Group Dynamics

During the internship program at Charter, we have been split up into five groups of five and we are tasked with solving a problem that we decide upon within the company. My group meets between 1 to 3 times a week, and we talk about the company, what we have learned, and any issues we have found as we go, as well as possible solutions. We have recently decided upon a final project idea and have since been working on a presentation that will be given on our second to last day of work to all of our supervisors and c suite level executives as well. Since we are all working in such close quarters so frequently, we have had to get to know each other and the way that we work together well. We have to know each other weaknesses and understand how one another works and the best way to be spoken to.

Prototypically is a combination between what is average or typical and what is best or ideal in a work space. Within the Charter Communications company, a prototypical worker in the space is detail oriented, driven, smart, and knows how to communicate effectively with those who they are working with. They are well informed about the company, and I would say that they are more often than not, a older male seeing as how many of the employees at the company fit this bill. A prototypical leader in this company embodies their stories and is personable, and makes sure that they are constantly coming up with new ideas to improve the company. 

As we have learned in Theories and Models, when there is an issue within a group, the most prototypical of the bunch tends to rise above the others and prove to have the strongest leadership abilities and characteristics. I have found this to be extremely true. In my group, there are 3 women and 2 men and throughout the course of the summer we have run into bumps on the road. We have disagreed on many things, especially what we want our final project to be about. When we run into these lags as a group it is usually the most prototypical of the group who comes about as the leader and changes the course of the conversation to guide it towards something productive rather than detrimental to the group’s success. This usually tends to be Jack, a recently graduated student who majored in Business, and is looking to work at Charter after his summer internship. He comes across as determined to do the best he cane and smart, he knows about the industry and is well versed in the company’s language and culture. We all look to him in these times of struggles when we all have different ideas that are being thrown around. He carefully lays out the pro’s and con’s and allows us to see the brilliance of another’s ideas or the faults of our own.