I believe that everything that one experiences in one’s lifetime is destined to teach that person a lesson about life. Although I may not have loved all the lessons that I’ve had to learn in my lifetime, the skills, the knowledge, and the attitudes that I’ve gained from attending MNMT 290, however, are lessons that I hope to never forget.
The experiences from MNMT have taught me the power of cooperation. I have learned to listen to and learn from other people on my team. I have also learned that teamwork is the way to success. Persons must master small group and interpersonal skills and be motivated to use them. Interpersonal and small group skills form the basic nexus among individuals, and if individuals are to work together productively and cope with the stresses and strains of doing so, they must have a modicum of these skills. One important skill is to have a common goal with your group members without any competitiveness within the group. I have learned to be open minded and out going, to give my opinion in a group without fear or timid, to listen to others’ ideas even if they differ from our own, and to learn from others. I will provide leadership and guidance for my group members whenever possible and to make decisions which will benefit the group and help to achieve the group goals instead of my own. I will give creative input to my best ability and listen to group members’ comments and criticism without any harsh feelings. If conflict arises, I’ve learned to solve the conflict in a positive manner, without arguments, but with a calm sharing of opinions. Only then, can a group pull together and accomplish its goals in harmony.
I have also gained a lot of knowledge through MNMT290 that I could contribute to the workplace. Such as that not everyone is born equal, and that some people will always take the role of leadership while others are merely team players. Leadership involves the use of power. In fact, all human interaction involves power and influence. Being skillful in influencing other group members and taking responsibility for such influence are important parts of being a group member. Power is defined as the ability to influence others and to resist their influence on us, the ability to control what happens to another individual, the control of valuable resources, the capacity to affect another person’s rewards and costs, and the capacity to affect another’s goal accomplishment. Influence is using power to change another person in a desired direction. The people who are leaders are usually also the people who make the major decisions in a group. There are many methods of decision making: decision by authority without discussion, expert member, average of members’ opinions, decision by authority after discussion, majority control, minority control, and consensus. Often, in the process of decision making, conflict or controversy arises due to the difference of opinions of the group members. In order for controversy to be constructive, information must be accurately communicated. Communication of information is far more complete, accurate, encouraged, and utilized in a cooperative context than in a competitive context. To manage the controversies constructively, people also need collaborative and conflict-management skills. For example, to be able to disagree with each other’s ideas while confirming each other’s personal competence. I now understand that these conflicts are results of the diversity of backgrounds of group members. In addition to making the group experiences an interesting and pleasant one, diversity also provides a clash of perspective that’s essential and vital to high-quality decision making and creative thinking. In order to achieve their common goals, the group members must let go of prejudices and work together as one. Only when all these knowledge are acquired and applied, can a group true accomplish what it has set out to do.
Not only did I gain new skills and knowledge; my attitudes have also changed in the course of MNMT290. I have learned to be more open to new people, new ideas, and new methods of achieving goal. I have learned to respect others completely not despite their differences, but because of them. I have become calmer in dealing with conflicts and more decisive in solving problems. Finally, I have learned to set one common goal with my group members, to make it our main focus, to cooperate fully, and to work toward the goal with all my might.
MNMT290 has taught me much in the short course of a few months, but the skills, knowledge and attitudes that I acquired in these few months will benefit me a lifetime.
