Evaluating Groups

I have had a unique college experience in the fact that I am a founding member of one of my student groups.  We are a mixed a capella group on campus, focusing primarily on contemporary and radio hits.  This group has become like a family to me, but we have definitely had a lot of hard times- especially since I have seen it all from the beginning.  As I was reading through Chapter 7, I  initially thought of one of my other student groups and was struggling to make connections with how I would explain it in my blog.  I thought, "This is going to be confusing...what other groups am I in?" Oh right! The one I spend about 6 hours with every week!  It all clicked fairly easily and I was able to recall many of the instances and people as described in the book.

Forming
Now, as I mentioned, forming for me in this group is very literal.  We started at the end of last fall through an effort by a Grad student to start an "acapella revolution" at OSU.  Before my group was even official, there was tons of conflict on how to choose members.  One guy stepped up to "lead" the situation and he auditioned people with another group leader.  They argued over lots of people to try and split the talent, but at the end we ended up with a solid group.  As a group, we decided our meeting times to practice would be twice a week (Tuesday/Sunday nights) and that we would communicate via a Facebook group online.  We thought of Executive Board positions and each of their responsibilities. We also agreed that one of those positions should be a Social Chair and that each member would be required to attend at least one "social" event like dinner after practice, karaoke, etc.  We all started to become friends and I began viewing these people less as "acapella people" and more as friends I would hang out with on the weekend.

Storming
Now comes the storming.  Actually, sometimes I think we randomly go through the storming process and that it isn't just a one time thing.  Especially with a new student organization.  There's a HUGE learning curve.  It started to become clear at the end of last year that there was a divide in the vision and purpose of the group.  Some were in it for the soul purpose of singing and having fun, while others wanted to become a competitive group.  It was, like the book said, that awkward elephant in the room.  Some would chat during practice while other members would continually be hushing the others and telling them to focus.  There was just a disconnect between people.  It all eventually mounted when our President quit the group and decided this wasn't what he wanted.  This was a really big deal because up until a few months before that, this group was the apple of our President's eye.  It was a shocker and nobody really knew where to go.  It was clear there were a lot of issues to discuss so we eventually had a group meeting to discuss issues people may have, coping, etc.  Times of trial are where I think people truly show their role in a group and this time was no exception.  We had plenty of opinion givers (maybe too many?), a blocker, and a few others trying to bring everyone together as summarizers and mediators (227).  It was a tense night, but it was necessary for our group.  For months, we had been carrying on as if we had no issues but it took an influential member leaving to make us really take notice of the situation.

Norming
Since the storming incident, our group has fallen into a fairly comfortable norming routine.  Each practice starts about 5-10mins after the actual time so people can say hello and catch up.  We end each Sunday practice  a few minutes late so everyone and the group can say a Happy/Crappy about their week.  Expectations have been set for group members to respond to emails and gig information in a timely manner.  We also usually begin each rehearsal with important news such as gigs coming up, new songs, and more.  This helps to get everyone in the right mindset.

Performing
Performing is what we do, literally.  We have started goal setting in our group, but not to the point of SMART goals (I'll be honest- it kind of drives me nuts. The J in me coming out).   We try to do as many gigs as possible and these are often every refreshing for us.  Sometimes, rehearsing and spending so much time together can make everyone a little crazy but performing for others is what we love to do.  It helps us to remember why we started in the first place and how much farther we have to go.  I fully expect to go through these stages again, probably more towards the beginning of nest year, as the group decides whether we want to compete in a national competition or not.  While it is uncomfortable at times, ultimately it is healthier for the group and helps us to move on and accomplish goals, whatever those may be.

                                                     Performing for President Gee- Yay!

I haven't known a group to dissolve itself.  It just seems like something people don't want to do because it is admitting that you (or the group) has lost sight of the vision and there is no way to recover.  Dissolving is kind of like admitting failure and people don't really want to do that.  I don't know if I can think of any specific groups that should completely dissolve because I feel like with proper intervention, there are still ways for them to get back to their roots.  It will take lots of work, maybe a few awkward discussions, and evaluations of the organization but it is possible.  I know that I personally would have trouble dissolving a group just because of personal ties that I may have formed with the people in the group and the group itself.  It is a hard thing to admit that you have let something get so far away from you that the only solution is to start over. 

Getting to Know You

My Jung typology is ENFJ- Extroverted, iNtuitive , Feeling, and Judging.  This combination is me to the tee. As an extrovert, I get my energy from people and thrive in social situations.  I have always been an active participant in groups and a social butterfly when I am out with friends.  I love to talk to people and form relationships.  I like to help people reach their full potential and make deeper connections, rather than just surface talk.  Something that plays into my sociability when taking into consideration my NFJ is that I also need time alone.  While I get my energy from others, I tend to overwhelm myself with commitments and responsibilities.  I  always need time to recharge my batteries alone so I can keep up with myself.

I thought it was funny reading in the book that only 25% of people lead with intuition rather than sensing, but for me that is the only way I really function.  I've always been someone who gets annoyed with strict rules and super rational people.  In my mind, the incredibly rational people are dry and not creative.  I am a big picture person who is constantly looking to improve myself, others, and everything around me.  Being stagnant isn't what I do.  While I do draw from past experiences sometimes, I think every situation is new and different and therefore, should be treated that way. 

Leading into my rant against rationality is the very obvious realization that I am an F.  I don't like thinking too much about things.  There's only so much my brain knows, but my gut feeling matters more.  Lending a hand to my E, my F enables me to make strong relationships and friends with people.  I have also been told many a time by many different people that I am too emotional.  I definitely take my feelings and emotions into consideration into decisions because I feel like I trust them more than my head.  Even though some may think that is crazy, I am just very passionate and care deeply about people and things.  So what if I shed a few tears in the process?!

My J is something I have definitely noticed over the past few years and it sometimes drives me nuts.  I'm the type of person that needs a deadline to get something done.  If I don't have a deadline, I literally will not do it or will wait months to complete a task.  Procrastinating at its finest.  I also HATE loose ends.  I like to end every meeting of mine with a recap just to make sure I have covered every point necessary.  I am very driven and ambitious, but like to think I am flexible as well which is kind of anti J. 

Altogether, my ENFJ is known as "The Giver."  I don't want to beat a dead horse because I'd be repeating basically everything above but if you want to learn more about it click here!

Talents/strengths:

I think one of my best talents is communicating with others, which is incredibly helpful in leadership positions.  Since I was little, I've been known as a talker.  I like to think since then, I have improved on communicating as a whole.  As a leader, I was great at talking but not always the best at listening. Talking + Listening= Communication.  Now, I like to consider both. Delivering a message is just as important as taking in what others have to say.  When you do both of these, you can truly communicate and get things done.  I also feel like I am very intuitive when it comes to picking up on non-verbal communication.  I can often sense when people are feeling off or situations are getting awkward.  I pride myself in being able to eloquently state opinions and facts, without offending others. 

Another talent I think I excel at is being a positive thinker.  I try to exude optimism and faith in myself and others.  I think positivity can only help a situation, while negativity can make it worse.  I've never been one to dwell on problems, but instead try to figure out how to make the best of it and look for the opportunities that will come of it.  This may play into my religious faith a little, but I truly think everything happens for a reason so you should one be negative and sad? Think of all the things in your life that have happened from situations that seemed hopeless at one time.  You wouldn't be who you are today.  That's my outlook and I try to spread that little bit of cheer to others!

                                                    This is the background on my computer :) Spreading the joy!

Relationships in Leadership

To me, the Relational Leadership Model is kind of a lot of "no-brainer" ideas put into shapes in a model.  The concept that ideas like empowerment and inclusivity add to the process and outcome of a leader are pretty general, but these can sometimes be hard to put into practice.  It is easy to say you are a leader.  It is pretty easy to acquire power from others.  But to become the type of leader that is action-oriented, respected, and relationship-based is not an easy feat.  I'm a few years older than most people in this class, but in a way it's a good thing because I have had two more years to reflect on my leadership styles and strengths, as well as how they've changed since I've come to college. And I've reflected a lot, trust me.

This first thing I connected strongly with in Chapter 3 were the components "knowing-being-doing."  These words not only take into account what is going on inside a leader's head, but how they interact with others.  Empowering is huge for me as a leader.  If you have a group who does not care about your cause or purpose how will you accomplish anything? I think it is important to support people, especially students, to be self-sufficient leaders.  By empowering them and letting them make mistakes, you are instilling a trust in the relationship that strengthens the effort towards the ultimate cause.  It is not enough for people to participate in the organizations I lead.  I want them to be actively participating, learning, and being leaders in their own right.  That way, when the day comes for me to graduate I know I have 5 student leaders who are skilled in critical thinking, relationship developing, and communicating.

Like I said earlier, I have reflected a lot on my leadership tendencies over the past few years.  I try my best at it, but something I struggle with in the Relational Leadership Model is Inclusiveness.  It can be hard when you have been in an organization for years and then new people come in who are different from your old friends.  I will admit to not always being the most warm and welcoming person but the change is sometimes uncomfortable.  What I have known for years has evolved into something different and I sometimes struggle with embracing that.  I'm not terrible by any means, but it is definitely something I think about and have to work on actively.

I have met and seen lots of leaders in my life but my favorite one and the one I looked up to the most was a friend of mine who graduated.  This girl was the epitomy of a Relational Leader.  Her relationships with others were what made her such a unique leader in the midst of all the selfishness in the world.  She worked towards a cause and inspired others to go with her. She did not stoop down to others levels, but challenged her followers to rise up to the challenges that they would face.  She helped form me into the leader I am today.  She wasn't the loudest person in the room, nor the smartest.  But she listened, thought carefully, and cared deeply about the  people she worked with.  There was a mutual respect and nobody wanted to let her down.  When I am leading a group, I try to channel her actions so I can better myself.  I hope that after I graduate college, I can lave a mark like that on someone else.  By creating relationships in student orgs, you are deepening the connections between people and in turn, strengthening your organization.