I think the group was successful at forming the blind square. The group experienced the “forming, storming, and norming” process. Although the group took awhile to complete the task, the group did not give up, even in the hot weather.
If I was a new person, I would have felt frustrated with the situation because it did not seem like the group was working together to form a square. In addition, it was very frustrating that the group was tangled. Having performed this activity, I wasn’t allowed to speak which was really frustrating for me because I knew what we had to do to accomplish the task. In order to make the experience better for other group members, I could have been more engaged in the process. I wish I didn’t let the heat and fatigue get in the way of the group’s success. I could have pulled the rope and the people surrounding me closer to the rest of the group. When we first began to form the square, the participants were very far from each other.
I wish that the team members who had never performed this activity agreed on a solution before we began counting off numbers. There seemed to be multiple people who were trying to lead the group and we may have been more successful if we had one person guiding us instead of several people trying to talk over each other.
I am proud I did not try to take the lead in this exercise. I could have been more engaged, but I am glad that I allowed others to take the lead. If I was allowed to talk during the activity, I would have probably added to the confusion because I would try to lead the group. This could have taken away from the experience for those who were new to the exercise because I would have tried to form us into a square. Part of being a leader is recognizing that others need the opportunity to develop. By allowing others to take the lead, other members of the team were allowed to practice their leadership skills in a safe environment.
i agree with christine on the feeling of frustration if i hadn't done this activity before. With all the people talking over one another i found it very hard to remember or picture what was going on. The frustration affected my concentration and focus.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christine that it would have been very frustrating to be a new person doing this activity. The group was very disorganized at first, especially with the rope being tangled. Multiple people trying to take over leadership roles also increased the confusion. In the end everything worked out well, but it could have gone a lot more smoothly.
ReplyDeleteChristine - we'll talk about motivation in the weeks to come, and how to motivate others, but it is also important to understand how to motivate oneself. Leading is sometimes a thankless job; full of frustrations, obstacles, set-backs, and even tedium. How will you keep going in the face of these things? What will get you going? Where is the line between mentoring and letting others learn for themselves drawn? It is likely that everyone felt some frustration during the task - new folks and old ones.
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