A very important requirement of many academic courses is group performance. The group might be required to take on a number of tasks like writing reports, doing research, giving presentations etc. In all these tasks, there are a few things which should be kept in mind by any individual working in that group.
1. Forget the Textbook Utopia: Drop that textbook idea of group work where they say that each member should take equal workload and everyone should participate in the same amount. These are not possible in real life. Some are more creative than others; some decide to do the talking while others want to do the work with utmost sincerity. So please do not try to make everybody do the same thing in a group. Every child is special, let each one shine in their own way (unless of course someone’s only specialty is sleeping).
2. The role playing: There are some typical roles played in almost all groups. These are Mr. Know-It-All, Mr. I-Do-Not-Care, Mr. Tell-Me-What-To-Do, Mr. Idea, Mr. Push, and Mr. Invisible (read Ms. Instead of Mr. if it suits you better). The roles are self explanatory. What needs to be ensured that there are members to provide the push and ideas, and some members to carry out the work. You have to decide what role you want to play in the group. I have a friend who, when working with me, works very hard and sometimes works with another group where he decides to chill out and let others do all the work.
3. Group Environment: I have worked in a few different groups over the past few years. In one of those groups, when we got together, we mostly talked about sports, and where do we go after finishing assignment to eat some fuchka. We did do our assignments well, true; but that was never our top priority. In another group, however, all the discussion was about how to get more resources for the assignments, what the seniors did for that particular assignment in previous years etc. I did not change, but the group environments differed. And like any social being, I adapted to the conditions.
It would be very helpful if the group environment is of efficiency and sincerity. If required, seriousness should be faked to make it a part of the group habit.
4. Get-Together: Any group has to sit together and decide upon the task at hand before proceeding. Usually in these meetings some willing candidates for leadership role (read responsible and coordinator) are visible. Eventually the group makes way for a single leader who then can focus on how to divide the task. This get-together might happen online or via call conference if situation demands. The purpose of these meetings should be to get a clear idea of what is required to be done across all the members’ minds.
5. Ensuring Input: I have seen many groups of 5 or 6 students where they know that only 2 of them will do all the work. Others in that group may not even know anything about the assignment. This may produce congruent work, but this is just not a very good thing to do as some have to work more where others do not learn anything.
6. Dare to Differ: It can be very hard for you to defend a different opinion in a group discussion where everybody is thinking otherwise. Some of them might even be yelling their hearts out at you. But if you really feel like it, do not stop asking questions. Keep your voice down and repeat your reason for questioning others’ ideas.
But beware! Do not push it too far though; there may be times where a quick decision is more important than a better decision. At those times try to see the positive side of what has already been decided by majority.
7. Invest in Relationships: The most important thing you can intend to achieve from a group work is not the assignment itself, but it is the relationship you build by working with a bunch of people. How you perform will define the way these people grade you in terms of capacity, sincerity, friendliness etc. All of which will come in handy in future. Whenever you work in a group, be sure to invest in relationships. You will not lose.
Related reading: Academic Presentations: 6 Tips to Remember
Tags: teamwork, group work, assignment.
1. Forget the Textbook Utopia: Drop that textbook idea of group work where they say that each member should take equal workload and everyone should participate in the same amount. These are not possible in real life. Some are more creative than others; some decide to do the talking while others want to do the work with utmost sincerity. So please do not try to make everybody do the same thing in a group. Every child is special, let each one shine in their own way (unless of course someone’s only specialty is sleeping).
2. The role playing: There are some typical roles played in almost all groups. These are Mr. Know-It-All, Mr. I-Do-Not-Care, Mr. Tell-Me-What-To-Do, Mr. Idea, Mr. Push, and Mr. Invisible (read Ms. Instead of Mr. if it suits you better). The roles are self explanatory. What needs to be ensured that there are members to provide the push and ideas, and some members to carry out the work. You have to decide what role you want to play in the group. I have a friend who, when working with me, works very hard and sometimes works with another group where he decides to chill out and let others do all the work.
3. Group Environment: I have worked in a few different groups over the past few years. In one of those groups, when we got together, we mostly talked about sports, and where do we go after finishing assignment to eat some fuchka. We did do our assignments well, true; but that was never our top priority. In another group, however, all the discussion was about how to get more resources for the assignments, what the seniors did for that particular assignment in previous years etc. I did not change, but the group environments differed. And like any social being, I adapted to the conditions.
It would be very helpful if the group environment is of efficiency and sincerity. If required, seriousness should be faked to make it a part of the group habit.
4. Get-Together: Any group has to sit together and decide upon the task at hand before proceeding. Usually in these meetings some willing candidates for leadership role (read responsible and coordinator) are visible. Eventually the group makes way for a single leader who then can focus on how to divide the task. This get-together might happen online or via call conference if situation demands. The purpose of these meetings should be to get a clear idea of what is required to be done across all the members’ minds.
5. Ensuring Input: I have seen many groups of 5 or 6 students where they know that only 2 of them will do all the work. Others in that group may not even know anything about the assignment. This may produce congruent work, but this is just not a very good thing to do as some have to work more where others do not learn anything.
6. Dare to Differ: It can be very hard for you to defend a different opinion in a group discussion where everybody is thinking otherwise. Some of them might even be yelling their hearts out at you. But if you really feel like it, do not stop asking questions. Keep your voice down and repeat your reason for questioning others’ ideas.
But beware! Do not push it too far though; there may be times where a quick decision is more important than a better decision. At those times try to see the positive side of what has already been decided by majority.
7. Invest in Relationships: The most important thing you can intend to achieve from a group work is not the assignment itself, but it is the relationship you build by working with a bunch of people. How you perform will define the way these people grade you in terms of capacity, sincerity, friendliness etc. All of which will come in handy in future. Whenever you work in a group, be sure to invest in relationships. You will not lose.
Related reading: Academic Presentations: 6 Tips to Remember
Tags: teamwork, group work, assignment.