Self-Awareness as a Tool in Effective Facilitation of Group Communication Among Leaders of Three University-Based Student Organizations

Abstract

The study was explicitly designed to identify any relation of self-awareness and communication style of student leaders to effective group communication as perceived by the members. Student leaders from three different university-based organizations namely University of the Philippines Manila Collegian, San Beda Marketing Management Association (SBMMA) and University of the Philippines Junior Marketing Association (UPJMA) acted as the main subjects of the study. To fulfill the objective of this study, a quasi-experimental method was employed where purposive sampling was used. The independent variable used in the study was self-awareness and the group communication as perceived by the members was the dependent variable. The hypotheses tested were: (a) there is no significant difference on group communication when the leader had undergone a self-assessment or when he/she had not undergone a self-assessment test as perceived by the organizational members; and (b) there is significant difference on group communication when the leader had undergone a self-assessment test or when he/she has not undergone a self-assessment test. Since this study aimed to find relation of self-awareness and communication style to effective group communication, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The tools used were observation and survey. Each leader was observed twice; first observation when there was no self-assessment lest given to the leader while on the second meeting, there was a self-assessment given to the leader prior the meeting. For the qualitative portion of the study, the communication style of the leader during the first and second meeting were noted using the Task and Transactional Facilitator Roles by Lumsden and Lumsden (2000) and Framing Language Style by Fairhurst and Sarr (1996). On the quantitative part, to determine the relation of self-awareness to group communication as perceived by the organizational members, the first and second survey test of the group adapted from Lumsden & Lumsden (2000) were compared using paired t-test. Paired t-test, as a two-tail test, pointed out if there was a significant level of difference between the first group survey and the second group survey. When a significant level of difference was reached, a one-tail test was used to point out if the exposure to self-assessment test of the leader increased or decreased the effectiveness of the group communication as perceived by the members. Basing from the 18-item survey of group communication by Lumsden and Lumsden (2000), the results of the study revealed that self-awareness of the leader was related to effective group communication on the following terms: linking the organization to other organizations or groups; and assuring that all members are heard. The increased role play of the leader as an information/opinion seeker in the Task Processes Facilitator Role and being an encourager and a follower in the Transactional Processes Facilitator Role proved to be effective in group communication. From the findings of the study, it is recommended that: (a) objectives of the meeting must be set prior the meeting and be communicated to the members and (b) meetings be considered as an effective avenue to communicate the goals of the organization. Some implications of the study reveal that performance appraisals and evaluation tests proved to be significant to be an effective leader/ member in the organization.