Attend an open meeting of a government body such as your local school board or other ongoing group and observe the interactions and style of leadership. Apply your knowledge from the class and discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of the meeting. Make sure to support your assignment with a clear point of view and purpose, provide supporting evidence, and elaborate on how to address any issues. Provide a summary of what the reader should take away from the topic. Remember that you are a consultant-observer.

Checklist:

• Describe the meeting you attended.
• Explain the purpose of the meeting.
• Explain the problem or problems the group addresses in the meeting.
• Explain at least one technique from Adams et al. (2021) Appendix A "Techniques for Observing Problem-Solving Groups."
• Apply the chosen technique in your observation.
• Interpret the results of applying this technique.
• Apply (1) leadership, (2) conflict management, (3) negotiation, (4) and group communications principles and concepts in describing the observed meeting.
• What patterns of behavior do you see in the participants' interactions that might hinder the resolution of the issues or problems they are trying to solve?
• How would you make them a more effective problem-solving body?
• Work should demonstrate:
  • The synthesis of concepts, research, and experience
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Business decision-making abilities