Decision Making
Decision making entails the choosing of a viable among alternative among a given set of choices. Due to time and resource constraints, in our team, we opted for the administrative model of decision making. As such we were not mainly concerned with optimizing the process of assisting faculty and community members build vegetable and fruit projects, but instead ensuring we were able to support them only. Consequently, we were able to complete the project by the stipulated deadline. Although the quality was okay, we still felt much could be done if perhaps we could have opted for optimal decisions criteria instead of the minimal decision criteria. Our decision-making process entailed identifying a particular problem then collectively working together to identify the solution. The first solution that was identified and all members believed it could solve our problem was chosen. Our planning process entailed identification of the problem, defining the problem, gathering of information, development of alternative solutions, selection of the best alternative, implementation of the alternative and evaluation of the outcomes.
Eliciting Creativity in Decision Making
To elicit creativity among the members in the decision-making process, we employed the brainstorming technique. However, the brainstorming process was limited in that only a random sample of the team was allowed to identify solutions to the problems creatively. As earlier mentioned we were bound by time and resource constraints. Therefore, it was impractical allowing every member to come up with a solution. Due to the reduced complexity of our project, the levels of groupthink were a bit low, however, due to the administrative model adopted, some of the members failed to contribute to the project. Overall this led to a situation where some felt that the project was not done in the best possible way. Our strengths lie in the close-knit unit we had since we were course mates. The team members perceived the help from the faculty members and the instructors as an opportunity. Our main weakness was the fact that we operated from different homes, and as such the means of communication were not effective. The inadequacy of resources and the minimal level of resources was a threat to the project. Our primary strategy was joint teamwork. Each problem was solved by all members collectively. There were no divisions.
Team Influence and Leadership
Due to the close ties shared by members of our team (the majority were friends), it was easier for the members to influence each other on taking the appropriate course of action. Again, by having a common shared goal of building the fruit and vegetable and fruits bed, all the members were influenced by a uniform collective force towards the achievement of the group objectives. There were also some of the members of the team who were respected by other team members due to their charismatic nature, and as such, they were able to lobby for other team members efforts towards the achievement of the goals. Due to the leadership and influence on each other, we were able to finish our project successfully before even the set deadline. Although all members of the team were equal, one member seemed to be above the rest and would use his influence in guiding the other members. His source of power and authority was his charismatic nature. The inspiring style of control was prevalent in the team due to common shared purpose and goal. All the team members would inspire each other towards the completion of the project. Emotional intelligence played a crucial part in the project since all the team members relied on the motivation aspect of emotional intelligence to rally the other members towards the achievement of the groups' purpose and objective.
