For many of us, group work can be a double-edged sword. While it’s a great chance to collaborate with your peers, learn from others, and be part of a team, group projects can also be incredibly frustrating or stressful when teammates aren’t on the same page.
However, the ability to work with and within a group is an important skill to have as students apply to college and enter the workforce. So, whether you’re working on a class project, a presentation, or a research paper, learning how to navigate these kinds of situations is a crucial skill that, when learned early, can save lots of stress and headaches!
As a large and collaborative team that works together to provide the best possible college and academic guidance to students, Marks Education knows a thing or two about learning and working together. Our tutoring and counseling divisions alike utilize the individual skills of our team members to help guide parents and students toward collegiate and academic success. That’s why we’ve written this blog to help students learn how to make the most of group work and find a way to collaborate effectively and productively.
Set Clear Expectations from the Start
The success of any group project actually begins before the work actually does. When your group first meets, you should take some time to discuss and agree on any expectations. This means assigning any roles and responsibilities that are related to the project: Who will handle research? Design the presentation? Write the report? Etc. Assigning clear roles helps to prevent confusion later on and makes sure all elements of the project are fairly completed.
You should also spend some time discussing the deadlines and milestones you hope to meet, along with the timetable within which you want to reach them. If you’re writing a research paper, for example, you should set deadlines for gathering sources, outlining, drafting, and reviewing. This helps to make sure that no one is scrambling at the last minute and that the project is moving along as planned.
Stay Organized and Communicate
Effective group work requires that you stay on top of things and keep organized. This is especially the case when group members are working on different parts of the project simultaneously. One of the most common pitfalls in group projects is poor communication. Whether it’s missed deadlines, duplicate work, or someone failing to follow through, a lack of communication will almost always lead to frustration and some kind of delay.
Some of the ways we recommend students go about avoiding these issues are to check in regularly, be proactive and communicative about encountering difficulties, and always be transparent. Be realistic about what you can take on and achieve, and be honest in the event that something comes up.
Check-ins can be short but effective ways to touch base and make sure everyone is on the same page. They also help with practicing good communication skills and assessing progress. If you notice yourself falling behind or struggling with a particular part of the project, speaking up early helps to make sure smaller issues don’t snowball.
It’s also important to discuss how this communication will take place. Whether you’re communicating via email, group chat, or other project management tools, you should determine how often and in what ways you’ll check in with one another. Some people won’t want messages every day concerning the project. However, you might still want to update each other at least once a week on what you’ve been doing and what you hope to accomplish moving forward.
Focus on Everyone’s Individual Strengths
One of the biggest advantages of group projects is the ability to combine different talents and skills. Each group member doesn’t need to be working on the same thing. If one of your group members is skilled at design, let them take care of the visuals for the presentation, or if someone is a great coder, allow them to take control of those parts of the project, etc.
There’s no need for everyone to be equally involved in every task, especially if there are places where your skills could be utilized more effectively than others. Speak up about your strengths and trust that others will do the same. Not only will this help you best take advantage of the talents of other group members, but it will also allow everyone to contribute in a way that is most effective and leads to a more polished project.
Handle Issues with Compassion
Conflicts are almost inevitable in group work, whether it’s a difference of opinion on how to approach a task or discrepancies on the direction of the project. The key to handling these conflicts, however, is to do so calmly and constructively. When conflict arises, you should listen to each person’s point of view without interrupting. Try to understand where they’re coming from and find a middle ground.
Compromise is also important because in group projects, not everything is going to go your way, and that’s okay. Maybe even for the better. Be ready to adjust your approach and find a solution that works for everyone. Sometimes the best ideas come from collaboration, even if they’re different from what you originally envisioned. Keep focused on the goal at hand and remind everyone that you’re working toward the same outcome.
If the conflict becomes too difficult to resolve on your own, you should consider bringing in the teacher or a mentor to mediate the situation, but remember to always be kind.
Conclusion
Working with a group can be challenging, but worthwhile. Through group work, your classmates may help you learn new skills, develop old ones, and create a final product that you’re all proud of. With the right mindset, it’s entirely possible you’ll come out of this experience better than when you went in!