Day 4
Today, we arranged a focus group discussion with a group of CMU students. However, due to a lack of time in our schedule, our group discussion was cancelled. The issue was that this was done without our knowledge, and this lack of communication allowed us little time to make changes to our plans.
I am at a loss of what to do, and I think my group mates feel the same way. We have 1 day left to complete what we have to do, and we are really feeling the pressure. Brooding over what has happened isn’t the way to go, but we can’t help but feel upset and disappointed at what happened.
I recognise that the most important thing to do is to focus on solving the problem. And it is important to focus on the intention that people had, rather than the actual result or consequence. Accidents happen, everyone makes mistakes, and we need to have patience and be forgiving when they happen.
When working with others, we have to give each other space to manoeuvre in completing our tasks. If we want our group members to be proactive in making contributions, we have to encourage and “reward” proactiveness by expressing approval. This includes being forgiving of mistakes, and not “punishing” with strong negative reactions when things go wrong.
It is always best to move on from the initial disappointment and negative feelings to being pragmatic and thinking of ways to solve the problem at hand. Yet it is only natural to have these feelings. I think that this experience has helped me learn to put aside these emotions, and I think that the next time a similar situation comes my way, I will be better equipped to react in a good and constructive manner.
Jue Ying Choo • January 25, 2016