Social Interaction

Kayley Reed RCLP 1010 Dr. Taylor Gray

My definition of social interaction is the ability to work or communicate cooperatively and productively in a collective setting. In order to do this, one must possess open and understanding qualities. Individual flexibility and commitment to the group are also key assets to social interaction. When working in groups, it can also be useful to establish roles for each individual to complete a task more efficiently. With role definition, role performance becomes important; if a group member is given a role that they are unwilling or unable to fulfill, the entire team suffers. (Social Interaction, 2011) In order to avoid this, one should realize the strengths and weaknesses of individuals in the group (as well as their own strengths and weaknesses) in order to interact I have had many experiences working in committees, with groups, or on teams but playing on the Olds Broncos basketball team stands out to me as an effective practice of social interaction. This experience was different from other sports teams I had played on, because it was a collaborative team made up of players from different towns/districts and was highly competitive. The difference this makes is that most of the players on the team were used to being MVPs or team leaders, which created a dynamic setting. We accomplished to push aside our personal habits/preferences of taking control and leading the group, and were able to find a co-operative balance. I think that by understanding what it would take to be a successful team, and being flexible in roles while still being fully committed exemplified the social interaction outcome. My example connects leadership with social interaction as well. Just as its important to be able to lead a group, its equally important to know when to lead and when to follow. Leaders must know how to interact with others in the way that is most beneficial to the collective. This can mean being a positional leader and delegating to other members, or it can mean realizing someone else is better suited to lead a situation and then leading by taking on the position of a follower. Social interaction in a leadership context is essentially about emphasizing strengths in the group compensating for weakness, to allow the collective potential to be reached.