Reflection On My Classroom Group Development In Radiologic Science Program

When reflecting on the material I have obtained from this course thus far, I have developed a much better understanding, attitude, and perspective towards group development and its importance in building a strong interprofessional team. As society is becoming more complex, the need for individuals coming together to solve problems and concerns within the workplace is growing tremendously. The thought of a single person acquiring skills and contributing effectively to their workplace without interacting with their fellow colleagues is no longer practical, especially in settings such as healthcare. Due to this complexity, the ability to work as a team is becoming a necessity for most careers, as well as to ensure the stability of the society that we live in.

In order to form interprofessional relationships and facilitate certain tasks to achieve positive outcomes, it is essential for an individual to be able to differentiate between a group and a team. Since work in today’s society is interchangeable and continues to become complex, a team-based approach is at a much higher demand when working in situations that require teamwork. By understanding the various aspects of group dynamics that may be encountered when working with others, an individual can gain a true essence of what it means to be a part of a team which can ultimately motivate them to form effective relationships and leadership qualities within the workplace. When taking this information into consideration, it can be applied to my own personal development and relations with others within my classroom group experiences. For instance, I am currently enrolled in my first semester in the Radiography program in which our class consists of thirty-three individuals, each of different personalities and social characteristics. Coming into the program, our expectations were uncertain as we were sitting beside total strangers while our minds were retaining a large amount of new information.

Over the past month, however, we have each quickly adapted to one another in which we have formed certain roles, norms, and relationships within our classroom and clinical sites. Within any group, individuals tend to take on a variety of roles and responsibilities which plays a vital part in how a group operates and performs in a successful manner. At first, our class was unsure of which roles to adopt, but as time has passed, we have each assumed different roles based on our personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. By taking on these roles within the classroom, it has provided our class with a supportive foundation that has allowed us to form effective leadership and communication skills. Being placed in this group environment has resulted in myself pursuing certain roles when contributing to my classroom group assignments. Belbin’s model of team roles serves as a reliable component when group members begin to assume roles. This model consists of nine roles being categorized into three groups which include: Action oriented, people oriented, and thought oriented. I have noticed that when being placed into group environments, I tend to take on roles pertaining to both action and people oriented. When assuming action oriented roles, I would consider myself a completer/finisher since most of my peers would say that I am a “perfectionist” who strives to complete tasks in an efficient manner. When things do not go the way that I intended them to, I incline to worry.

In addition to taking on this role, I also assume the team worker role under Belbin’s people oriented category since I enjoy working, communicating, and learning with others. Overtime, it has become much easier for me to take on these specific roles due to my awareness of my interpersonal strengths and weaknesses. Within these group settings, there have been several group norms that have been established. For example, there are a certain set of rules that we must abide by that have been enforced by our professors and clinical instructors. These rules are listed in our program’s handbook which include: exhibiting a positive and professional attitude, being respectful towards instructors and classmates, being on time and prepared for both class and clinical, following the clinical dress code and social media policy, etc.

Because of these strict regulations, it is expected from one another to behave in an appropriate manner as it has been brought to our attention that violating any of the rules may result in disciplinary action or possible dismissal from the program. When reflecting on our progress as an overall group, Tuckman’s model can be used to portray how our class has worked together to overcome each of the developmental stages that take place within a group environment. These stages describe the developmental process that teams undergo as members form bonds and learn to work together in an effective manner. Tuckman’s stages of group development can be defined in which the forming stage is considered the first phase of team building where group members are uncertain of their expectations and which roles to take on but make an effort to learn about one another. The next stage is storming where members tend to become frustrated with another’s approach, leading to conflict over different personalities and working styles. In the norming stage, members resolve their differences by building on one another’s strengths and work styles. Lastly, the performing stage is reached when team members come together and achieve the group’s goals without experiencing any conflict. Since groups have a major influence on the effectiveness of an organization, building an effective team is a necessity for creating a strong work environment. Our first initial meeting represented the forming stage as we were all trying to be polite by introducing ourselves and asking questions to get to know one another.

At this stage, different relationships and communication patterns were starting to form. During the third week of the program, we were placed into separate groups to complete a group assignment in which a few of us had overheard conflict taking place within one group in particular. This group represented the storming stage as one girl was not satisfied with the other assigning a role to her that she was not comfortable with. However, the two were able to resolve this issue in the norming stage by making a few adjustments and assisting one another in areas that they struggled with. We have also experienced the norming stage as a whole since we have become more open to each other’s ideas which has overall lead us to performing as an efficient team. By applying what we have learned in the classroom to our clinical settings, we are able to perform effectively as both individuals and team players.

At clinical, each of us are aware of what is expected of us and we continue to work together towards certain goals which has ultimately created a much clearer cooperation and friendly atmosphere. It is important for us as students to communicate with the technologists at our clinical sites as well as with one another in order to accomplish our goals. For example, we are required to perform a total of ten mandatory competency exams per semester under the supervision of a technologist. When performing these exams on patients in the hospital, becoming an active listener to feedback and constructive criticism from the technologists is crucial to our learning. When achieving these competencies, it is helpful for us to encourage and look out for our classmates along the way.

In doing so, we have created much stronger bonds and relationships with each other that will be beneficial as we move forward in the program. ​In conclusion, after considering this material and identifying the crucial elements that make up a successful team, my perspective on group development has changed for the better. From my personal experiences of being placed into groups, I am now aware of the importance of teamwork and the major impact it has on completing high quality tasks and achieving group goals. When taking it all into perspective, I realize that pursuing a career in the radiology field will require working closely with individuals who possess different personality traits and working styles. Overall, the knowledge I have obtained thus far in the semester can be carried on as a move forward and interact with others in future experiences.