Commentary On 'Thinking Up A Storm'

When members in the team brainstorm ideas, they will ask a lot of questions pertaining to the problem at hand and do a lot of research on it. They will also break themselves up into smaller, more workable groups to increase efficiency. In addition, the members do not just limit themselves to finding information online, but they also find out firsthand about the problem from the people who are affected by it. During their firsthand experience, they are very observant and enthusiastic in gaining knowledge from the people affected. Then, they will demonstrate, communicate and share everything that they’ve learned with the other groups. There is focused chaos during the sharing and the members are all very lively, flexible, and open. All ideas are accepted, and no idea is “bad”, no matter how crazy it is. After much sharing, the team will narrow down ideas by voting for them, and the ideas with majority of the votes will be shortlisted. When the members are tired after the brainstorming session, they will call it a day and end off on a positive note.

Every group, team, or organization has a leader. That leader has to have certain qualities to be well respected and followed by his or her following. Not only does the leader have qualities and responsibilities to maintain but also the group’s members. Both the leader and individuals in the group must have respect, fear, and honesty among each other to be a productive group.

The Groups Dynamics of a team can be effected if the category of leadership is not in place. Leadership means “the activity of leading a group of people or an organization or the ability to do this.” In order to be a good leader you must have a strong value that you can give to your team. A good leader must have strong values to pass on to their team. At the top of the teams hierarchy is a leader, so that the leader can put input towards everything the team does, so that the team would be successful because the leader controls and guides the team.

My definition of Leadership has changed so much over the years...I once believed that being a leader is JUST being in charge of people and that you are able to get whatever you want. But as I grew older, I know that leadership is caring for your peers, being able to handle responsibility, and guiding others the right way. When you are leading a project and everyone is looking at you...You need to be the person that is honest with others and is able to own up to their mistakes by fixing them. Guide them to do the right thing with you as their role model.

suggests new ideas to solve group problem or new ways for the group to organize the task

By definition a leader is a person who leads or commands a group however, I believe a leader should be a person who inspires his team excel in the worst of conditions. A leader should be extraordinary reliable as the team should know that the leader could guide them to the best of his abilities toward their goal. A leader should be persistent as they should be the motivational force leading the group. A leader should be patient and calm knowing that quality takes time and that the individual member of his team have obstacles to overcome on their own part.

This quote expresses how talking to people who are not comforting and judgmental can create embarrassment, which can worsen the situation. It proves the point true because it suggests that speaking to the wrong people about personal problems can escalate the victim’s problem, which makes speaking up counterproductive. However, there is more evidence to show that speaking up does help to overcome difficulties. For instance, letting someone know about a difficult situation can allow them to help.

As a leader, one must be kind and firm, making sure what needs to be done is done. As a leader, one must inspire their charges to finish the project completely and to do their best. I have been a leader in our school’s Journalism (Yearbook) class as an Layout Editor. I have made sure my staff has been consistent in their work and make their deadline on time.

This type of dysfunctional operation of an organization has many ways and opportunities for failure. The basic fundamentals of this process are the beginnings of failure as groups seek conformity and unity they sacrifice everything in order to maintain peace within the group. Many times this will take the individuals creative thoughts and ability to voice the creative edge thinking away. In many organizations this is a process that is continually used. It is perceived that management wants the organizations operation or process to run without any type of question or waves. Below are listed eight of the main symptoms of group think as detailed by Janis, I. L & Manns book “Decision making”

During the group work in the course it was apparent that a few traits stood out that would help a leader effectively lead the team. First, the leader must understand the project and be able to communicate that to the team members to improve commitment and ensure quality. Second, the team should have common goals as we set forth in our team charter. This provides measurable metrics which will help identify if the team is effective. Third, accountability is a priority from the very beginning. Everyone needs to know their part and the consequences if they are unable to meet the expectations set out by the group. Lastly, the leader must be able to create an environment of open communication to enable team members to give and receive feedback that will enhance the quality of the project.

Sawyer speaks a lot of truth in this paragraph about how collaboration is what makes all of the amazing innovative teams spark new ideas. Groups should not be self-centered but they need to be empowered by the whole and not its parts. As

The leader must be sure to take the group dynamics into consideration. It is important to make everyone involved feel that their needs are important. For the project to be a success, everyone participating must feel as if they are contributing and that they are being valued equally.

Approached wrong, Brainstorming can be a huge roadblock to progress. Constructive thinking mega-site ‘Mindtools.com ' say, “Conventional group problem solving can often be undermined by unhelpful group behaviour… when solving problems, this can lead a group to develop limited and unimaginative ideas.”

Charlie repeatedly steps in and breaks up this flow of ideas by saying that the teams needs to break and reconvene when discussions appear heated. Charlie goes wrong as a leader since he does not realize that the open exchange of ideas and perspectives is a natural part of the team’s building and development process of “storming” (Week2, Lecture1).

Without leadership, a team lacks direction and cohesion. Leadership is there to solve challenges associated with teamwork and to insure the attainment of the main objective of the team effort. Leadership reduces the risks associated with a project. This happens because the person or team providing direction for the project do not get involved in detailed implementation freeing them to see the big picture from which they identify and reduce or eliminate risks. Leadership increasingly means the difference between a successful project and a failed one despite the availability of resources. This is because of the role leadership plays in the effective allocation of resources to achieve the projects objectives.