SAMMPLE OUTLINE – PERSONAL PROJECT
THESIS: Regardless of the type of group I am in, it is possible for me to have positive communication
through effective listening, helping the team to set goals in order to meet group objectives, and
recognizing and managing conflict when it occurs.
Introduction:
Like most of you, I used to hate working in groups. People would flake; people would whine;
people would disappear. I felt like I usually ended up doing most of the work, which I resented. I
now realize that such does not have to be the case and that I can have a positive influence on what
happens, how it happens, and how it feels to be in the group. They can actually be productive and
even fun!
Outline:
I.
I have been in groups where the communication was effective and in others where
wasn’t.
A. My present job calls for working in a team, and our communication is great.
B. A group project last quarter was plagued with problems.
II.
Effective listening in a group promotes effective and productive communication.
A. There are four types of different listening styles.
1. There are Action-oriented listeners.
2. There are people-centered listeners, which is my style.
3. There are time-centered listeners.
4. There are content-oriented listeners. (MINDTOOLS)
B. There are also four barriers to effective listening that I realize I sometimes do.
1. Pseudo-listening is hurtful and misleading.
2. Egocentric listening is off-putting and annoying.
3. Sabotage listening is disrespectful and promotes defensiveness in others.
4. Prejudicial listening is biased and demeaning!
C. One can develop and manage her/his listening skills. (ELLIS)
III.
I need to remember to help the team set short and long term goals.
A. It is very helpful to determine long-terms objectives and a plan of action.
B. Setting short-term goals and periodically assessing them is also productive.
C. It is essential to remember to evaluate if the plan of action is working.
1. If it is, keep at it!
2. If it isn’t, re-work the plan
IV.
I need to also remember that conflict is normal and inevitable and can produce
ideas/courses of action if it is recognized and managed appropriately.
A. In the group last quarter I now realize that there were three types of conflict.
1. There was pseudo-conflict.
2. There was ego-conflict.
3. There was simple conflict.
B. Groupthink was also happening, and it contributed to hindering our group’s
productivity and the end result. (GUIDE TO GROUP COMMUNICATION)
C. This group really could have benefitted from employing conflict management
tools.
Conclusion:
I now understand that I am a very “people-centered” listener, which really helps others in
my team at work feel validated and respected. When people feel that way, they are more likely to
want to be involved in the group and willingly work toward a successful outcome. My team at work
has received written commendations from the regional manager, which we all feel very good about.
I also now see that I contributed to the lack of success in last quarter’s group by prejudging
two of the group members, by not being assertive in expressing my ideas and concerns to the group
as they arose, and by not helping the group set up meeting-by-meeting goals to be accomplished.
Endnotes:
“How
to
Help
Create
an
Effective
(http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS.85.htm)
Task
Group.”
Mindtools.
Ellis, Phillip.
“How to Effectively Communicate in a Group.”
Yahoo News Network.
(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1503833/how_to_effectively_communicate_in_a_group_
pg3.html?cat=15)
O’Hair & Wiemann. The Essential Guide to Group Communication (Boston/New York, 2004), pp. 1718, p. 27