One part I really liked and know a lot about is competition in small groups. I think in any small group or team friendly competition is a good thing. It is natural for us to want to be the best and get done first so in a group setting having a little fun with who can solve a conflict first would be beneficial. The book talks about how completion is good when trying to assign leadership role and I agree. When you put people up against each other they are going to do whatever they can to get it. An example is on my cheer team when we went to camp all 5 stunt groups had a challenge. We started with a basic stunt and tried to see who could come up with the craziest twist on the original stunt. With every group that went the one after tried to challenge themselves to be better than the last. With competition group members can see how people deal with pressure and quick thinking decisions. By challenging one and other a group can improve on themselves as well as the whole.
I agree that competition is vital in small groups. Not just among different groups but within groups as well. Competition usually spurs creativity, and that is important for leadership roles as you mentioned. If something is up for grabs, like leadership in a newly formed group, then you want it to be competitive and you want the best man to win, kind of like a group Darwinism. I liked your example as well - challenging groups to do better and one up ultimately leads to better success and better group dynamics, and it improves everything. If all your cheer squads break off into separate groups and challenge each other, then as a whole cheer team you guys will ultimately be more bonded and stronger when you compete together instead of just each other.
ReplyDeleteI agree I chose to write about competition as well this concept seems to be the most popular one in the chapter your the second person i commented on regarding competition . I agree everyone wants to be the best and finish first it makes a person feel good about themselves. It also keeps things interesting in a group because working on projects and papers and things of that nature can get really boring after a while. With a little competition a group might come up with some ideas that can keep everyone focused and interested in the task that they need to complete.
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