Use and Abuse of Rules & Resources

The use and abuse of rules and resources in a small group setting is something that is inevitable. Rules are defined as "propositions that indicate how things ought to be done or what is good or bad" (pg. 240). Resources are defined as "materials, possessions, or attributes that can be used to influence or control the actions of the groups or its members" that individuals bring to the group (p. 240). The only way that that a group can implement rules and utilize resources are when they can come to a decision as a group. If a group is not cohesive, or cannot come to a consensus, it will be hard to enforce any rules. Group members may not want to contribute their resources if there are no rules present. For instance, the book gave an example of Michelle the 4.0 GPA student who may get frustrated with the way the group functions, and not want to bring her knowledge (resource) to the group. I can relate to that situation because there have been times in groups where there are no rules and nothing is getting done or moving forward, and I've been hesitant to contribute all my ideas because you don't want to be the one carrying all the weight of the work. But at the same time, you don't want the group to fail. I think most people have had experience of consensus or majority rules for leadership styles in terms of making decisions/rules. If resources are effectively and evenly used/distributed, then there should be no cause for abust.