Assignment 3

One group where I had spent most of my time last spring and summer was The “Gorges” Dragon’s of Ithaca. A Dragon Boat racing team. I was on the woman's and mixed teams. We met four times a week for practice. Each team consisted of twenty-two members: 20 paddlers, 1 drummer at the front, and 1 steersperson (cox) at the rear of the boat. I feel that the season’s time frame delegated the group model. The woman's and mixed team went from a loosely coupled model to a tightly coupled model in a matter of months.

From the readings, we learn that “The designation of coupling involved two factors: how immediate a response is needed, and how much interaction is required for either clarification or persuasion,” (Olsen, 422)

At the beginning of the season there is not much competing or participation required. The groups meet for fun and to get back into the rhythm of listening to a drummer and steersperson. The team tries to reach out to the community for new members and most of the meetings are to educate newbies about the sport and it’s history. People come and go. Newbies usually don’t show up for all the practices but strength, weakness and placement is figured out at this time. I would consider this a loosely coupled group.

By mid May the boats are broken up into the teams that would be most likely to compete for the season. Drummers are chosen for their size, voice projection and knowledge regarding racing strategy. Each area of the boat is tightened and reminded constantly of their position and role in the boat. I would consider this now new and improved mixed and woman’s team a tightly coupled group. With members concentrating only on competing and getting ready for tournaments.

The inputs for each group are different. I think that the main contrast of these two sets of teams is their goal. The members of the loosely coupled team can consist of anyone. Their goal being only to have fun, understand the sport and to see if they really want to compete. The common denominator being the enjoyment that one gets from gathering together for a work out on the lake. The members of the competing Dragon Boat team bring more experience, skill, and strength. The competing team also invests in their own equipment and spends an average of 10 – 12 hours on the lake practicing drills and starts, their ultimate goal being to bring back prizes from the competitions their dues pay for. Though these teams are not wining Olympic gold, sliver, or bronze, I feel it is in direct correlation with the quality of performance that they put forth to perform the task that lays ahead.

According to McGrath's Task Circumplex, both tasks—whether it be to have fun or to win are in the “Execute” quadrant, the difference being the outcome of the result.