Group Dynamics & Team Learning
Effective group performance depends on how members interact and behave in the present environment. Group dynamics describe the social process by which the behavior and characteristics of group members create a cohesive group. Factors considered in group dynamics include the formation of a group, its structure and size, and how it functions. The dynamics are essential in informal and formal group settings, where members interact and learn from each other on essential factors that make an effective group. This essay explores abstract ideas derived from themes that emerged during the process of conceptualizing and reflecting on learning in a team, relating experiences to relevant theory.
Self-Awareness
The first theme that came up during reflection is self-awareness. The term refers to coping strategies for individuals experiencing psychological distress and anxiety. According to Paoletti and Dotan Ben-Soussan (2021), self-awareness is a state in which an individual is consciously aware of their inner emotions and their surroundings or interactions to a certain extent. Wakefield et al. (2019) and Michael & Bartoli (2017) argue that there are two distinct forms of self-awareness: dispositional and situational. Dispositional awareness refers to an individual’s personality, and situational awareness pertains to a person’s social psychology.
An individual with situational self-awareness tends to compare their current actions with their thoughts and expectations, and make adjustments that align with the situation. For instance, feeling that other people had more to present with quality tools than I had thought is comparing a situation and trying to figure out how I could have made a better presentation. According to Dorn (2017), situational self-awareness is an automatic process that affects individuals when they feel out of place or inadequate in a particular activity. Hence, the person attempts to eliminate inconsistencies to align with their perceived standards and values. Comparing one’s situation with others can make one view their strategy or action as inadequate, which may lead to self-consciousness and quietness, allowing the situation to pass.
Dispositional self-awareness results from self-consciousness, where an individual reflects on how people perceive their actions. Self-consciousness enables people to be aware of their psychological experiences and relate them to their environment and current social interactions (Sullivan & Edmondson, 2021; Hargie, 2019). When I presented, and people did not react to the presentation, I felt a sense of dispositional self-awareness since I was the focus of attention. Individuals may question their presence and how they appear to others, as the presentation may seem inadequate according to their internalized standards.
Most of the time, uncertainty becomes overwhelming, and the pressure of being the center of attention enhances the discomfort (Weinberg, 2020; Forsyth, 2018). Many people experience presentation anxiety when their predecessors are well-prepared, leading to feelings of inadequacy. When presenting, no one controls the audience’s reactions and emotions (Michael & Bartoli, 2017).
For instance, feeling that the audience did not respond as expected demonstrates self-attention to discover how people perceive me. In my own experience, I recall a similar situation when I presented a joke to the Board of Directors and received only a chuckle. Although it is an elicited reaction in many ways, it was not the expected reaction, hence the nervousness and feelings of inadequacy.
I am self-conscious about how others perceive my personality and moods, which explains my embarrassment and discomfort when people do not react to the joke as expected. At the same time, feeling that the action could impact the group, we are mindful of how other groups may perceive our group dynamics (Weinberg, 2020).
Similar to situational self-awareness, dispositional self-awareness fosters self-monitoring and reflection to bridge the gap between an individual’s internalized standards and their current interactions (Sullivan & Edmondson, 2021). For instance, I thought everybody else’s work was better than mine; their presentations had quality and significance, and my story seemed to carry little weight. The feeling stems from the perceived standards of perfection in everything I do, and having someone with better ideas and concepts makes me feel inadequate.
Self-awareness is a highly effective coping strategy and developmental tool for achieving psychological well-being. When individuals reflect, they become more aware of their environment and interactions, enabling them to develop effective approaches to addressing the situation. Formulating ideas to fill the gaps can develop one’s mind to diverse ideas and adaptability in different situations. Self-awareness leads to mindfulness, which enhances performance and competitiveness despite the stress associated with self-reflection (Hargie, 2019). At the same time, mindfulness can cause anxiety due to confidence issues and inexperience working in a team.
Disclosure
Disclosure is an essential factor in human interactions. Psychologists use the term to define one’s ability to share personal information, thoughts, or feelings with others (Zeng et al., 2021). It allows a person to express individual perspectives and ideas, creating a sense of self and close relationships with others. Decisions to disclose personal information can be complex, given the dynamics of personality differences in each individual.
Individuals who are unable to share information freely tend to have low levels of disclosure. I find it awkward to share my personal information in social surroundings because of my reserved nature. Dutton et al. (2019) and Hargie (2019) argue that individuals with inert personalities are vulnerable to experiencing low disclosure levels. Thus, expressing their thoughts and personal information in a group activity may be challenging.
Distinct characteristics of people with low disclosure levels include quietness, a sense of feeling out of place, and speaking only when necessary. The inability to disclose information makes them feel like others are too open in sharing their personal information, which can affect their thinking and attention in the present. When one asked me if the group made me uncomfortable, hence my quietness, I realized that I try hard to stay in the background and keep to myself in social gatherings due to a low disclosure level. The initial reaction when we were grouped was intolerable, as I felt nervous and out of place listening to people share their lives and experiences deeply.
Self-attention is associated with feelings of apprehension, low self-esteem, alienation, anxiety, and self-awareness (Weinberg, 2020; Masur, 2018). What I felt when I felt the need to plan my words before speaking and thinking the words could not hold value are related to nerves of presenting, while being self-aware. From a theoretical perspective, I have a low level of disclosure due to being self-conscious and feeling uncomfortable sharing information unnecessarily.
I understand that people are different, but sharing personal information in a professional setting seems somewhat unusual. As Dutton et al. (2019) state, individuals with low disclosure levels struggle to determine whether their information is excessive or insufficient, resulting in indecision about where personal boundaries begin and end. I felt people shared too much during the group activities because I had a low disclosure level.
Similarly, I was surprised that one of my peers could be emotional when presenting and willingly sharing their information with the Board of Directors and strangers. I face challenges disclosing information due to personal values, the level of intimacy in the relationship, and a lack of trust. Han et al. (2019) and Forsyth (2018) confirm that without sufficient trust, one may feel that others will use the information to benefit or against them, which can be harmful. Thus, the individual adopts self-regulatory measures, such as remaining quiet and being overly conscious of their words and actions, to adjust to the present situation.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is seeing clearly and making wise decisions that correspond with a situation. Baer et al. (2020) define the term as a fundamental human ability to be aware of one’s surroundings and pay attention to the present situation without judgment or overwhelming reactions. Being mindful helps improve attention and flexibility, promoting diverse thinking (Forsyth, 2018).
Baer et al. (2020) state that being mindful makes one aware of things when another person points them out, which they may overlook when performing an activity alone. For instance, noticing new things when Mercy rereads the prompt demonstrates a state of mindfulness, as it shows attention to the present activity. Consequently, mindfulness fosters greater collaboration and teamwork because it involves expressing one’s ideas from a place of emotional authenticity, which aligns with one’s present surroundings.
Although practicing mindfulness may seem simple, people’s thoughts often wander, causing them to lose touch with their surroundings. Tang’s (2017) research indicates that the human mind can have more than 6,000 thoughts daily. During the lecture, I was most distracted trying to think about the term “ambiguity” and how to prepare for its class presentation.
Similarly, during the presentation to the board of directors, my attention was divided between the quality of the people’s presentation, my inadequacy, and how they would perceive me. The human mind constantly worries about the future, meeting expectations, and reflecting on ways to improve situations. Therefore, the concept can have positive or negative impacts on a situation.
In the early stages of group membership, individuals may feel unsafe and have low interdependence. Experiencing group work for the first time made me feel anxious, uncomfortable, and out of place because I was mindful of my behavior in a social setting. Research shows that individuals behave differently when alone than in a group setting, leading to wearing different masks to match the environment (Hargie, 2019; Britton, 2019).
I told the group members that I have different facial expressions depending on the situation, allowing them to discover the real me. I was mindful of their reaction if they discovered I was not the same person I had been when we met in a different setting. Thus, having different expressions according to the occasion does not make a person inauthentic. It serves as a target for mindfulness, fostering teamwork and collaboration in group activities.
Mindful behavior can hurt an individual’s mindset, leading to low self-esteem and a lack of confidence in their abilities, which in turn can negatively affect performance. Tang (2017) notes that being mindful can have potentially harmful effects, where individuals may tend to reduce positive illusions that can be productive in the name of fitting in. I had to express different views from what I thought in the public arena, which reveals a lack of freedom to share my concrete views.
Additional evidence suggests that mindfulness is associated with adverse outcomes, including a decreased sense of self and the perception that other people’s behaviors may be odd (Britton, 2019; Badham & King, 2019). At the same time, the culture may stifle individuals’ freedom of expression as they constantly try to regulate their emotions to align with the current environment (Tang, 2017; Wakefield et al., 2019). I thought Joey’s behavior was odd when he cried during the presentation, which made me uncomfortable during my presentation. Thus, being mindful in a team can be toxic to an individual when it leads to doubting one’s role and contribution to group activities.
Reframing
Everything in life has different meanings depending on how the mind perceives the situation or interaction. When a person faces a situation, they decide its meaning through a particular frame (Han et al., 2017; Hargie, 2019). The initial response may differ when one views the situation from another angle, leading to reframing. After realizing it was a safe space, I reframed my mind about working in a group, eliminating my initial fears. Therefore, reframing is a mental ability that enables one to restructure thoughts and assign a different meaning to an interaction or one’s surroundings.
A person undergoes various emotions during reframing, which typically begins with negative thoughts about a situation, oneself, or others in a group activity. Negative thoughts strengthen the brain’s adjusting and modification parts, resulting in reframing and new perspectives (Ryoo & Kekelis, 2018; Weinberg, 2020). Reframing occurs naturally and unconsciously, meaning people have little control over how the mind processes information to create emotions that result in viewing situations differently.
Bolman and Deal (2021) suggest that the mind can reframe a situation in either a positive or negative light. Cognitive reframing involves shifting a negative perspective to a more positive one (Forsyth, 2018). When I explained to team members why I chose the word “unstructured,” their perceptions changed from their initial reactions. They understood what I intended to pass across, and my rebellious personality resulted in a less depressive situation.
Reframing the mind to a positive effect is considered mindful in group activities, enhancing collaboration and performance. In contrast, negative cognitive reframing is when an individual adjusts their mind to create a negative emotion from a favorable situation (Ryoo & Kekelis, 2018; Sullivan & Edmondson, 2021). Individuals may doubt a particular gesture because they perceive it as excessive or suspicious.
Reframing helps people with negative feelings by adjusting the instinctive emotions that influence the negativity. The technique involves identifying the cause of negative thoughts, evaluating the situation, and fostering positive interpretations (Sullivan & Edmondson, 2021). After giving feedback to each group member, I realized I belonged and wanted to be part of future group activities. I had evaluated the situations and refocused my mind on the positive influence I was receiving from the group, leading to fewer doubts about myself and forming a new perspective about working in groups.
Conclusion
Overall, all four themes are critical in group dynamics and team learning. Each concept has its strengths and weaknesses depending on its impact on shaping an individual’s mentality. Possessing the positive aspects is beneficial, while lacking them enables an individual to reflect and find coping strategies that enhance teamwork. Although various researchers have supported the ideas discussed, further experimental conceptualization is needed to validate the theories and assumptions.
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