Week 8 - Bittersweet Farewell

These past eight weeks I have learned so much regarding communication, and I believe that I have become a better communicator in all aspects of my life.  I would like to take this time to thank all of my colleagues for all of their feedback this course, I learned so much through these connections.  Best of luck to all with your endeavors, both professional and personal.  Furthermore, I would like to thank Dr. Parrish for the feedback and support she has extended during this course, it has been truly a pleasure to have you as professor once again.

Bittersweet farewells to all

Karen Thompson
Edukater2007@aol.com

Adjourning Groups

I have been involved in many different types of groups, professional as well as personal.  I feel that all groups, when they work well together, are bittersweet when they come to an end.  When you have a group that struggles and then comes together beautifully, it’s hard to see it end.    Likewise, a group that meshes from the onset and runs like a machine is hard to leave as well.  When a group is productive, no matter what the process or outcome, the end should be a time for celebration and reflection. 

The hardest group adjournment that I was involved in was a group of parents who were rallying to keep a program in my child’s elementary school.  The funding was cut and we hated to see the program be cut, so we formed a group to try and change the inevitable.  We worked together beautifully, with a few minor disagreements which actually grew our bond even more.  After almost a year of accomplishments, we were still unable to keep the program alive, however the fight was definitely worth it. 

Upon the close of this group, we gathered for one last time and celebrated our labor of love and recognized each other for our hard work.  While we were not really successful in keeping the program, we built some lasting friendships and had a great group experience.  Our last meeting was at a member’s home, and was a relaxed environment with good conversation and a few tears. 

I feel that different groups end differently.  Sometimes professional groups I have been involved in just ended without warning, one day we were there, the next day we were done.  These types of ending are the most painstaking because I feel as though all my hard work and dedication was completely invalidated.

As this group of academic colleagues come to an end, I feel that some of us may continue to network and just share a common bond as educators.  I, for one, find that having colleagues from different areas and walks of life makes for a great information resource and a different set of eyes or ears.  I am confident that I will have some lasting contact with some of my Walden colleagues for many years to come.

Strategies to Avoid Conflict

Avoiding confrontation and negative communication has been something that has come pretty natural. One strategy I use often is to listen and compromise.  When I feel that my view differed from another's, I am always sure to listen to the view of the other, and then try and compromise.  This seems to work on numerous occasions.  The second strategy I use is what I call "keep my composure and never be afraid to walk away".  My mother instilled this strategy at an early age.  She always said stay true to who you are and when you feel as though your comfort zone may be breeched, walk away and try again later.  

These two strategies (if one would like to call them this) have served me well for 40 years.  While I have had some "healthy debates" over the years, I really cannot say that I have had any highly negative misunderstandings.  I am easy going by nature and always tend to think positively and try and take the role of the other when presented.