Reflection on meeting 1

On February 9th, Tuesday, my group C05D conducted our first CG1102 project group meeting. We only received details regarding our project the day before, but due to the fact that both my team members had to return to their respective countries for the festive season, we had no choice but to conduct the meeting/video recording in advance.

On Monday when we first received our project details, we immediately arranged to meet each other on the same night to discuss about the agenda for our first meeting. After being clear of which direction the meeting was going to be heading, each of us were assigned parts to prepare for the meeting. We realized that we would only have the chance to meet up once before the actual presentation. Hence we knew that we had to be as productive as possible, and hopefully come up with a solid plan by the end of the meeting.

After a grueling 7 hours of lesson on Tuesday which ended at 6pm, my group had a quick dinner together and headed down to COM1 basement to conduct our meeting cum video recording. Even though all of us were tired from the long day, we did not let it affect the atmosphere of the meeting. We still tried to keep the whole meeting light-hearted, while keeping to the agenda of the meeting.

The meeting began with each of us sharing the parts which we were assigned to prepare for. As one person is sharing, the other 2 members are to ask questions if they have any doubts or queries, and also, to give suggestions on how to improve the idea. This is when i realized that trying to send across your own idea to some one else, is not that simple after all. One plus point that i felt the entire group managed to do is how we can break down our complex idea into simple words and instructions, so that the listener can internalize it quickly and easily.

The next section of the meeting began with us discussing more in-depth about each part of the tasks we were assigned. This is the part when we had some problems in agreeing on which method to approach the problem. But nonetheless, the whole atmosphere was still pretty much happy and we were able to resolve any disagreements with logic instead of emotions. When a group is unable to decide on a particular solution to take, it is always important to not to give in into your emotions and flare up. Always take a step back, analyze the situation, accept the advantages of other people's idea, while at the same time presenting the advantages of your own idea clearly and concisely. Finally at the end, weigh the pros and cons of each solution to come up with the best solution.

Before ending off the meeting, we assigned new tasks to each of us based on our specialties and also, decided on the deadlines of when to complete these tasks. Knowing that the festive season is right around the corner, we agreed that our first deadline would be after the Chinese New Year. Such accommodations is especially important when working with group members of different ethnicity. Lastly, we decided on a date to meet after they return to Singapore to tie up any loose ends.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts

We may not realize it, but conflicts between people has been present since the start of mankind. Indeed, we have progressed tremendously since then, but interpersonal conflicts still exists as a problem in every era and every society to date. But are these conflicts necessarily negative? No doubt in many cases, conflicts result in resentment, or hostility between the parties involved. But if handled properly, it could lead to a better mutual understanding and even improve interpersonal relationships.

There are many ways of approaching interpersonal relationships. For example, some may choose to indulge in denial, and refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem. Though this method may be appropriate at times, more often than not, it only leaves the problem untouched, with the potential of leading to further tension and conflict. Another common way of dealing with conflicts is when anger comes in. People tend to confuse anger with conflict, when in fact, the two are very much different entities. Trying to solve conflicts with anger is like adding fuel to fire. The only purpose anger serves is to amplify the problem, resulting in even more friction between the parties.

So, what is the ‘correct’ way to resolve conflicts? To be honest, there is no one fixed solution to all conflicts, but however, there are some universal steps that can be taken to at least approach conflicts in the right direction, to minimize the chances of the conflict going out of control.

Step 1:

To begin, parties involved must view the conflict that is to be solved mutually, and actively participate in the discussion to come up with a compromise that is as fair as possible for the parties involved.

Step 2:

During the actual discussion to resolve the conflict, it is important to stay composed, and view the whole situation objectively. Do not be too caught up with immediate self interests and disregard the position of the other party.

Step 3:

Lastly, always stay positive and look at the big picture. The issue at hand might or might not be worth damaging the relationship. Hence, sometimes there may be advantages in being gracious and taking a step back.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and that is every bit true when it comes to interpersonal relationships. This is where effective communication skills would play a part. Being able to relate to others, and understanding them, would enable you to make appropriate changes to your words or actions before they become a source of conflict.

To end off, i would say that knowing how to resolve interpersonal conflicts is definitely a plus point in any field of work, enabling us to work harmoniously with our peers and friends.