Using Rothwell's Standard Agenda For Problem Solving And Group Discussion

My analysis is on the film The Goonies. While I view the movie and determine the various norms, behaviors, roles and interaction between group members, as well as individuals the examination within the realm of film can present many of the same components. Thus, our group selected this movie to analyze based on its formation of a cohesive problem-solving group full of unforgettable characters. The Goonies portray many different theories and aspects of small group communication.

Randy Hirokawa and Dennis Gouran developed the Functional Perspective on Group Decision Making theory to “offer practical advice on how participants can act to ensure better group decisions” (Hirokawa, 1999, p. 170). They believe that as long as the members in a group care about the issue and are reasonably intelligent, the group interaction will have a positive effect on the final decision. In order for a group to reach a high-quality solution, Hirokawa and Gouran believe the group 's decision-making process needs to fulfill four task requirements they refer to as requisite functions of effective decision making. "Three core assumptions define the functional perspective: (1) groups are goal oriented; (2) group performance varies in quality and quantity, and can be evaluated; and (3) internal and external factors influence group performance via the interaction process.” (Wittenbaum, 2004 p. 19).

Group communication follows slightly different ‘rules’ to communication in one-to-one situations. There is often more going on in a group, with a number of different people trying to speak, get their point across and their voice heard. Turn-taking can be more complicated; relationships and power issues between group members can also be more complex than in one-to-one contexts. As a communication context, groups can have a number of benefits for participants: • a group can be an effective way of sharing responsibilities • groups can improve decision-making and problem-solving because they draw on the knowledge and skills of a number of

If every journey must begin with a first step, I suppose I shall open with the first step of the Standard Agenda, Identifying and Defining the Problem. Rothwell claims that when faced with an issue, groups must first “[formulate] (the problem) into an open-ended question identifying what type of problem the group must consider” (262). He makes no claim to the time commitment needed for such a step, however, and this is where our groups differed. Femme Comm Omega and Five for Service spent a matter of moments here, and easily defined their problems. Femme Comm Omega faced deciding who should receive first priority for limited seating at a Texas University football game. Five for Service was tasked with scheduling a student organization’s monthly meeting when group members had differing interest and time constraints. Team 3

Within the graduate school setting, strong communication skills are vital when interacting with classmates and faculty. Perfecting communication skills in the classroom setting prepares students to communicate effectively with fellow colleagues and professionals (Fisher & Zigmond, 1996). An essential strategy to improve one’s communication skills lies in the ability to be an excellent listener. Klein (2009) asserts that effective listening involves more concentration and focus than any other form of communication. Engaging in active listening shows that the individual is truly interested in what the other party has to say. This in itself results in a mutual respect that fosters healthy communication.

Barker, L. L., Kathy,J., Wahler, K. W., Watson, R and Kibler, J ( 1987) Groups in Process: Introduction to Small Group Communication, 3rd edition. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N J

Respecting other’s opinions and differences is another way to increase collaboration. Furthermore, since both have suggested that they have experienced resistance from others, it would be helpful to follow appropriate problem-solving strategies such as identifying the problem, finding appropriate solutions, implementing agreed upon strategies, and following up on those strategies to help alleviate conflict (Dettmer, Knackendoffel, & Thurston, 2013, pp.

The acclaimed book Crucial Conversations discusses the intricacies of communication and analyzes the potential reasons for dialog deterioration in a group setting. The authors emphasize the importance of making people feel safe to exchange ideas and the techniques to restore balance when safety is threatened. This book, although unique in its views, has its roots embedded in proven psychological theories by James-Lang and Cannon-Bard, which state that emotions cause physiological arousal that stimulates emotional brain activity but reduces the ability for cognitive reasoning (Passer & Smith, 2007, p. 384-386).

We need to define the problem and determine where the root of the problem is. Then we find a solution to that problem and start to plan how we are going to implement that

In the observed lesson, the teacher has strategically placed desks in a way that amplifies the potential discussion between the students in the inner circle. The students are able to easily pay attention to the speaker, which enhances retention and allows students to implement active listening in regard to their peers. This is not only found in

With everything that we have studied during this class, I found that keeping an open mind and thinking outside the box is the easiest way to approach certain situations that require a special need for communication skills. "Although, our communication skills will always change throughout our lives because of our constantly changing self-concept and perceptions. I have been using strategies like actively listening and proper assessments, as a way to achieve a flexible style effectively communicating. To me, good communication skills with a positive attitude open the doors to a successful career that is beneficial to any organization, but more importantly a way of knowing and understanding those around you.

This action requires students to take the time to collaborate within their groups and learn what they will present. This practice will ensure that students retain what they have learned. All students bring a vast amount of life experiences in the classroom and it is up to the teacher to utilize their resources effectively while ensuring shared collaboration without risk. Using prior knowledge in conjunction with world experiences achieves higher learning more effectively.

As people, when confronted with a problem where a solution must be found, our ideal situation is to come up with the best possible one. To do this, we ideally gather the most knowledgeable, intelligent individuals into a group and attempt to derive the best solution to the problem. With the collection of these people, one would think that finding the best possible answer to the problem would be a rather simple task. However, what has happened in many situations is the complete opposite. Rather than finding the best possible solutions, many ideal, cohesive groups arrive at the worst possible answer largely due to problems in communication within the group. This is what we call the radical theory of

When doing so the other group members were active listener, by using their whole body verbally and nonverbal. Like facing the speaker and giving eye contact and try to avoided interruption. The group also acknowledges the thoughts of the speaker by giving constructive feed back. Due to the effectiveness of the group communication, we were able to build trust, respect and understand the issues and make decision for effective change. We illustrate this by coming together as a group one again to accomplish the goal we initially wanted to accomplish. Since the first organization that we had chosen was incorrect, so we had to make the necessary changes to accomplish our goals. The other effective feature is the purpose of the group. Kozier et al (2010) stated that the effective group purpose is when “goal, task, and outcomes are clarified. Understanding and modified so that members of the group can commit themselves to purposes through cooperation” (p.401). For instance, each individual was assign a task and knew what was to be accomplished. As group we all decided to meet at suitable day and time which was beneficial to all team members, because we could commit to the group and focus on what needed to be achieved.

Effective group communications come in forms of verbal and non-verbal techniques. Essential parts of the entire group’s contribution are that the group contains full participating members, the group is diverse, and that the diversity is recognized and respected (Hartley, 1997). In the videos viewed, three were evaluated on the effective and ineffective communication skills of the participants and suggestions made on how they could improve. The videos are titled, “Planning a Playground”, “Helping Annie”, and "The Politics of Sociology.