Hello Class of 2015!
The finish line is quickly approaching and therefore you probably have a good idea on what life is going to look like after graduation. I remember having solidified life after college by this time and honestly I was starting to lose focus and patience with my academics. I was mentally done with my current routine and was anxious to move to a new one. While this might seem negative, it isn’t. Trinity prepared me to be an independent, contributing adult in society and I was ready for the challenge.
The thing that drove me crazy at this juncture? Group projects. My assigned Business Policy group was an utter disaster. I am sure you’ve had similar experiences- one person is a slacker and skips meetings, another is mentally on a different page from the rest of the group, and someone is always going back to the professor to clarify what is expected. There is the old cliché of “herding cats.” I felt like I was trying to heard turtles instead. Life would just be easier if you could PICK you group! There’s a novel idea. Why didn’t the professors “get” that?
What I realized later is professors assign groups for a reason. In life you rarely get to pick your “team”- it is selected for you. Managing group dynamics is a whole learning experience in itself and it’s a skill we all need to master at some level. If you are a doctor, a professor, a business professional, or volunteering in your community, the ability to achieve positive, impactful results within an organized group is critical for overall success.
There is a lot of research and different methodologies out there on managing group dynamics. What I have found helpful is a simple tool that I use as a conversation starter at team formation and again for check-in points as the team matures. It’s called “The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team” developed by Patrick Lencioni. They are simply:
1. Trust one another
2. Master conflict
3. Achieve commitment
4. Embrace accountability
5. Focus on results
