Teamwork - Avoiding Failure
Working in a group can be infuriating and disappointing; especially when you near the end of your project and you realize the entire process was an absolute trainwreck.
Throughout my time at BYU-Hawaii, I have been placed in numerous group projects. But without fail, I am led continuously to intense stress and disappointment when placed with members who don’t know how to work efficiently within a team.
The most common reason that groups fail is when there is a lack of communication, understanding, and trust within the group. Failure also occurs when there is little contribution from not delegating tasks amongst all team members. The best way to improve working within a team is understanding and adapting to each other’s work styles and differences.
It is crucial to empower one another and work on group trust. Everyone is equally important, valuable, and necessary for the team to succeed. You might want to carry everyone on your back, but that will only lead to negative feelings and unnecessary stress. You will be able to succeed and achieve more when you all work together.
You should always divide and delate tasks among your teammates and assign specific and clear roles. Having roles and a sense of responsibility will lead to an increased sense of accountability and will improve the quality of your team’s work.
Another helpful tip is to set deadlines earlier than when your project is due! There will always be unforeseen bumps in the roads — plan accordingly so that you have some wiggle room. Setting your deadlines early will also eliminate that last-minute procrastination stress.
A tip that I always bring to my groups, that isn’t always accepted right away, is the principle of not having unnecessary meetings. Somewhere along the road, everyone has just gotten into the habit of meeting for the fun of it. I find this wastes valuable time, especially when meetings are too often and members come without any progress made. Know when to meet so that you are productive with your time.
The last and probably more critical tip for efficient group work is to be honest with your teammates. There is no use in lying or hiding the fact that you haven’t done your part — this only hurts your team in the long run. If you need help or are running short on time, let everyone know! There is nothing to be ashamed of when you are transparent. If you feel that you need to clear the air with some teammates, DO IT — but in a healthy, constructive way. Holding in contention will weigh down your team. Have open and honest communication so that you can finish your project strong.
