The Forgotten Group Member Essay Example for Free

The Forgotten Group Member Essay The case study of The Forgotten Group Member demonstrations in what manner teams separate due to an absence of communication. The case verifies that knowing how to lead a team is just as significant as being a part of the team. It is imperative to understand that not only does a leader have the responsibility to lead the team but the members have a responsibility to partake in order for the team effectively complete an assignment. Part I: Group Development Teams pass through numerous stages for example the forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning stages. This particular case places the team within the storming stage. When group participants get to know each other better, the storming stage begins. This stage is considered as a bid for power. Each group member is wondering whether or not he or she will be respected and this may play out in competition, tension and maybe disagreement. Relationships become strained and differences become uncomfortable. Christine is challenged for control by Mike. The hostility Mike feels developed when he came upon his teammates during an unofficial group meeting. Left unaddressed, as in this case, I can only assume that Mike become angry, hostile, and now unproductive. As the leader, Christine’s main task at this stage is to coach group members, in particular Mike, to get them on board. She needs to emphasis that teams come together because they share a common interest, and that members are treated equally. Once Christine re-evaluates the work and re-introduces the forming stages she can help re-integrate Mike back into the group. The forming stage occurs when the leader directs the team and establishes objectives clearly. Once Mike is reintroduced to the team goals and realizes his role on the team hopefully he would have made positive contributions in an effort to produce a high-quality group output. Part II: Problem Identification The hostile attitude Christina and her teammates experienced by Mike occurred during an unexpected team gathering; however Mike should reevaluate his overall performance in a group setting thus far. Based off his action, not attending team meetings and providing brief notes, Mike has become the social loafer of the team. Social loafers can be described as team members who work less and put less effort into the team assignment, than he or she would do if he or she had to complete the assignment alone. The key issues’ facing Christine is not only Mike’s social loafing but the lack of communication on her behalf to inform Mike of his lack of participation. By understanding the stages of group development, Christine should have redefined her team roles so that social loafers are more visible and peer pressures are more likely. This in turn will lead to yet another theory concept known as Social facilitation. Social facilitation occurs when the behavior of team participants are influenced positively by the presence of others in a team. According to our text, Social facilitation theory suggests that working in the presence of others creates an emotional arousal or excitement that stimulates behavior and therefore affects performance. When Christine recognized Mike as the â€Å"clown† of the group she should have relied on his strengths to embrace the audience. Perhaps assigning him the task of presenting the power point slides for their team presentation. Part III: Retrospective Evaluation Since this a difficult situation to solve and each solution has pros and cons I can only reiterate solutions mention in the previous sections. The ideal solution would have been for the group leader, Christine, to re-evaluate her understanding of group development. Once she had a full understanding of the stages and process that it takes to have an efficient team she would have known how to properly handle the situation. When I mention properly handle the situation, I refer to the fact that she should have addressed the issue with Mike in a non-threatening environment. After communicating with Mike, Christina would have been aware of any essential skills that he is lacking or uncomfortable situations that are preventing quality work. At this point in time Christine could have re-evaluated the work and reintroduced the forming stages. Mike will once again be re-introduced to the team goals and realize his role on the team. A different solution, not mentioned previously, would be Distributed Leadership. As per the course text, distributed leadership is the sharing of responsibility for meeting group task and maintenance needs. This involves having the leader, Christine, initiate discussions, clarifying issues, and sharing information while involving other team players. As outlined in the case, many team members were functioning fine, Mike was having trouble being able to meet deadlines and rarely let everyone know. This signals once again a communication problem. By having Christine reach out to Mike and his fellow team members, any issues that were apparent would be brought up and handled. In this case, Mike would have told Christine about his demanding job and relationship woes and thus the team could have adjusted according. The only demise of this method is that the discussions and information sharing will not always be as effective as actually addressing the issues head on. Part IV: Reflection Looking back at this case and the events that have transpired up till this point, it is obvious that Christine was not an effective group leader. Although the majority of the team did work efficiently there was just one negative aspect. That negative aspect was Mike. Being able to deal with conflict comes from experience but in this situation Christine was voted by her team members to be the group leader which should have inspired confidence in her. This confidence should have helped her address Mike in the beginning. If Christine have had the knowledge and the skills of group development she would have been able to effectively provide leadership.

Terror Management Theory Essay -- Psychology, Anxiety, self-esteem

Terror management theory (TMT) asserts that human beings have natural tendency for self-preservation if there is threat to one’s well–being (Greenberg, Solomon, & Pyszczynski, 1997). It notes that we are the cultural animals that pose self-awareness on the concept of past and future, as well as the understanding that one day we will die. We concern about our life and death but aware that it is unexpected by everything. The worse matter is that we become aware of our vulnerability and helplessness when facing death-related thoughts and ultimate demise (Pyszczynski & Greenberg, 1992). The inevitable death awareness or mortality salience provides a ground for experiencing the existential terror, which is the overwhelming concern of people’s mortality and existence. In order to avoid the continued existence of threats, people need faith in a relatively affirmative and plausive cultural worldview and meaning of life (Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1995). Cultural worldview is a perceptual construction in the society which explaining the origins of life and the existence of afterlife. We have to invest a set of cultural worldviews by ourselves that are able to provide meaning, stability and order to our lives and to offer the promise of death transcendence (Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 2004). On the other hand, we hold a belief that one is living up to the standards of value prescribed by that worldview and social norm shared by a group of people. This belief is derived by self-esteem of individual. We maintain the perception and confident that we are fulfilling the cultural prescriptions for value in the society and are thus eligible for some form of personal immortality (Landau & Greenberg, 2006). We Together with the assump... ... and death-thought accessibility which are typically evoked by mortality reminders (Greenberg et al., 1993). The research further stated that self-esteem and death awareness are high interdependent with each other and the self-esteem-anxiety-hypothesis. For TMT, A second line of support for the terror management function of self-esteem comes from tests of the mortality salience hypothesis which is another hypothesis derived from TMT. Similar to the anxiety-buffer hypothesis, it states that temporarily increasing the accessibility of death-related thought self-esteem provides protection from mortality concerns, and hence individuals will then intensify their efforts to bolster and defend self-esteem. In sum, convergent evidence supports the claim that self-esteem functions as a buffer against mortality concerns (Pyszczynski, Greenberg, Solomon, & Maxfield, 2006).

Hurricane Pam

Hurricane Pam Every community is faced with natural and man-made hazards that can best be addressed ahead of time by planners working closely with emergency management personnel to mitigate the threat and prepare for post-disaster recovery. Hurricane Pam was a simulated storm in New Orleans used to evaluate potential losses, improve response plans, and provide better coordination between agencies proactively. Hurricane Pam brought sustained winds of 120 mph, up to 20 inches of rain in parts of southeast Louisiana and storm surge that topped levees in the New Orleans area.This area included 13 parishes in southeast Louisiana-Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany Tangipahoa, and Terrebonne. The storm caused more than one million residents to evacuate and destroyed 500,000-600,000 buildings. A rough average of 100,000 people did not evacuate before the storm hit due to poverty, illness, or lack of tr ansportation. Of the 100,000 that remained in the city, an estimated 25,000 to 100,000 would die.SLOSH (sea, lake, and overland surges from hurricanes) is used to identify the worst-case scenario of this storm by identifying the highest potential surges from this storm. SLOSH revealed that the levees would fail causing the city to flood and kill thousands due to drowning. These generalized assumptions caused emergency managers put their minds and resources into action to devise disaster response for areas such as search and rescue, medical care, sheltering, temporary housing, school restoration, and debris management.The debris team estimates that Hurricane Pam would result in 30 million cubic yards of debris and 237,000 cubic yards of hazardous waste. Landfills have been identified that have available storage space and disposal sites for hazardous waste have been located. In the event that Hurricane Pam resulted in more debris and hazardous waste transportation should also be ident ified and factored into the plan in case the initial plan is not adequate. Shelter is a main issue for the residents of New Orleans because of the impact of Hurricane Pam.The emergency management teams identified that about 1,000 shelters would be needed to house the residents displaced by the storm. About 784 shelters were secured, but 216 were still needed. Transportation and partnerships with other states should have been obtained to help secure the remaining shelters. Funding should have also been secured to help those relocate and possibly reside with family members in other states. The displaced residents would need to reside in temporary living arrangements for up to at least 100 days.Simulations would need to be done to identify the costs for housing the maximum amount of individuals in each shelter for 100 days. The emergency management team would need to meet with local, state, and federal government officials to identify ways to generate funding for these costs. For examp le, a hurricane tax or surcharge to help generate resources in the event of a disaster or partnering with companies like Walmart or Target and developing a partnership for supplies. Search and rescue efforts are the key component to saving the lives of the individuals that may beSearch and Rescue †¢ The search and rescue group developed a transportation plan for getting stranded residents out of harm's way. †¢ Planners identified lead and support agencies for search and rescue and established a command structure that will include four areas with up to 800 searchers. Medical †¢ The medical care group reviewed and enhanced existing plans. The group determined how to implement existing immunization plans rapidly for tetanus, influenza and other diseases likely to be present after a major hurricane. The group determined how to re-supply hospitals around the state that would face heavy patient loads. †¢ The medical action plan includes patient movement details and ide ntifies probable locations, such as state university campuses, where individuals would receive care and then be transported to hospitals, special needs shelters or regular shelters as necessary. Schools †¢ The school group determined that 13,000-15,000 teachers and administrators would be needed to support affected schools. The group acknowledged the role of local school boards and developed strategies for use by local school officials. Staffing strategies include the use of displaced teachers, retired teachers, emergency certified teachers and others eligible for emergency certification. Displaced paraprofessionals would also be recruited to fill essential school positions. †¢ The group discussed facility options for increasing student population at undamaged schools and prioritizing repairs to buildings with less damage to assist in normalizing operations The school plan also calls for placement or development of temporary schools near temporary housing communities built for hurricane victims.

Essay on The Special Olympics - 2686 Words

Abstract: The Special Olympics not only give special athletes athletic skills, they offer more opportunity, encouragement, and dexterity to survive in society than the public school system alone. To understand the differences and similarities between handicapped athletes and their non-handicap peers is the first step in creating a program that best meets the childs needs. There were no community programs that catered to the mentally and physically challenged, so Eunice Kennedy-Shriver created special games in her back yard for her handicapped child. Shriver established the Special Olympics in 1968. Today there are more than one million special athletes competing in 140 countries. There are some problems with relying on the†¦show more content†¦Before 1968 there was no hope for the mentally and physically challenged to use their full potential to live a successful life, except within the boundaries of an institution. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of the late John F. Kennedy, was determined to not allow experts to cast out challenged children into institutions and warehouses. She told an audience at the White House that children with mental retardations could be exceptional athletes, and that sports could help them realize their potential for growth. In 1963 Mrs. Kennedy Shriver organized a day camp in her back yard for the handicapped children in Rockville, Maryland. Five years later she brought the first Special Olympics to Soldier Field in Chicago. Around one thousand enthusiastic athletes participated in the event. There are now 143 countries involved, and 16,000 sports events every year with over one million athletes (Anniversary). Through the Special Olympics thousands of handicapped people have conquered their fears and struggles, learned communication skills and trades for employment. Because of the underlying lessons taught through sports they can lead active, exciting, and courageous lives within their own communities. After learning about these incredible athletes, the drawbacks of special education programs in public schools, Athletes for Outreach (AFO), true success stories, and the rewards forShow MoreRelatedSpecial Olympics Response Paper : Special Olympic1074 Words   |  5 PagesSpecial Olympics Response Paper I don’t think Eunice Kennedy Shriver had any idea, when she first created Special Olympics, that it would grow and blossom into the profound, successful organization it is today. After witnessing how poorly individuals with intellectual disabilities were being treated, she knew something had to be done. She decided that these individuals needed a place to play and compete in sports, just like all other individuals. From this, Special Olympics was created. 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I was able to collaborate with the coaches, parents, and athletes to find out what technique worked best for each child with special needs. Upon my arrival, I had no idea how much fun I would have volunteering for Special Olympics basketball skills. Throughout the time I was there, I w as able to see different diagnoses previously discussed in class. ThisRead MoreThe Athletes Should Support The Special Olympics1556 Words   |  7 Pagesis silence- just because her intellectual disability makes her feel inadequate. The Special Olympics is not only about winning a race or declaring victory when passing the finish line- this charity is dedicated to raising awareness for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) who have been ignored their entire lives. There are as many as 4.5 million athletes in the Special Olympics worldwide, and Special Olympics plans to reach out to 200 million people by providing them with efficient care throughRead MoreThe Special Education System On Those With Disabilities1427 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract: The special education system in the United states has drastically changed, but some are questioning where it stands; is it for the better, or for the worse? Many can agree that improvements have helped shape education Acts and school environments which, were proposed in meeting the needs of students with disabilities, but others questioned if it had, at all, started with distinguishing the purpose of inclusion, and if so, is it key in understanding the impact of the special education system