Journal Entries

Journal 1

The first meeting – group formation was held on 14^th January via zoom. It was a unique meeting experience especially because I had to associate with peers whom we had never met in person. We first had a session of introduction, which was rather dull since only a few people were actively engaging. The group members were not hyped up as I expected, and some of them had switched off their webcams. However, the group leader had the appropriate energy for the meeting, and because of that, the majority eventually became excited. It turned out to be one of the best group meetings I have ever participated.

I liked how the team leader initiated the meeting—his communication and interpersonal relationships with other group members. Starting with the group formation’s purpose was so commendable because I had no information about the group’s purpose. Besides, stating the purpose was an advantage because I prepared my mind early enough to participate in all the scheduled six meetings fully. Furthermore, highlighting the expected results was also a good move. It made all of us group members aware of what was expected of the group at the end, therefore, we would work towards the group’s objectives.

Since it is a problem-solving group, the group decided to use the Procedural Model for Problem Solving (P-MOS) to solve the identified problem. The model is great because it involves brainstorming as a group, and I feel that by the end of the six meetings, the problem is almost always well understood and a solution found. Overall, I liked how the group started and how it turned out to be enjoyable. On the contrary, I did not particularly appreciate how some members dominated the conversation; some members’ communication skills were not effective. In such situations, some members may not consider others’ views, which leads to dominance (Adams & Galanes 2018). However, the start off was okay.

Journal 2

The second meeting was held on 21st January, and it involved brainstorming solutions. Before the meeting, the group leader had asked each of us to contribute to a topic over a text. Honestly, I found that not convincing enough because discussing through text might be difficult for one to express themselves. I tend to be a democratic leader, and thus, I prefer deciding on a group’s issue while engaging with other members. That prompted a collaborative attitude to the group’s approach. However, this was different from the first meeting in that we were all more friendly because then we had known each other. We were all participative and cheerful.

I found the topic interesting when we started brainstorming on the possible solutions. The group’s topic is “How can college students successfully manage their money during a pandemic?” I was majorly interested in the solutions we brainstormed at a personal level. I am one of the people who have not managed finances successfully, especially since the onset of Covid-19. This has caused financial constraints which I am working on optimizing.  One of the solutions I found useful is controlling my spending habits by creating a budget. Another solution is to lower my monthly expenses which I will be presenting. I look forward to learning more about these solutions alongside others.

The last session that every meeting will involve is stating the timelines. This involved when the past meetings were held, discussed, and when the next meeting will be. I am tasked with making PowerPoint documents for everything we discuss in the meetings. Therefore, the timelines will be useful and will play as a guide for me, which is quite commendable. Nevertheless, the second meeting was good, educational, and enjoyable.

References

Adams, K., & Galanes, G. (2018). Communicating in groups: Applications and skills. McGraw-Hill Education.