Working with Others
Working with others involves collaborating with a group of people and establishing roles for each person so that an effective outcome can be reached. However, other than carrying out responsibilities, an effective team player is honest and communicates effectively so that each person involved is well informed. When working with others, I believe it is also very important to be encouraging and optimistic to promote the team’s spirit and help others out when in need.
My Experience:
I have worked on numerous teams in many different scenarios including recreational, organizational, or school related. Until my time at Texas A&M, I was always the given leader of my teams, as everyone I worked with generally liked and followed my ideas; therefore, I never had to deal with any major conflict. However, my freshman year I was in a leadership organization called PREP, which focused on helping freshmen develop socially and professionally. As a member of the human resources committee, my primary role was to plan our “Big-Little” hangouts. Although I was responsible for planning, scheduling, and executing the hangouts, my committee helped me brainstorm different ideas. During one meeting, I had the idea to have a paint war. Everyone liked the idea, except for Nicole; she called it lame and said that nobody would come since it would be too messy and gross. Someone else then suggested having a scavenger hunt, which she also rejected by saying it was too childish. Nicole continuously rejected our committee’s ideas in an exceptionally rude manner. My frustration was beginning to show, along with the other committee members. The tension was growing, causing the situation to become rather uncomfortable, so we decided to postpone the hangout. Although I was extremely angry at Nicole for our pessimistic attitude, I reached out to her after the meeting to see if everything was okay. By doing so, I discovered that within this past week her boyfriend broke-up with her, her great grandmother passed away, and she failed her calculus test. I gave her a hug and she immediately broke down in my arms, apologized for her attitude, and thanked me for being a good friend.
What I Learned:
From this situation, I learned the importance of not being judgmental, as you do not always know what other people are going through. Even though someone may offend you, it is important to not reciprocate a negative attitude and resolve any outstanding conflict. I have learned to embrace my strengths when working with others and provide positive encouragement and help. I work with others everyday and will continue to throughout my life, both socially and professionally. Therefore, by providing positive encouragement and honesty, I can be an effective member that helps our team reach a successful outcome.