CHAPTER ACTIVITIES

Adopting a Success Attitude

ENSURING A POSITIVE GROUP WORK EXPERIENCE

As you think about working with your classmates on a group project, what’s your initial reaction? If it’s worry, dread, or annoyance, you may have had a negative experience working with others in the past, or you may be anticipating conflict over differences in group members’ learning preferences. You can use your knowledge of the MBTI to make your future group-work experiences positive and productive.

Imagine you’ve been assigned to work in a group, and your task is to determine whether college athletes should be paid for playing their sport. The group has to research each position in the debate and put together a presentation in which you argue for one side or the other. Respond to the following scenarios:

  1. Question 4.11

    You don’t know anyone in the group. What could you do to get to know your group members and feel more comfortable working with them?

  2. Question 4.12

    The group has four Extraverts and four Introverts. How could you ensure that everyone has a voice in the group process?

  3. Question 4.13

    The group has four Sensing and four Intuitive people. How could you best use everyone’s strengths in doing the research and writing the presentation?

  4. Question 4.14

    The four Thinkers in the group disagree with the four Feelers as to whether college athletes should be paid. The group needs to choose one position. What do you say to your fellow group members? How do you make a decision that will make the greatest number of people happy?

  5. Question 4.15

    The four Judgers want the group to create a plan for meeting, distributing tasks, and setting deadlines. Three of the Perceivers aren’t comfortable with so much structure. Although you’re a Perceiver, you see the benefits of creating a plan. What can you say to the other Perceivers to help them understand these benefits?

  6. Question 4.16

    The group creates a plan for managing the tasks involved in this assignment. At the next meeting, two students arrive without having completed their assigned tasks. Those who completed their tasks are angry. How do you bring the group together and refocus everyone’s attention on the goal?

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