Favorite Concept

Pick a favorite concept that we have covered through this course and post about it. Explain the concept to refresh our memories. Tell the class why you have chosen this concept, and what it is you like about it. 

We have learned important material throughout this course. If I had to choose one topic that I greatly enjoyed learning about, I would choose diversity and how it can help a group reach success because diversity is present in many groups that I have joined. Diversity is the "secret weapon" of a group. People become involved in groups because they may share common hobbies. For example, I join basketball leagues because I like playing with people that also share the same interest. Even though we all play basketball, diversity within the group is still present. A variety of ideas are brought to the table because everyone comes from a different background. Allowing different input gives us options that we can try and learn from. Ideas can always strengthen a group even if it is doesn't work because the group can take that mistake and use it to improve. Diversity should be included in every group for success!

Comm 141P

What have you learned throughout this class? What was your favorite thing about the class? What was your least favorite thing about the class? How can this class be improved?

I have learned a variety of things throughout the course of this class, from conveying personality in one's writing to learning procedures that can help a group become successful. In the beginning of this class, I was afraid to write out my thoughts and have other people read it. I'm used to writing an essay and only having my professor read it. Being involved in the discussions became more enjoyable because my confidence in my writing increased. Reading comments and taking feedback from other students allowed me to improve and learn more about small group communication. On the other hand, my least favorite thing in the class may have to be the timing. I felt that everything happened quickly in the class. There was so much information to take in and a different topic every week. What can I say? It's college, right? (: Many people that enroll in this course have busy lives and usually do things in their own time, but taking this class can be really fun and one can learn a lot from taking this course. I just wish it didn't end so fast. Lastly, I feel this class can be improved by providing a study guide for the final because there is a lot of material to cover. Other than that, I really enjoyed this course and the way The Blogging Prof structured the material and discussions!

Observation Paper

 Was it a useful exercise?  What did you learn?  What was good about the project?  What can be improved?

The observation project was a great exercise that allowed us to go beyond the readings, notes, and discussions. As students, we were able to use our knowledge from the class and connect it to our daily lives. Doing the observation project made me realize how important an outside observer can be to a group. 

In the beginning, I thought that small groups only needed input from the other members in the group. Yet, with the help of an outside observer, the group is able to look beyond their strengths and weaknesses. Not only that, an outside observer also saves the group more time to finish the project at hand. Throughout this class, I realized that gaining more input and having diverse opinions can greatly strengthen a group. 

For my observation project, I decided to study a different football team in my league. The captain made a compromise with me. I was able to watch one of their practices and a few of their games in exchange for my notes that I took on their team. Based on my observations, the team was able improve on their communication with one another. Not only did I get my paper done, the players that I observed became a better team! 

This was a great project to do, but with a few improvements, it can be much better. I feel that not only should the observers focus on strengths and weaknesses of the team, but they should also write about one person (not only the leader) in the team. If there was a section in the paper to write about one person from the group, I believe this project could be a bit more interesting. Other than that, I believe this was an enjoyable paper to write.

Public Presentations

For small groups to reach success, goals and ideas must be shared. A number of small groups undergo through different public presentation formats. The first format is the forum. The forum involves a short presentation done by the group. Afterwards, the audience shares their feedback on the issue one after the other. Another form of public presentation is the panel. In a panel, 4-8 people explain a problem in front of an audience. To gain involvement from the audience, a colloquium involves the participation from the audience, but with 3-6 group members discussing a problem. Last, but not least, the symposium provides for a number of brief speeches made on different aspects of a complex problem. In my opinion, I prefer to speak to an audience by presenting a small speech and hearing input after like a forum format. I believe more different ideas can be heard and less ideas will be missed by allowing each member to speak at the end of the presentation. Audience feedback is just as important as presenting the issues at hand.

Give Your Creativity a Boost!

Creativity does come naturally, but it may be more difficult for some people. There are several ways that can help boost someone's creativity. Idea needlers and metaphors are some tips that can encourage creativity and give someone an extra push to use problem solving techniques.

Idea needlers are questions that people ask themselves to see a different perspective to view the problem. For example, the book gives an example of a Styrofoam cup. How many ways can you use a Styrofoam cup? Presently, Styrofoam is used for packaging items, drinks, cookie cutter, and storing items. Idea needlers are a great way to give your mind the boost of creativity that it needs.

Another technique that encourages creativity are metaphors. Metaphors include the use of descriptive words to allow the listener to visualize an image that can lead to another new idea. For example, when someone says, "an interesting window in the world", most people will tend to look beyond the literal meaning. Metaphors are another way that encourage creativity. 

Cultural Barriers to Creativity

Creativity allows one to use their imagination and think outside of the box for an effective solution. At times, thinking of ideas may seem difficult because of known barriers. According to Harris and Sherblom, there are a number of cultural barriers: requirement for conformity, and expectation of practicality and efficiency, particular arenas for competition or cooperation, an expectation of politeness and of following rules for social order, and a trust in the power of reason and logic (168).

The book discusses that numerous people are taught in school to follow the rules. If everyone follows the rules, each person concludes their idea with a similar outcome as everyone else; therefore, the groups loses out on diversified solutions. As we get older, we begin to notice that "bending" the rules, allows us to show our creativity in a different sense.

In the state of California, there are a number of democrats. In the 2008 election, Obama received the support of our state. Because of the way our cultural society has been brought up, most of the younger population in our state voted for him that year. This is an example of a cultural barrier because of the similar perspectives the youth had on Obama.

Creativity

Creativity is taking something simple and creating something new with it. Creativity arises from everyday questions that have effective solutions. In high school, I never used to study and I still performed well on tests. When I got into college, I realized college was something much different. I needed to find a different approach to studying and prioritizing because the material was becoming more complex. So I asked myself, "What can I do to increase my productivity to studying?"

I tried different techniques: note cards, reading the entire chapter, writing down everything the professor said, and cramming a day before the test. Despite the fact that none of those strategies worked, equifinality - many different ways to reach a workable solution - is a great idea to stay concentrated on the issue. The more ideas you try, the increased chance you will get to finding the most effective solution(s). As a result, I learned how to scan the reading for important material, take notes of relevant information, and start studying several days before a test. Creativity allows you to think outside the box and not just focus on one solution.

Similar to my example of creativity, this chapter focuses on how groups can explore and take advantage of the alternative approaches to a problem or decision to develop creative new insights, decisions, and solutions (165).

Facebook

CMC involves the use of social networking sites. After reading a couple of posts about social network sites, I decided to expand on my input on the idea of Facebook. Facebook is a way to gain social closeness within a computer-mediated group. As discussed in the book, it is more difficult to gain personal relationships with other group members in CMC groups because CMC groups tend to lean more towards reaching the goal than creating relationships with other members. The way Facebook is designed allows computer-mediated members to use Facebook for personal and social needs. For example, if another member from a group reads and comments on another member's post about their life, they are gaining a personal connection. Although Facebook can be convenient in helping CMC groups gain relationships, members must be aware of the information they post and still keep it professional in a social network setting. Social networks can either help or in a way, ruin CMC.

Anonymity, Group Size, and Proximity

In CMC groups, participation and communication are key for the group's success. The book provides examples for ways that CMC can be successful. In relation to anonymity, when certain people have the chance to be determined as "anonymous", they feel better connected and do not feel like they're being judged. For example, online support groups provide the option of being known as anonymous. Distressed people that want help tend to give more input upon their situation if their names are not shown. Another way that CMC can excel is through the group size. When there are more people involved within the group, the number of ideas expands. With that being said, there is more group involvement because it is easier to exchange information through CMC. Another factor that can help the success of CMC is proximity. The closer the members within the group are physically situated, the more they will feel the need to conform to social norms. This causes members to be more conscious of their personal-social identities. For a group to succeed, having an anonymous option, larger size, and expanded proximity all help towards reaching their goal.

CMC v. FTF

Computer-mediated communication involves the use of audio and video conferencing systems, blogs, e-mail, and social networking websites (Facebook and Twitter). Face-to-face communication is communicating with someone in physical proximity using vocal tone and inflection, facial expressions, hand gestures, body posture, and angle (270). 

 In comparison to face-to-face (FTF) groups, computer-mediated communication (CMC) gains the contribution of more unique ideas, but takes longer to reach a mutual agreement. Because CMC groups practice acquiring more input from the members, the group tends to divide participation equally. This technique allows all members of the group to engage as much as another person in the group, permitting each member's voice to be heard. For idea-generation tasks, CMC excels within FTF groups because CMC generates more ideas. 

 A reason why CMC members feel more accepting is due to the fact that there is reduced normative social pressure. In this case, if group members believe they don’t have to follow social guidelines, they are more inclined to provide input. For example, in my online accounting class, I am not as hesitant when asking questions on the discussion board because a lot more people can ask questions online, compared to a classroom filled with more students.

Show That You Are Listening

Active listening is essential for successful small group communication. There are many barriers that can cause someone to stop listening to the person they are communicating with like lack of interest and external and internal noise. Although there may be many obstacles to achieve active listening, there are many response methods that can help: paraphrasing, expressing understanding, asking questions, and using gestures.

At my work, doctors transition patients to me so I can help the patient with their glasses. During the transition, the doctor always states what they prescribed to the patient. While the doctor tells me the prescription, I always nod to show that the doctor has my attention. If the doctor is aware that he or she has my attention, then they will continue to talk. In small group communication, this is very effective because it allows the speaker to be comfortable in sharing all their ideas. In the end, this can contribute to the success of the group.

Another procedure at work is to paraphrase the prescription after the doctor has finished speaking. Information must be repeated several times to gain access to one's long-term memory (119). This is a great technique because it saves a great deal of time instead of having to go back and ask the doctor if someone forgets. Active listening allows the speaker to know you are interested and are paying attention. 

Know What You're Listening To

Selective attention can be deadly in small group communication. When someone chooses one message over another, they are losing out on the other message. People tune out certain messages because they are not interested, it doesn't involve them, it is the opposite of their view point, or the material is difficult to understand.

In my business ethics class, my professor assigns reading before each lecture. I came into class one day without reading the pages he assigned. I sat in my chair and became easily distracted because the material was hard to follow. On days I kept up with the reading, I sat in class and listened to the whole lecture. During the whole lecture, I would tell myself, "I remember reading that!" If I tune out my professor because I didn't read the book, I am losing out on certain questions that my professor could have answered in his lecture. Knowing and reading about the material before a discussion is a great way to overcome selective hearing.

Retaining a Message

Listening is a critical point in communication. Not only do messages have to be sent, but receivers must be able to interpret the message that has been sent for effective small group communication. There are four important components that make listening successful: hearing the message, interpreting the message, evaluating the message content, and retaining and responding to the message.

Whenever my family needs me to do something for them, the phase that I have the most difficult time with is retaining the message. Usually, when they need me to do something for them I respond and I repeat the message to myself after they leave. My family knows that I tend to forget a lot. To help my memory and to overcome my forgetfulness, my family tends to remind me more than once by telling me again, leaving me a note, or texting me. Another technique that helps me to remember is writing it down. When I have my planner available, I usually write the message in there. Other times, I usually just write important messages on my hand. This technique also helps when I have important things to do at work. Writing something down or reminding yourself more than just a few times is a good technique to retaining messages.

Semantics

Semantics is defined as the study of meaning construction in language (95). In verbal communication functions, meanings are in people, not words. For example, a word can mean a certain thing in the dictionary, but when people use the word, it can mean something completely different. The word "ratchet" in the dictionary is defined as a tool. Nowadays, the youth in the Bay Area use the word to describe something ghetto. Language is also symbolic and represents the context. The book provides an example of a 2.5 grade point average. The GPA doesn't portray what the person actually learned, but it symbolizes the learning that they received. Not only is language symbolic, but it conveys meaning about observations, inferences, and judgements. For example, in the Casey Anthony trial, Casey was a potential suspect for killing her daughter. The evidence showed observations that led the public to believe she actually killed her daughter. When she was allowed to walk, the public made judgements based on the observations. All these principles are important for small group communication.

Proxemics and Chronemics

Proxemics is the study of space and how we use it to communicate. If the physical proximity between two people is slightly closer to one another, it conveys they both have something in common. The closer two people are also promotes warmth. According to Edward T. Hall's reaction bubble, depending on the measurement of the distance, it can be  considered public space, social space, personal space, or intimate space. Countries like Norway, Germany, America use the reaction bubble. On the other hand, Asian cultures and Latin cultures use a different scale. My brother-in-law is Honduran and their space is handled differently. In his culture, everyone is usually standing close together and hugging and kissing are common. Each culture handles their space differently and it is extremely important to know how close you can be with someone.

Chronemics is the study of the use of time. According to Wikipedia, monochronic people (Americans) are more concerned with reaching their deadline and getting the job done. On the other hand, polychronic people (Latin American, African, Asian, and Arabic) like building relationships and doing more than one thing at a time. Here in America, getting the job done and reaching your deadline is extremely important. Reaching your deadline shows a lot about your character. If you are punctual, then employers will find you an eligible candidate for a job. Chronemics is essential for group work and becoming successful. 

Doing What's Right

Nonverbal communication is vital for small group functions. There are eight principles of nonverbal communication.

One important principle is the second one stated in the book: our nonverbal communication is likely to be believed more than our verbal communication. This principle explains that one cannot just verbally make a statement. One’s actions are what make the statement believable. During a small group project last semester, each member in the group chose what task they were going to complete. One person did not finish their task, resulting in trust lost. Throughout the duration of the project, it was much more difficult to work with that person because we did not trust them.

Another essential principle is the fourth principle: nonverbal behaviors are guided by the context and power of relationships. This principle states that actions are guided by “doing the right thing at the right time” (99). A good example would be my coworkers. I work with many patients and customers in a doctor’s office/retail environment. We are required to be very kind to each person that we provide services to because of the power of the relationships. If we are rude, then we lose our relationships with the people that put the money towards our paychecks. Our actions are significant for successful small group communication.

Verbal Interaction Diagram Pattern

If a group is able to recognize their mistakes and improve, failure is what can make a group successful. There are many tools that groups use to help them become successful.

Not only are outside evaluators essential to a group, but several groups can also analyze their verbal interaction by a specific diagram pattern. On page 256, figure 14.2 illustrates what the diagram looks like. Each time one member of the group speaks to another person, an arrow is drawn in the direction of the person whom they are speaking to. If the interactions between those two people happen again, the arrow is then marked with a line. By using this diagram, the group is able to determine the leader of the discussion and which of the members are not contributing as much.

If, for example, a certain person does not allow other members to contribute equally, input from the other members decrease. Input decreases because the group does not practice equifinality. If equifinality becomes a problem, groups only have a limited amount of solutions to the problem. As a result, the group’s chances for success also decline. The verbal interaction analysis diagram allows the members to identify their mistakes and improve on them for a successful outcome. 

Observer Guidelines

Because an outside observer is essential for a group, small groups are able to receive criticism and improve on low areas. To provide effective feedback, observers follow guidelines to avoid giving general or broad comments like, “it went well”. 

One common set of guidelines that observers’ use is the Likert scale. The Likert scale allows the observer to ask numerous questions similar to “How fully did all members participate?” to “How well did the group analyze the topic?” The answers to these questions usually range on a scale from one to five. A scale allows observers and members to provide criticism that can be translated into some definable measure. For example, if a group did a presentation, one of the students in the audience would observe their group work. If the observer rates their presentation with a one, that would mean the group would need to improve on their presenting skills. Not only does the observer rate the group according to a scale, but he or she also suggests areas that can be enhanced. With this method, the group is able to know the things that need to be worked on and strive for more on the next project. 

An Outside Observer

For small group projects, a consultant or observer is essential for the group. In systemic feedback, the book explains the four ways of obtaining feedback to improve a group’s future success – making external evaluation and advice an important point. An observer is used to provide feedback that can help improve the efficiency of how the group interacts with one another and completes their project. Observers are meant to provide feedback on how well the project went and pin point on two or three areas the group can improve on. Good feedback from an observer outside the group is necessary, so the group is aware of aspects that need to be enhanced.

A consultant or observer is able to recognize areas the group can work on. For example, group members are more concerned with completing the project rather than the interactions they have with one another. An outside observer can evaluate and suggest improvements to better the relationships the members have with each other to make the process run more smoothly. If the relationships are improved, the end result of the project and success of the group is maximized due to the effectiveness of an observer. 

Strength in Diversity

In my first blog for this week, I explained valuing diversity could be difficult because everyone is raised differently. To be open-minded, one must be willing to accept diversity within the group. Once diversity has been valued, the group has the opportunity to become accepting and very strong in bringing in new ideas.  Each member of a group suggests more ideas when they feel everyone else in the group practices equifinality. Equifinality allows different solutions to be tested to solve a problem. Different ideas are what help a group strive for the best solution. In a diverse group, each person in the group suggests numerous ideas because they are aware that the group values the diversity. This results in several routes to finding a solution to the problem. The group can then lie out the problem and test viable solutions. Testing out more solutions permits the group to find the best option. Using the strength of diversity allows the group to gain a connection with one another and choose the most advantageous solution.

"White Men of Privilege"

"Within the United States, organizational behaviors and expectations have been defined within the context of that privileged upper-middle-class, middle-aged, able-bodied, White male experience" (83). I agree with the "white men of privilege" concept because most of the successful workers in the United States fit that category. By observation, most of the wealthy people in the U.S. are "white men of privilege". Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are great examples. Mark Zuckerberg attended Harvard, then created Facebook. Majority of the people that we hear about with much success are white men. It is rare to see women or people of another race included in the "white men of privilege" category. For the extraordinary group of people that do not fit the "white men of privilege" category, rarely do we hear their success stories. Our society is based on emphasizing only on the groups that satisfy that popular category. 

Even though "white men of privilege" dominate the media and work field for being successful, our society is slowly changing. For example, our current president Barack Obama has made it in history. A number of the people that voted for him were the younger generation. Women are also becoming more known. Although Hilary Clinton did not win the election, she is still very popular within the democrats and continues to stay successful. The work field history is slowly changing with the new generation. 

Valuing Diversity

Valuing diversity does not come easily. Gender, age, race, and religion are differences within the group, which can make communication more difficult. When assumptions and stereotypes are made they can result in harmful, unintended consequences (76). Another reason why communication may become difficult within a diverse group is due to the cultural environment. When people with different backgrounds do not send messages according to the rules of communication that we have all learned, misunderstanding begins to occur. Similar to violating norms, consequences begin to happen – like irritation and anger. Diversity can create more ideas for the group, but it can also create misunderstandings within the members.

Although diversity can create misunderstandings, there are ways to enhance a groups ability to value diversity. One way to value diversity is to respect other cultures and their language use. Gaining knowledge about another person’s culture allows ideas to accumulate for the group.  Another way to value diversity is to promote input and contribution. Promoting input and contribution makes people want to commit and work harder because they know their ideas are recognized. Diversity may be difficult to value, but with each member’s involvement the end results are beneficial. 

Initiate a Decision

As part of the decision-making process, initiating a decision is an essential step. Before we initiate a decision, we must first consider the alternatives. Due to external and internal constraints, every problem must have alternative solutions.

For example, if a full-time worker wanted to lose weight but did not have enough time (external constraint), they would have to consider the alternatives. Alternatives would be working part-time, eating healthier, or consuming diet pills.

An efficient technique to initiate a decision is to create a T chart for assessing alternative solutions. When creating a T chart, one must list the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. As soon as the advantages and disadvantages have been prioritized, the decision-maker must then list their foreseeable consequences to choose which alternative best fits the goals and solves the problems (151). A good question to ask oneself is if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Once the best alternative has been determined, the decision-maker(s) can continue with the process and start executing the plan. 

External and Internal Constraints

Constraints are found in every problem. Constraints contain two groups: external and internal constraints. External constraints are the restrictions that affect the decision-making process. On the other hand, internal constraints are apart of the reason why the problem was initiated in the first place.

In most situations, external constraints are easier to deal with when effective problem solving skills are used. External constraints consist of factors such as, “money, energy, knowledge base, or other resources that the group needs for the decision-making process” (146). An example for an external constraint would be the amounts of time professors give us to finish an assignment. In this case, as a problem solver, you would need to determine the amount of time it will take you to complete the given task before the due date. For external constraints, with good time management, the task can be accomplished before it is due.

On the contrary, internal constraints are the factors concerning the start of the problem. An example of internal constraint would be a technical difficulty because if the technical difficult did not occur, there would not be a problem to solve. I work for a computer-based employer; therefore, when we process transactions it must go through the computer. One day, all our computers systems shut off. Our management team was in charge of finding a solution. After countless phone calls to corporate and endless minutes, the general manager decided we hand write each transaction. Although the problem was solved, we were required to hand write each transaction and wait on corporate to solve the technical problem. 

Group Norms

There are several group norms at SJSU. We follow norms everyday. Coming to class on time, finishing assigned group work, and not being disruptive are some norms we all follow. If students at SJSU violate group norms, other students will eventually become angry.

In the group that I spend time with, there are also group norms. One distinct group norm is to not be arrogant. We are a talkative and humorous group; therefore, when an egotistical person enters the group, the other members avoid the relationship. As stated in the book, when norms are violated, the group responds by ignoring the member. As a second offense, the group reacts by showing irritation or commenting jokingly.

Group norms are practiced all the time. As individuals, we first observe the group we are entering. As we become more comfortable in the group setting, we are able to adapt our actions to follow the group norms. The faster we adjust to a group’s norms, the quicker we feel acceptance into the group. 

Norms

“Group norms define the nature of the group and the relationships among the group members” (41). Norms must be followed to be accepted by the members in the group because some actions will be accepted and others will have you alienated. Most norms for a group are not written out because norms change all the time, depending on society, demographics, and interests. For example, society used to think slavery was normal. Presently, if someone were to act uncivil towards a certain race, members of society would react to their action.

Typically, if a person violates the norm, the other members of the group tend to ignore the person. After a couple of times, the group will respond with irritation towards the member. Violating the norm causes the group to express anger and interferes with the group’s ability to accomplish its goal. Always coming in late to work is an example of violating the norm. If members of the group rely on everyone to come in on time, the goal of the group cannot be achieved because late members are on different pages. Following the norm in each group is extremely important for effective small group communication.

Entropy and Equifinality

Entropy and equifinality impact small groups in a variety of ways.

Some groups rely more on energy and information to liven up a group meeting. These groups believe numerous rules can cause a meeting to be “boring”. Unfortunately, too much energy can create chaos and disorganization. If there is too much energy, all members of the groups feel the need to exert the same amount of energy. If everyone is talking at the same time, effective communication is not practiced. On the other hand, some groups greatly depend on rules and control. In this group, when countless rules must be followed, creativity and input within the group declines. If creativity and input declines, different options for reaching a goal are diminished and members of the group are restricted to one option. Without equifinality, the group’s success with their process and goals cannot be met. In another example of family groups, when parents tend to always restrict their children, the children lose effective communication with their parents. Members of a group want freedom to explore different routes to a goal. To enhance creativity within a group, balanced entropy and equifinality must be present.

Interdependence and Interrelationships

Interdependence and interrelationships are crucial to achieve effective small group communication. For things to be achieved within the group it is necessary for each person in the group to share a common goal or purpose. When members of the system do not function well, the project or goal is not accomplished when desired.

Majoring in business has required me to partake in numerous, small group projects. In one particular group of five members, we assigned each person a task to complete by a given date. Two people failed to finish their tasks on time, forcing us to turn in our project after the due date. Because of their ineffectiveness, each member in the group received a deduction in their overall grade. Even though two people failed to do their part, the whole group is at fault because communication was not made within the group to determine the status of where each person was at before the project was due. Because of what occurred, our group did not succeed.

Effective small group communication is also used between my basketball team. My team and I have been playing together for years. Our goal for every practice and game is to have fun and try our best to win. While playing on the court, we are each able to use “the transactional process of using symbolic behavior to achieve a shared meaning”. We are able to use verbal and nonverbal behaviors to send and receive messages to one another during a game. Someone can make a gesture to me and I would be able to detect her next move. Without interdependence and interrelation with one another, we would not be able to reach our goals. 

A Little Something About Me

Hello fellow bloggers! My name is Jasmine. I am a 3rd year at SJSU. I am currently majoring in business with a management concentration. I am also minoring in communications because I am usually a soft-spoken person. I feel communications will give me more confidence to excel in management.

I currently go to school full-time (online and in-class) and I work part-time. I enjoy spending time with my family, which makes us all really close. I also enjoy playing sports: basketball, swimming, volleyball, etc.

I am not a computer/internet savvy person, but that's also why I'm taking this class, so I can learn more (: I am excited to learn useful information in this class! Bring it COMM 141P!