Zoe Riviere

What: The Social Change Value of Common Purpose means to work with shared aims and values. All members of the group share the same values in working towards a common goal. This is different then collaboration in that collaboration is just a team working together towards a common goal. And common purpose is when they share common values. It is important that the team or group shares the same values because with out it the group might function as an organized unit. This happened multiple times in our study abroad group. During our time in Ethiopia we had to make lesson plans for our 3rd and 4th grades. As a group we had to decide what thought was necessary to teach in the short time we had the children as students. Some of us thought that we should spend half the class time playing with the kids teaching them American games and they taught us some of their games. Another girl in the group wanted to spend more time on handwriting because that wwas a subject they struggled with. We had to work together as a group and align our values and work towards a common purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So What: Common Purpose is very important in groups because you all have to work towards a common purpose and share your values or you won’t accomplish anything. Each team member has their own responsibility and part of the total outcome. The team needs to have a clear common purpose or the group will fail because it is not working with the same values in mind. The leader and the team members have to discuss the purpose of the assignment before work gets started on the project.   

 

Now What: I think it is important to have a common purpose with everything you do in life. You have to have a common purpose with your friends, in your relationships, and in your job. In leadership it is also important to have a common purpose with you followers. You can’t be an effective leader if you don’t listen to your followers and hear  their values to make sure they align with the whole group. 

 

Link to definitions on the 7 C's- Social Change Values: https://www.csusm.edu/sll/leadership/SocialChangeModel.pdf