals that would discourse and engage in activities while exploring the stages of group/ team b

Here was an opportunity to breakdown the walls of poor communication and Stacey failed to address the question and begged off with silence until Joanne pushed the question by repeating it directly and asked if she (Stacey) was being manipulative. Stacey them became defensive and feigned outrage by purposely avoiding the question. Our next class had a shadowy mood and a presence that spoke to Stacey’s absence. The unfinished business lingered until the next class when Stacey joined the class approximately an hour late. In the interim, Ebony pleaded the case of a confused person who could not face the group because of being victimized by the group.

This experience has been an enlightening one for me as I am practicing on how to become a better listener while also implementing various techniques that will aid me in problem solving within group interactions. I enjoyed the course and I stated in class that our group was cohesive but lack sufficient trust to move forward to meet our goals.

As a group we felt comfortable and uncomfortable and we struggled through a paradoxical labyrinth of moods because of the environment. The laboratory setting had a foreboding ambience of being observed, studied and critiqued while the boardroom setting provided ample space light and comfortable seating arrangements to discuss a variety of subjects. Somehow in the boardroom I felt that the group was more functional and more tasks oriented there which was necessary to complete our lofty goals. Joanne Broder, once mentioned that she had observed relief and smiles upon some of the faces when entering the boardroom. I think she was accurate on that points because, originally the boardroom was our Saturday classroom and the time of day can certainly have an affect and effect on people that have to be alert and committed.

Most recently, I completed a leadership development course. It detailed the theories of development several leadership profiles and unknowingly, that course prepared me for the acceptance of the concept that groups are made up of leaders and followers. Presently, the role of each member is undeclared and appeared to be very flexible and interchangeable. Also our roles seemed to rely on the flow of the communication from within the group at any given session. Our communication inside the group was both verbal and non verbal and laced with an obvious air of anxiety and detachment. The communication among members was determined by the group’s preference to be structured or unstructured. This formal and informal exchange was developed through stages and these stages were the key elements of the group’s culture.

My primary source of reference for this paper is from the book titled “Group Processes A Developmental Perspective” by author Susan Wheelan. Ms. Wheelan’s piece offers numerous examples of research that specifically cite group and subgroup relations. She names, outlines and defines the seven factors or phases of group development (dependent, counter dependent, fight, flight pairs, counter pairing, and work) that are necessary for every group to experience in order to have success as a group. These factors or phases are developed through five stages inclusive of the group (1-dependency and inclusion, 2-counterdependency and fight, 3-trust and structure, 4-work, 5-termination). This group established a group culture that is reflective of the social structure developed by its members. The membership is a collective group of leaders and other members. Often there is no one leader, and depending upon the stage of development within the group there could be one or more leaders. The Acceptance of leadership roles was key to the development of the group.

Some topics in this essay:
Dina Donna, Mike John’s, Ebony Donna, Joanne Broder, Development Questionnaire, Mari Keith, Ms Wheelan’s, Susan Wheelan, Wanda Ebony, Wanda Mari, team building, dina donna, creative memories, group’s development, line dancing, donna leader, group’s goals, dynamics team, paradoxical labyrinth moods, record straight, labyrinth moods, set record straight, dynamics team building, author susan wheelan,