Communication and Collaboration

I want to say it is a privilege to have been able to learn with all of you in this course. Thank you for your response to my posts, your thoughtfulness and your contribution to my learning. You’ve really made the atmosphere of this course so conducive to learn for every one of us despite the fact of diversity. Thank you and keep up with the good work! I wish you all the best as you continue with your studies.

Adjourning Stage in Team Building

Adjourning stage is very important in group building because it’s the last stage where people have been used to each other, develop a close relationship and see one another as a family. It looks at the team from the perspective of the well-being of the team rather than from the perspective of managing a team through the original four stages of team growth. It’s usually very difficult for some people to let go of the group members.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with some people that to leave them took the grace of God because of the success of the group. I remember a church that some people and my husband and I started together some years back. We still try to follow up in one way or the other with them to see how the church is increasing and having success in all aspects. It gladdens our hearts when we hear how people are making progress. It’s always good to keep in touch because it strengthens one and also motivates one to take more responsibility and to be more supportive in any other group one finds herself in future.

At the beginning of every course, I look for the names that I am familiar with because of the connection and understanding that I have with my online colleagues even though I look forward to learn and connect with the new colleagues. It would be really nice if we can keep in touch with our colleagues after we finish our master degree. I see us as a family.

References:

 Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Managing Conflicts in Relationship

Everyone of us faces conflict on a daily basis: at home, with neighbors, service providers, at work and commercially. We have all discovered that such conflicts always cost us emotionally, and may cost us financially depending on the situation. Resolving such conflicts feels good and is good! Yet we have all discovered just how difficult that can be. 

One of the conflicts I can remember of is the conflict I sometimes have with the teacher I’m assisting in the class, most times when she tells me to do something she doesn’t bother to say please. This bothers me a lot and I don’t know how to bring it up to let her know how I feel about it. Here is the person that usually asks the children to use their manner when they are talking especially asking her to help them to do something. I could remember there was a time we had to meet with other team members and one of the teachers asked her to help him get a chair and she told him that he forgot to put please. I would really appreciate it, if anyone could give me some heads up on how to handle it.

Another conflict I used to have is when people get me wrong. That is when I say something they interpret it to mean something else which usually cause a lot of argument. What I usually do when I know the argument could affect my relationship with the person is to keep quiet and listen to what the person is trying to say even though I don’t agree with what is trying to say but just for peace to reign.

“Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict -- alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.”
― Dorothy Thompson

Reference:

http://www.peaceworks.org.uk/conflict-management-training/?gclid=CjkKEQjwqsCcBRDt7_Gts5a91YYBEiQAm-wYEeL_e97OHLQ0xlF6CwUAFgi78KkJ5D5kT1i_7PVbTR3w_wcB