Group Work

By Kat


I'm sure we've all been there. It's twelve p.m., the day before your next project, debate, or presentation. You've been working hard all night, but it seems your group just won't pull through.
There's been a quote circulating the internet recently:
"When I die, I want my group project members to lower me into my grave so they can let me down one last time."
An insight that is astoundingly true. Who knew the internet could be so wise?
There is an issue with group work in our society. It's an expectation that group work is to be a vital part of all schoolwork, and we find ourselves pressured by the constant need to understand the intricate art of group work. Do I say this? Do I say that? What should I do? What should they do? How am I doing? How do they think I'm doing?
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't consider myself a fully fledged introvert. I enjoy communicating with others, but sometimes group work just irks at you.
I believe there is a spectrum in the group members one will encounter.
On one end of the spectrum, you have the people who couldn't care less about a project. Often you find yourself doing all the work, and in the end you have a frustrated and exhausted hard worker swearing to never work in the same group again.
Then on the opposite end we have the controllers, the ones who dominate everything and brush aside other ideas and inputs with the wave of a hand, turning any project into my project through *flawless* and *undisputed* logic.
Now, of course, the ends of the spectrum are extreme. But this is the fundamental flaw in working in a group- often you find yourself with great people, some of your closest friends, and find that as a group member they are the last person you would turn to.
Everyone lies on different spots on the spectrum, but it's clear that sometimes, it is hard to interact and compromise. People skills only go so far, and when all rational action has been chewed away by your most persistently uncooperative group...then sounds the alarms of a breaking point.
An author on this very site has experienced this same situation. When placed with a debating team full of new recruits, she contacted and emailed to try and elicit a response. No luck. When the debate came around, she wrote all the speeches and to her utter horror, the members of her team turned up without having prepared at all. They ended up getting through to the next round, but not before our hard-working hero ditched the team. A prompt reality check for our participants.
It is not my intention to state that group work should be eradicated. In fact, I have found many great groups with members that were both extremely hardworking, and not so caught up in their work as to forget having fun as friends. But those kind of groups only come around once in a blue moon.
The problem with schools and their group work systems is that putting together random groups is not going to help an overall cooperative work ethic. Neither is putting together loyal friendship groups, where people will get so caught up in other shenanigans that they will forget the point. From past experience, a balance of the two qualities is one of the best possible ways to achieve ideal groups.
But now I speak directly to those who may lie on the outer regions of our group member spectrum. You are not the only one in your group.  Your ideas aren't the only ones that matter, and yet they still matter enough. It is not okay to simply do nothing, nor is it okay to do everything.
Group work is all about balance, and it is necessary to try to remain on the very fine line between effort and control to be a valuable member, for yourself and for all the people your presence influences.
But as our wise commenter notes, understanding is an essential part of groupwork.
Often, this is true. It is understanding that formulates a perfect group, but firstly people need to strive for that understanding and have a will to get there. All members must remain open-minded and considerate towards each other, no matter how strongly these opinions are. This kind of communication is core to group work and everything it entails. Both members and organisations need to strive for a more balanced and understanding mindset. Don't be the one to let others down.