Introduction
A variety of factors influenced the success of our team. Leading in a Big Way had a vision to complete its weekly assignments in time and score the best grades. The team began its operation by setting goals and planning how to meet them. The team is composed of seven members. Each of the members had responsibilities. Michael was the Facilitator, Laurie the Editor, Laura the Time Keeper, Amanda the Note Taker, Randy the Compiler, and Ryan the Team Leader.
Team Objectives
The team set three objectives. The first one was to maintain open lines of communication throughout the four-week process. The team leader, Ryan, used motivational strategies to encourage all members to take part in teamwork. The leader also constantly reminded the members to use communication channels such as emails and phone calls to remain in touch and beat the competition. All the members were quick to buy into the vision. The team adopted the name “Leading in a Big Way” consequential to the success of the efforts of the leadership to motivate all members to own the process. Because of the motivation, the members accepted willingly to maintain open lines of communication until the end of the project.
The next goal was to follow the formatted “Weekly Assignments” through completion. Our team successfully achieved this objective. Having developed and adopted effective modes of communication, the team faced no major obstacles on its way to following the formatted assignment. All members had responsibilities to ensure we achieved this goal, being the core business of the group. The Facilitator Michael and Team Time Keeper Amanda performed their duties well prompting the agenda of the team.
They kept the members updated on the schedule. In addition, the team leader offered sufficient oversight service creating conducive learning atmosphere. Efficient communication made it easy to understand weakness in our system. The group adopted teamwork, which ensured that the absence of a team member never affected our progress negatively. Whenever some of our members had issues to sort out and could not turn up for our weekly discussions, they passed across the information and the team often accommodated their interests. As a result, we lost no time due to lateness enabling us to follow the formatted “Weekly Assignments” through completion.
The third objective that we also met was to achieve the score of at least one on each topic on the Group Evaluation Document. The team, “Leading in a Big Way,” had leadership structures that promoted participation making achieving group goals incredibly feasible. The structure of the team gave each member the responsibility of improving the scope of the team to meet its objectives. The structure designated crucial procedural responsibilities for each member and motivated every individual to own our project.
Motivational Strategies
The team used various motivational strategies that increased its prospects for success. It adopted recognition, pride, and coaching for motivational strategies and implemented them appropriately. The recognition strategy helped the group to focus on recognizing the efforts of its members. At the beginning of our weekly meetings, we thanked members who had performed their individual responsibilities in the previous week. Sometimes, the team leader requested everyone to buy for them a card to express our gratitude. This strategy helped in keeping the team together to continue contributing and striving for success (Dembo, 2004).
The team leader created pride in the members. They felt they had what it takes to produce the best project. However, some teams suffered from lack of cooperation because their membership had no pride in themselves. They joined us in a number of occasions to find out the secret behind our motivation. The group was kind enough and coached them from time to time. Some of visiting members successfully understood that pride had a role to play in keeping our team focused (Dembo, 2004).
However, apart from recognition and pride, our team depended on the efforts of its capable leader, Ryan, to utilize the coaching strategy to enhance the performance of the group. After completing any section of a task, the team would not only recognize success, but also provide useful feedback whenever necessary. The team’s top leader encouraged each member of the team to give constructive feedbacks to help the members re-do a project better. While it was tempting to give biased feedback, we endeavoured to keep to our objectives.
The team did not use monetary incentives. Many of us thought that using this form of incentive would have affected our performance positively. Due to the differing nature of human beings, using the monetary option would have improved the performance of some of our members. Some of our members had monetary needs. Recognizing their efforts using monetary recognition can help them focus on academics. Nevertheless, we completed our project in time despite having avoided using the monetary incentives due to shortage of funds.
Influencing Strategies
Apart from appropriate motivational strategies, we attribute our success to the adoption and effective implementation of influence strategies. The team used influencing strategies of respecting others, being a team leader, and leading by example (Cohen and Bradford, 2005). The team agreed to respect each other to avoid holding up the objectives of the group. We ensured that everyone had an opportunity to air their views as other members listen keenly.
Where we failed to agree on any agenda, we kept respecting each other. We often carried out independent research and reported to the group on the matter using an agreed communication channel. Often, we used teleconferences to make decisions on conflicting ideologies. Another way of showing respect that we used was voting if consensus could not yield any solution.
In addition, we agreed to be team players. We recognized that each individual has distinct leadership traits. All members had responsibilities to play under the watch of the team leader. The leadership in all sections were more of coordinators since everyone had the rights to contribute towards the improvement of every section. Since we had a common goal, while working to meet individual goals, we were indirectly leading by example.
Our leader also showed great commitment, therefore, influencing everyone to believe in the success of the group. Using these influencing strategies helped to eliminate poor communicating practises that would have hurt the integrity of our team. We, therefore, got an opportunity to succeed through embracing respectful communication, hard work, and demonstration of exceptional commitment (Cohen and Bradford, 2005).
Effectiveness of the Communication Plan
Our communication strategy is another element that played a key role in our operations. Effective communication is a crucial element that improves success in teams (Harvey, 2006). We agreed to use GoogleDocs for the file sharing process. This free software allowed us to create and edit documents online while interacting with each other live. We chose the software because it supports a variety of file formats including Microsoft Word (.DOC and.DOX), Apple Pages (.PAGES), Microsoft PowerPoint (.PPT and.PPTX), and Microsoft Excel (.XLS and.XLSX), among others.
Besides, the Storage space of this free software allows sharing of many files at a given time. Its storage device is Google Drive that allows sharing of space across all services. Docs enhanced our communication because of the huge storage capacity and its accessibility via mobile phones. Some of our members used the Android Google Docs app to view, edit, and create Google Docs documents.
We also adopted efficient communication modes. The main ones were email, text, and weekly teleconference. We agreed to use text and email for non-urgent communications, among others. We always passed over information on individual research activities through emails. This method proved essential because our members have internet-enabled phones. However, we also used texts because it is another convenient means of communication.
Additionally, we used teleconference whenever necessary. Teleconferencing proved to be a useful communication option when members were in different geographical locations. It helped to avoid wasting time. For urgent issues, we used simple phone calling. This was equally convenient. Since we had developed a positive communication culture, the use of texts, phone calls, teleconferencing, and Docs helped us to achieve our objectives.
Our success is also associated with the conflict resolution strategies that we used. The group adopted various conflict resolution strategies. We understand that conflict resolution mechanisms are necessary to keep the team on track. The strategies that we agreed to adopt are collaboration and work compromise (Corvette, 2007).
Collaboration helped us to integrate thought set out by all members of the group. It helped us get creative solutions acceptable to everybody (Corvette, 2007). To achieve our objectives, we had to spend a lot of time finding the most appropriate solutions. The team leader was working collaboratively with all the section heads to establish rules for enhancing cooperation. However, sometimes the collaboration strategy was difficult to implement.
The team had to compromise in a number of occasions. When some members preferred teleconferencing to meeting in the classroom due to distance, the team had to compromise and use the technological device but change the time.
The antagonizing sides agreed to give up certain elements of their position to settle on a common solution. This strategy seemed most appropriate for us. All of us were holding equivalent powers and competing or ignoring others would be detrimental (Corvette, 2007).
The team performed well. We complete the project in time and correctly. However, we could have improved the performance. Most of our members were highly cooperative making conflict resolution considerably easy.
Conflict Resolution Strategies
We could have resolved conflict through the strategy of accommodating each other, as well (Corvette, 2007). When there was conflict between the team that wanted teleconferencing and the other that preferred meeting in at a central location, we could have accommodated the suggestion to use teleconferencing. The technological devices offer effective communication services that we could have appreciated. This way, no one could have felt pushed to the wall. We could have used a variety of motivational strategies to enable all members to take full control of the group at different times.
Notably, each of our members played critical roles. We also attribute our success to the outstanding efforts of all our members. However, we could have done better. Each of us had a role to improve the team’s performance personally.
I could have taken an active role in reinforcing the strategy of accommodation each other. I recollect that our team failed to appreciate fully that when times get hard, it is best to buckle down and support each other. I should have encouraged our team leader to accommodate the interests of all members without necessarily using the collaboration strategy, which left some partners feeling unrecognized. Our lives may be different. Nonetheless, our determination to live our lives to the fullest makes us similar. Since I understand that we have a common bond and need each other, I should have promoted the idea of accommodating each other and led by example (Corvette, 2007).
There were occasions when I differed with some of our members regarding the appropriate communication modes that we were to use. I remember insisting that sending short text messages through mobile phones is the best mode. Other members favored setting a communication centre where anyone seeking team information would visit or call the individual in charge. I insisted that their proposal would inconvenient many people. Due to the inability to reach consensus, we chose to vote and I lost. The result apparently disappointed me forcing the team to reconsider the decision. We them adopted email, short messages service, weekly teleconferencing, and setting a communication centre, among others. The compromise helped the team to move on and achieve its objectives.
Recommendations for Improvement
I regret that the objection that I raised resulted to differences that almost separated us. It could have been highly useful if I allowed the members’ wishes to prevail. It did not help to suffer from cultural, social, and ideological myopia. Viewing each other negatively based on their cultural and social background, which affected our operations, is unhelpful (Corvette, 2007).
As a result, I could have avoided forcing the team to accommodate me, but I could have accommodated the other members. This could have helped the team to opened up and recognize the efforts of one another more easily. Appreciation of each other’s differences is the basis for real relationships since genuine relationships are something that all human beings seek.
Besides, leading by example could have made life much easier for the team. I recognize that collaboration, compromise, and accommodating each other have special roles to play in enhancing team cohesion. However, embracing exceptional leadership skills is also essential. It is impossible to implement these strategies successfully if one does not believe in selflessness.
Leadership attributes and skills are the same irrespective of the position one holds. However, the capacity to internalize the need to offer servant leadership distinguishes effective leaders from non-effective ones. Therefore, I should have portrayed myself as a selfless leader (Corvette, 2007). During negotiations, I learned that it is difficult to reach an amicable solution if partners do not trust each other. Insisting to be respected and be heard had no place in the success of our team. It led to mistrust and motivated members to want to win. I appreciate that the group activity was a learning process. However, I could have demonstrated selfless leadership, stood together with the rest of the team during times of conflicts in opinions, and celebrated one another to communicate our unique vision.
References
Cohen, A. R., & Bradford, D. L. (2005). Influence without authority (2nd ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
Corvette, B. A. (2007). Conflict management: a practical guide to developing negotiation strategies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Dembo, M. H. (2004). Motivation and learning strategies for college success a self-management approach (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Harvey, N. (2006). Effective communication (2nd ed.). Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.