I am by no means a chef, I just cook dinner at home most nights.  I like the flavor of cumin and use it in some of the food that I make. Perhaps in a mushroom sauce, melted into the cheese for nachos, in fried cubed potatoes, etc.  However, I notice that when I use cumin, it is inevitable that I will end up eating 2 of the small pieces at once at some point in the dish and it overpowers the bite.  What am I doing wrong with the cumin? Should I be grinding it? 
Cumin is most often used ground, yes.  You can, if you prefer—and as in common in Indian and other cuisines—toast it first until it is fragrant (a minute or two in a dry skillet at medium heat).  Then, grind it in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. 