Giving and Receiving Feedback

One of the concepts that interested me the most was feedback. Feedback can be either negative or positive, and it can be given in different ways. Positive feedback is always good because it makes each person in the group feel validated for their effort and more determined to keep helping the group when they know they've done a good job. But negative feedback can have a negative impact on the group. However, this criticism or critiques can still be offered in a positive way. For example, someone in a group can give another group member criticism while being positive and constructive about it. When I was playing sports in high school, instead of screaming and criticizing me when I made a mistake, the coach would ask me "what were your other options," or "what do you think you could have done better?" This way, I didn't feel as bad about making a mistake, and it allowed me to be more thoughtful and creative. If I had been given negative feedback in a more discouraging manner, I would have probably been turned off and less effective or willing to contribute and be creative.

Impact of Equifinality and Entropy

Equifinality means that there is more than one way for multiple groups to achieve the same thing. This has a positive impact on small groups because it allows each system to play to the strengths of its members. For example, at the risk of using too many hockey analogies, two teams that are playing against each other can use different strategies to win. If one of the teams is very good at scoring goals, that doesn't mean that the other team can't win; if the other team plays defense really well, they can try to keep the score low and win by playing solid defense. Like the book says, "there's more than one way to skin a cat."

 Entropy can lead a group off track if the members of the group aren't careful. Failure of group members to communicate effectively could create ambiguity or conflict between members of the group. For example, a group that is trying to do a project for school will be disorganized and stall out if the people in the group don't meet up or at least keep in touch through email or text; in other words, no communication equals more confusion and less progress. But if everyone in a group contributes equally and works efficiently, the group will likely be more focused and able to accomplish what it set out to do.

Chapter 2 Discussion, Question #1

When parts of a system do not function well in a small group, the group becomes less efficient and less likely to achieve its goal. One example from my own experience is the hockey team I play on. When everyone passes the puck and plays as a team, we have a lot more success than we do when one person becomes independent and tries to put the team on their back. Interdependence is a critical thing to understand in a team sport like hockey because everyone has different strengths, weaknesses, and skill sets. For instance, the skilled goal scorers that are good at shooting the puck usually benefit from the players on the team that are good at passing the puck and finding open players. To take it a step further, the forwards rely on each other as well as the defensemen to get the puck out of the defensive zone and move it up and into the offensive zone to try and score a goal. Another example would be in the defensive zone where the five teammates depend on each other to cover someone on the other team to prevent a goal. Each player out there relies on each other to be in the right position and cover any open player. When one person doesn't do that, the whole system is affected.

Another experience where understanding interdependence and interrelationships was important was during a group project last semester. It was a video project that our group did well on because we divided up the work evenly and gave everyone responsibilities that suited each person's strengths. One of the people in our group had good computer skills and was good at editing, so he put the video together. The more outgoing people in the group conducted the interviews for the video, and the other group member gathered background research and other tidbits to add to the video.

Hi!

I'm a Communication Studies major and this is my fourth year at SJSU. I decided to major in communications because it is supposed to be an attractive major for employers and because the things we study in communications classes are relevant to everyday life.

I was born in Illinois, but have lived here in the Bay Area for most of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm a huge hockey fan, which started with my parents taking me to Sharks games when I was about five years old. To this day, I'm still a die hard Sharks fan, and my love for the game led me to start playing in middle school. Now I coach a team at Sharks Ice and I recently got a job as a ref, so I'm involved in hockey from pretty much every angle!

When I'm not at school or the rink, I enjoy chilling and going out with friends, working out, and relaxing. I also love golfing, though I can't claim to be too good at it (but then again, most people can't make that claim haha).

I hope y'all enjoyed your summer and have an awesome semester!