What are your group goals?
The following are the goals for our group. We focused on breaking complex tasks into parts and steps. For instance, to analyze our discussion topic thoroughly, we divided the complex issues and simple one and started with the complex ones to understand the complex ones first.
Our group also focused on time management. We came up with a schedule that every group member was to follow to the latter without delay. During our first meeting, group members agreed that any members who would delay for more than fifteen minutes would not be allowed to participate in the discussion.
Receiving all the feedback on shared assignments from our topic was also another goal. Every member was supposed to come with the feedback of any research material assigned to by our group leader. This is intended in order to complete our research on time.
Refine understanding during our discussion. Our group aimed to ensure that all the members can understand our discussion topic and its content well. This was done by redefining the understanding of all discussed materials. The responsible members also conducted further clarification.
What were the goals/objectives the group agreed on for the session you facilitated?
To ensure effective participation- every member to ensure that he or she has polished his or her presentation part so that there will be no challenges during a presentation. Furthermore, if a question arises during a performance, any member who knows the question gives the required response.
Mutual understanding among members. All the group members should understand when to move on stage for the presentation, and for the presentation parts that need a pair of members, then such members should proceed with the same phase.
To ensure that we have taken the least time possible during our presentation. In this way, it will ensure that the assessors are not bored by our performance and also allows enough time to answer any question that may arise after the presentation.
Each member participates fully in the presentation since the performance results are equally shared. The grade of the group translates to the grade results for each group member.
What exercises did you utilize?
Our first exercise during our first meeting was to elect a group leader who guided the whole process of discussion. We nominated two members, and after members voted, we got our group leader. We also elected our group’s secretary using the same method.
Gathering all necessary materials for analysis that relates to our topic. This is intended in order to ensure that there is an effective analysis of the topic.
Dividing the subtopic to group members for research purposes and presentations during a group meeting. This ensures that every member of the group is busy researching for a given subtopic, which he or she will present before the group members during group discussion.
After the end of every discussion, our group secretary reviews all the debate, and then after confirmation, the group closes.
Why did you choose this or these exercise(s)
The election of both the group leader and group secretary was essential for proving harmony in the group. Further, the group needed somebody to guide the discussion. Group recording and filling are also necessary to understand the activities the group has conducted, and hence we elected group secretary
The study material was also essential since analyzing and discussing our topic on how to cope with stress needed research. To conduct such research, necessary research materials need to be available.
We divided and shared subtopics of our discussion topic among our members so that each group member may carry out research on a given subtopic and present it before the group members during group discussion.
To reference our discussion or confirmation, the group secretary records and presents group discussion before members on each discussion day.
How did you anticipate this or these exercise(s) to help meet the agreed-upon goals/objectives?
To observe time during our discussion, the group leader was necessary so that he may take control of the whole debate. Hence, members were able to meet time for discussion as research of time control by the group leader. Furthermore, our group leader ensured each group member has presented his or her research subtopic assigned from the group.
Our group was able to complete the analysis of our topic on coping with stress as a result of diving research subtopics to each group member of our group.
Our group was able to conducted an effective analysis of our discussion topic. As a result, the availability of necessary research material for analysis.
What style of leadership did you plan on using (use textbook)?
We used the democratic decision-making style of leadership in our group.
What was the reason for this choice?
This is because democratic decision making ensures that the process of decision making in the group is fair to all members as it provides consensus during decision making. Furthermore, the use of a democratic decision-making style of leadership ensures that no member of part of the members can dominate the decision making of the whole group.
How did you use supervision and/or consultation in making these choices?
In order to make any choice in our group, members were informed on the specific option that the group needs to select. Then, all members were given an opportunity of about two minutes to give out their opinion. And finally, the group then conducted an election on whether to adopt or reject the proposed choice in the group.
Evaluation and Self-Reflection
How did the exercise(s) utilized meet the agreed upon goals/objectives?
Election of the group leader and group secretary ensured that group discussion runs on well with time observation as one of the critical goals that the group achieved as a result of having a group leader to lead out all the discussion of the group meetings. The group was also able to meet the limited time for a group meeting that had been allocated as a result of proper time management due to guided discussion. Furthermore, the group secretary ensured that there is enough material for reference on prevision group discussion. As a result, filling and safe storage of group discussion materials.
How did the group respond to the exercise?
The group member had a positive attitude towards the election of the group leader and group secretary. This was well illustrated in the conduct and the support that the group members gave to our group leader. Furthermore, there was a limited commotion in the group, and all members adhered to set time for discussion by almost 99%.
All members completed their research on assigned topics on time and presented them during our group discussion on time. This illustrated a positive response towards the assigning of research subtopics to each member.
Although it was challenging to gather all necessary materials required for the analysis of our topic which is on coping with stress, some of the group members were to an extend of buying necessary research materials with their funds, and this further indicates a positive response toward the exercise of gathering research materials.
How did the group respond to your leadership style?
Most of the group members appreciated the members that our group used to arrive at all decisions concerning our group. Even though we had a leader for guiding the group discussion, he never monopolized the group agendas and decision-making process of the group. All the decisions were arrived in a very democratic way after all members voted. Then the decision was agreed upon based on the highest number of group members supporting such opinion.
What were the strengths of your facilitation?
Communication skills. Most of our group members had mastered their communication skills, which ensured that our assessors were able to grasp the content of our presentation. In this way, the facilitation of our presentation was well conducted.
During our group discussion and presentation, active listening skills ensured that our group was able to cover and complete analysis and research of our topic, which was coping with stress. All members were required to switch off their cell phones at the start of the meeting or presentation, and all cell phones were supposed to remain switched off during the presentation period. This further ensured that our group members were not disturbed by unnecessary noise from the cell phones.
Our group members had developed synergy as each presenter of our group was able to bring other participants together during our presentations and discussion that shared goals and interests. One of the main goals of presentation was to ensure that each and every member of our group is able to grasp and digest all the presented points of our topic. This was very effective in ensuring that our group achieves its goals and objectives.
What areas of facilitation do you think you still need growth?
I still need to polity on designing and planning the group process in order to understand the best tools and materials to use for a specific group in order to achieve the best group outcome. In this way, I will be able to facilitate to different groups without facing any challenge in terms of material and design selection for any given group.
I also need to understand how to come up with the best question specific for a given group. In this way, I will be able even to post group questions based on a particular topic of facilitation even without the need for much practice and preparation on the selected presentation topic.
I also need to polish on how I can control the emotions of different groups during my facilitation. Group emotion sometimes may be challenging to manage since people are faced with different emotions at each given time. Therefore there is a need to master how I can grasp and control the emotions of any group I am facilitating in order to win their attention.
Describe how you utilized empathy and other interpersonal skills
During my facilitation, I use empathetic personal skills I order to create an honest and open environment. This ensures that I am able to deal with any situation that arises during my facilitation. For instance, if I want my listeners to understand the need to cope with stress, I will try to present how I healed after a long period in which stress had almost ruined my health. I will also use my interpersonal skill to catch the attention of my listeners. For instance, I will use my energy personally to present in such a way that all my listeners will not be bored with my presentation style.
Describe how you facilitated transitions between activities
I will use one of the ice breakers and group activities for transitions in which worries in hat (fear in hat) teambuilding exercise is carried out. In this activity, sheets that are collected in the form of hats that are written personal fears are read loudly within a period of two to three minutes. This motivates and gives the audience time to relax. Hence transition to the next activity becomes simple and effective.
Describe how you facilitated the ending of the session
I always keep on watch towards the end of the session. At this particular point, I may prefer to give out a chance for listeners to ask questions that need to be responded to. After I have reacted to the asked question, this is then followed by the application denial theme in which I express my surprise claim that I had already forgotten the discussion would come to an end. I then excuse myself and leave the members with an open chance for those who wish to continue with the discussion.