Assignment Task:
Recall the guidelines for how to utilize description in order to avoid triggering defensiveness in others:
Describe behaviors, not perceived character flaws.
"Let's be on time." vs. "You're lazy."
Make your descriptions specific, not vague.
"I feel awkward and embarrassed when you tell jokes at our meetings that ridicule women." vs. "I feel weird when you act inappropriately around my boss."
Eliminate editorial comments from descriptive statements.
Some I-statements are undisguised personal assaults. Ex. "I feel ashamed when you act like an idiot in front of my team"
Avoid the provocative, loaded language.
Then, use Description and "I" statements to devise your communication to your group members in the following hypothetical scenarios. Write out a mini paragraph of (~5 sentences per scenario) that represents what you would actually say in these situations:
- Scenario 1 - Your group member Mark is in a bad mood because of something that happened before the group meeting and is projecting their negativity onto group members. He is irritable, snaps easily, and is generally short with group members. Some members are intimidated by him and don't want to approach him for ideas anymore.
- Scenario 2 - Two of your group members, Elaine and Roy, are best friends. Initially, their friendship seemed to make the group vibe positive and fun because they would joke around with each other and dissolve the primary tension that surfaced in the storming phase. But as the group transitions into the performing phase, members feel that their friendship is affecting the quality of work. They are still constantly joking around, talking about their mutual friends at times during group meetings. Members feel both isolated and annoyed at the halting of their progress.
- Scenario 3 - One of your group members, Tom, is responsible for the write up portion of the group project. You are his peer reviewer and must provide him with feedback. Unfortunately, after reading his work, you feel that his writing is sub-par and that it doesn't display critical thinking. If you submit it as is, you're sure that you will get a B or C on the project. You have a lot of corrections for him, but you don't want to hurt his feelings.