Building a Coalition Essay

PART I: Group Development At this point in time, the group is not yet even development. It almost seems as if all the individual organizations are storming because they want to make sure that each one of their opinions is heard, and they have control of the situation. No one wants to give up their own power or control. They have started off correctly as it is stated in the case that HR representatives from each organization have been selected to pick individuals from each organization that they feel will have the best impact and will be proficient leaders. The individuals chosen need to understand the stages of group development to help them get along and build a cohesive coalition. They will have to understand that the initial stage will be the forming. Here the newly formed group will test each other out. They will be able to get a feel for whom their co-workers are, what strengths and weaknesses each member has, and they will be able to develop a set of guidelines on what is acceptable behavior for the mem bers. This is when they realize that they are no longer individuals representing just their organizations but instead their own group of people representing the students, and the students’ best interests with the backing of their individual organizations. They will lead into storming, where they will butt heads over power and what steps to take first. I believe here is where the true leader of the group will come out. It will be the individual who will be able to get the storming under control, get everyone to focus on what the main goal is and will help guide the group into the norming stage. In the norming stage, the main goal will be highlighted, the scope of the project defined, and a project plan created. Goals and guidelines will be set along with milestones and progress meetings. This is where they will start feeling like a group and start feeling like the project is finally moving along, and they all know how to get to the end. This leads us into performing, where  the team moves forward with the project working together and adjusts timelines as needed, resolving issues, and getting the job done. The final step is adjourning where the project will come to a wrap. The team will have a guidebook to help train any new personal that will be coming in and to help further build what they have already started. Knowing the steps of group development, help guide team members to establish proper guidelines not only for the project but for their own person behaviors. It helps members realize their own strengths and weaknesses and how the team can build upon those to make everyone successful. It also teaches the team how to function well together, develops relationships, and help motivate each other. All this is important in keeping the group motivated and keeping a positive dynamic to the group. PART II: Problem Identification The initial problem the group will face is for power. Each organization wants to make sure that their opinions are heard, and each feels that they are the most correct and should have the most power because they have the best influence and the students’ best interests in mind. Getting everyone on a common ground will be the hardest part since it seems that everyone thinks that they are right. Egos will need to be put aside and the storming phase may be longer than anyone would really like. As I had mention, before the true leader will come out of this phase and be the one that will be able to get a handle over the group. This will be an individual that everyone will respect and be able to relate to. I do not feel that there was much that there was much that could have been previously done in essence to understanding individual membership in teams to prevent the issue of the power struggle. This seems to be an ego struggle and also a difference of opinions. Everyone feel like they know what is best for the students and want to be involved, and have their opinion heard. In this case each organization is correct in their own way. Developing a coherent plan will be the biggest struggle incorporating everyone’s opinions as much as possible and trying to please everyone at the same time will be the additional struggle. The plan will have to be easy enough to follow so that it can be implemented as quickly as possible now and slowly change as time goes on. It will be easier for students to adjust to the smaller changes over a longer  course of time, than having their worlds turned upside down all at once. Also implementing changes a little at a time will help teachers to adjust and keep up their motivation and not be burnt out too quickly as students will be less resistant to small changes. This will also help with training new staff members as they come in. Having a handbook to guide further changes will help to continue moving the project forward in further years, and keep up with the progress of changed making sure the project stays successful and is not just a quick fix. PART III: Retrospective Evaluation The primary problems will be the power struggle and diversity will also play a role in this power struggle, and who relates best to the students. Also another issue will be making sure that the individual organizations feel that they are being equally represented, and heard. Each individual has their own struggles and comes from different backgrounds, we cannot judge what we have not gone through and cannot say how it affects that individual. Each member is here because they can relate to the students in their own personal way. We will need to put our own personal issues aside for the better of the students. Again the storming phase maybe long and members learn to work together and get over their difference. Each organization will have to give up power and the group that is made up of the representatives from each organization will have to identify themselves and their own organization not 3 individuals. Picking the team members will be the most crucial. The members cannot be egotistical but should also be respected members from their individual organizations. They will have to work together to come up with a project plan that they feel is the best way to proceed forward and will have to also convince their individual organizations and the community that they are making the best decisions. The pros of developing one main group to represent all and having this group break off and be seen as their own will help develop a stronger group dynamic between these individuals. The more they feel like a group the more they will be able to convince their individual organizations that they are being equally heard and that their opinions and suggestions are being incorporated into the overall plan. There may be backlash from the organization that they are developing on their own but this will need to be done in order to establish  authority, and not have individual organizations trying to go behind the backs of the group and work on their own. The biggest issues will be with establishing authority and making sure that each organization feel that is it being equally represented and their opinions are being heard and incorporated. PART IV: Reflection Diversity is an issue that is long over do in needing to be resolved. We as American’s need to embrace that we are a culture made up of many differences. We are the mute! This school and its new program for helping these students should be a great representation of that. These students will be representing our future and they can show that when differences are put aside and people work hard to work together they can be successful. Each individual contributes something and makes up for where the others lack. Difference should be embraced because they can show us a new way of thinking, acting, or doing. We should forever be evolving. My advice to program leaders would be to set your difference aside. Let us find what our common goal is and see how we can get their together. Ask what peoples string suites are, what their weaknesses are, and even what they would like to learn from this. This gives each member a sense of ownership to the project and will help keep them motivated by giving them their own individual goal to work towards succeeding. Giving them a their own sense of ownership to the project gives them a sense of pride to the project and will help lead them.