Discovery Wheel & Multiple Intelligences Essay

While evaluating the data from the discovery wheel, it was noted that for the most part all of the team fell into the same range. Most of the team appeared to score above average in all of the categories on the discovery wheel. All six of us scored high in attitude and purpose and all six of us scored low in tests and time. Money was split. For three of the members it was in the top half of the list and was in the bottom half for the other three. Communication, diversity, and memory are in the top half for two team members and in the bottom half for four members. Reading, notes, and health were in the top half for four members and in the bottom half for two members. We all have a great attitude and know our purpose in life but we all have little time and hate taking tests. After seeing the results for all six of us combined, we all have some the same great qualities and each has their own unique qualities to share which makes the six of us one great team. The information on intelligence shows that the group learns through a variety of methods. Some of these methods are interpersonal, mathematical/logical, bodily/kinesthetic, visual/spatial, rhythmic, and intrapersonal. This data shows that the group is a diverse group of people, whereas the discovery wheel shows that the team is relatively in tune and has close to the same score in all areas. Advantages/Challenges of Diversity A successful diverse team can be achieved by bringing people of varying walks of life and geographic areas together so we can blend ideas and experiences to make an interesting and intriguing final product. Every person is different and brings inherent talents to a team. People are from different places and believe different things. People have different opinions and thoughts on numerous issues. These different ways of thinking can often create conflict in a situation. We believe that individual diversity can create different points of view, both culturally and environmentally, that can be utilized to make a much better and more creative final product for the team. The blending of different learning styles can lead to some amazing discoveries and help a group to think outside of the box. If everyone thought the same and had the same strengths, then nothing new or exciting would be accomplished. As long as the eveloping team can agree and establish good rules for communication and conflict management, determine a team leader, and be able to respect and accept constructive criticism from each other, the end result of the team should be an amazing collaboration of ideas. Cultural issues are another challenge of diversity that can affect team interactions through a different understanding of communication. Culture and life experiences have a great influence on how individuals react to feedback. Age creates the potential for communication problems based on different levels of experience and for prejudicial treatment based on age. Gender can also bring different opinions and perspectives that can often lead to problems. Affects of Diversity, Attitude, Learning, and Work Attitude is the key to any team building. Let’s say that a person on a team has a rotten attitude about an assignment, he or she will not be willing to be a team player and complete the task they are supposed to do. If they do their part with a bad attitude, it will not be done properly. However, if everyone in a group has a good attitude and is enthusiastic about an assignment, we will all pass with flying colors. Diversity is very important in a group effort. We all have different points of view. If we have a whole group from different backgrounds, then we can teach each other different ways to look at the world. Sometimes this can cause problems among the group. We don’t always see eye to eye. Having an open mind is very crucial in teamwork. A person with a different outlook on life will have opinions about someone else’s work that they may or may not like. Being open to criticism will help each of us along the way in the journey to our future. The discovery wheel was very beneficial. It helped us learn that we all have different learning and work styles. Some of us are better at researching while others are better and constructive and fluent papers. Working in a team brings out the best of these in all of us. It is constructive when an assignment requires each of us to do a part. When we all do the part that we are best at, we can’t possibly go wrong. Career Interest Profiler and Competencies The results from the Career Interest Profiler show that Team B is Conventional and Enterprising. Out of the three that were listed, Conventional and Enterprising were amongst the list for all team members. The results also showed that two were Investigative, two were Social, and two were Realistic. Team B likes to work with data and details more than ideas. We prefer having a chain of command in place. Enterprising means we like to lead people and are usually the decision makers. With that being said, we move along to the Competencies results and it was no surprise what answers took the top three. All members of Team B take initiative, can cope with pressure, and follow instructions. The team is comprised of people that can research, write, strategize, and deliver results. Half of the team is goal focused and the other half is innovating. Although the competencies are similar amongst the group, each person has their own unique competencies they bring to the table to help make the best team possible. No two team members has the exact same results but it was good to see out of six team members, all six of us had a lot in common. Using Knowledge for Improvement As we come together as a learning team and begin to develop strategies for completing assignments, having the knowledge gained from experiences like the Career Interest Profiler and Career Plan Building Competencies will be very valuable. For the individual, the results can give us confidence in our strengths as we accept assignments and responsibilities within the learning team, as well as knowing the areas where we may need assistance by other team members. This is the first step in becoming a productive team member. That knowledge is then extended to the learning team and we begin to see the value in each individual. The hope is that the combined competencies and varied interests of the group will overcome any weakness we have as individuals. Even more than just overcoming weaknesses as a team, we can also use the strengths of each member to teach, learn, and grow as individuals, which will impact the quality and performance of the team. Each project we take on as a team will require different skills, learning processes, thought processes, and levels of creativity and innovation, which is the basis for developing teams. The more we understand about ourselves and each other, the more cohesive the learning team will become which will lead to better overall performance. Obstacles from Ethical Perspectives While different ethical perspectives provide the team with diverse strengths, weaknesses also exist. Obstacles may arise from these weaknesses and diversity among the team members. Since team members may be driven by different ethics, the inability for members to understand each other’s motivation may become prevalent. While one team member may be motivated by long term results and successes, another may be driven by what is happening immediately, in the here and now. Along with motivation, differences in priorities between ethical perspectives may arise. There may be several members on the team whose priority primarily involves themselves as an individual while other team members may be driven by what is a priority for the team as a whole or the community in which they are a part. Different ethical perspectives also rely on different tools to solve complex problems. Since team members may rely on different tools, there could be conflict about the best way for the team as a whole to resolve an issue or solve a complex problem. Each ethical lens uses a different process to determine the right action. This different use of processes could be perceived as an obstacle. Ethical perspective also determines how team members interact with each other since each different ethical perspective operates under a different set of values. The differences in values can create huge conflicts between team members. These conflicts can inhibit a team’s ability to be effective in working together, agreeing on the right course of action, and ultimately, the team’s overall success. By understanding their own individual ethical perspectives and those of their team members, the team can mitigate or overcome obstacles that arise. Using Factors to Resolve Conflicts Just as diversity, attitude, learning and work styles, and ethical perspective of the learning team members are applied to collaborative assignments, they can be applied to conflict resolution. We all have different ideas of what conflict is. To some a misunderstanding or comment might appear very serious, when another team member doesn’t even notice it at all. These factors also allow us to draw on each other’s strengths when there is conflict present. One team member may be extremely goal and results driven and can help resolve a conflict by bringing other team members back to being focused on completing the task at hand. Another team member may be focused on enhancing relationships and be able to soothe the tension and pressure created by the conflict. Understanding our differences can be used to create a positive environment just as they are used to create negativity during a conflict. Ethical perspective can help each of us remember how the other team member views the world and will help â€Å"bring the person around† when there is conflict. By understanding and accentuating that all of these things make us individuals and having individuals on the team working together, makes the team successful and conflicts can be resolved.