Chapter 57: Working in Groups
Amy Baldwin
Questions to Consider:
- What are the benefits of working in groups?
- What can I do to work effectively in a group?
Benefits of Working in Groups
When a professor assigns group work, most students initially cringe because they have had poor experiences collaborating on a project. Many of them have tales of group members who didn’t contribute equally or who disappeared altogether. It is no wonder that a popular meme includes a photo of a casket being lowered into the ground with the words “When I die, I want my group members to lower me into my grave so they can let me down one last time.” We can laugh at this extreme reaction, but there is some truth in feeling apprehension about being disappointed by others. This section makes the case that if you know more about how group dynamics can and should work and how to communicate effectively during the process of completing a group project, you are more likely to have a positive – or successful – experience.
Why do professors assign group projects if they are often fraught with challenges? Perhaps it is because group projects are probably the most “real world” experience you will do in college. Very rarely will you be asked to create a report, present to a client, develop a new product or treatment, or fix a problem without working with others and depending on them to do their parts in a timely and professional manner. The more practice you have developing your own skills as a group member and troubleshooting when things don’t go smoothly, the more nimble you will be when you have to collaborate in your job.
If you approach working in groups by anticipating the challenges and developing strategies to minimize their negative impact, you will be able to weather the stresses more successfully. Table 5.1 provides some common challenges that you may experience working in a group and reviews the strategies you can use to minimize or eliminate the challenges.
| Challenges of Group Work | Strategies for Improving Group Work |
|---|---|
| Your grade may be dependent on the quality of others’ work. | Divide the assignment into parts, assign everyone a role that plays upon their strengths, and communicate expectations on quality. |
| You have to wait for others to complete their work before you can finish the assignment. | Create clear due dates for your group and monitor everyone’s progress on the project components. |
| You have to trust that others will fulfill their commitment to do their part of the assignment. | Create a group Code of Ethics or Shared Expectations document that outlines what each group member agrees to do. |
| Group members don’t show up or do not respond to communication. | Develop guidelines regarding missed meetings or lack of communication and implement consequences. |
Understanding Group Dynamics
One way to improve your work in groups is to learn more about group dynamics and stages. Bruce Tuckman[1] (1965) developed a model of group development. His initial four phases are forming, storming, norming and performing. In the forming phase, group members learn more about the task they must complete as well as getting to know each other. For the most part, members act and think individually and may be polite or quiet when trying to make decisions about what needs to be done. Group conflict arises in the storming phase when roles are assigned and a leader emerges. Some members may not voice their concerns and suffer from internal (and unexpressed) conflict while others may openly argue about what needs to be done. Groups may skip this phase altogether if communication is clear and roles are assigned to interest and strengths. The next phase is norming, or when group members work collectively to help each other achieve their goal. Members are aware of how their part fits into the whole and are mindful of supporting each other. The last phase is performing and is marked by members’ competence and confidence to complete goals.
Some groups revert to previous phases when there is unresolved conflict or when communication breaks down. The goal of group work is not to have a conflict-free experience, but to learn how to negotiate challenges, concerns, and changes during the process. When group members set common goals, create clear expectations, and communicate regularly, they are less likely to experience insurmountable obstacles.
Setting Up Your Group for Success
Review Assignment
If we use the Tuckman (1965) model, we can anticipate the steps for creating a successful group. First, review the assignment and ensure that everyone understands the scope of the work, especially the expectations of the final product. Take some time to discuss what the parts of the assignment are and what the expected outcome should be. Will you be writing a paper? Will you be presenting original research? Will you need special equipment, technology, or software to complete the project? Get clarity on the assignment before you get too far into the work.
Choose Roles
Next, your group should determine roles. You may want to first determine the leader, or you may decide to share leadership between two members or choose a “second in command” should the leader not be able to fulfill the duties. Then, you will need to set roles and responsibilities for everyone else in the group. Be sure to discuss each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Different types of group projects call for different roles, so you may need to pick and choose what is appropriate for your project. Table 57.2 provides examples of roles and responsibilities that you may consider when assigning roles.
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Leader | Ensures that everyone in the group works towards the objectives of the assignment and stays on task. |
| Recorder/Secretary | Takes notes and shares them with the group. Keeps track of the work that is completed. |
| Critic/Evaluator | Provides feedback and evaluation on work. May also play “devil’s advocate” when discussing ideas. |
| Specialist | Uses strengths to take charge of one aspect of the project. Is responsible for coordinating with other specialists or the leader to meet group goals. |
| Task Leader/Timekeeper | Ensures that deadlines are met. Reorganizes work or renegotiates timelines if needed. |
| Energizer | Keeps the group’s energy high to complete the work. |
| Completer/Finisher | Checks the work against the assignment or evaluation rubric to make sure all parts are completed correctly. May also serve as a proofreader/editor. |
Create a Communication Plan
When you have assigned roles and responsibilities, your group should create a communication plan. Because college students have different schedules and obligations, you will find that a strong communication plan can make working together easier. You may find that you need to work asynchronously, or not at the same time, and clear communication expectations will help your group both in person and online run smoothly. Here are some questions to guide your communication plan:
- How will the group communicate primarily?
- What will be the back-up communication strategy?
- What will you do if a group member doesn’t respond to or acknowledge messages?
If group members do not want to share personal phone numbers, then consider using email or a shared drive folder to message each other.
Write a Group Contract
To ensure that all members uphold their responsibilities, create a contract that lists all the expectations for the group. You can use a template or create your own based on the group members’ roles, dynamics, and assignment requirements. A group contract can be helpful in managing conflict and directing group members should someone not do their part. Here are the components you will want to consider and an example below of a contract:
- Assignment reminders. Include a description of the goal or project and the final deadline.
- General expectations or guiding principles. Provide a list of general expectations or principles that will guide a successful group. For example, you may determine that acting respectfully, communicating honestly, and giving full effort are important group principles.
- Specific expectations or tasks. List expectations about communicating, delegating, meeting, completing tasks, and managing conflict.
- Group members’ signatures. Include signatures or initials of the group members to underscore the importance of the contract.
Completing the Project
The project is complete when all the steps have been taken to submit or present it successfully, but that is not the end of the group work. You will want to also debrief on what worked and what could have been improved. Consider calling a brief meeting to review the process of completing the project or to review your graded work. Ask your group members what they felt were the group’s strengths and weaknesses. Use the debriefing to think about how to make changes to the process the next time you work in a group. Spend some time reflecting on what skills you still need to improve and how you can make the most of future group work.
Summary
Developing healthy relationships and expanding your network of support are both important tasks for you to do in college. Without these relationships, your experience may be lackluster at best and lonely and difficult at worst. The first step to creating meaningful connections is to be healthy yourself and acknowledging the importance of community. There are also some ways you can jumpstart a relationship by improving your “small talk” skills. You will develop many relationships with different people while you are in college, but one of the most important is with your professors. Be sure to find ways to connect with them in and out of class. You will also want to be mindful of connecting with classmates, peers, mentors, and advisors as they will all be important to your network for success and support. Finally, there is no better way to really get to know others than when you work with them to complete a goal or a project. While group work strikes fear in some students, it doesn’t have to be a conflict-ridden endeavor. Consider what you can do to anticipate challenges and make the process as smooth as possible.
To make the most of the relationships that you will develop or strengthen, consider what else about relationships and working with others that you would like to improve. Choose one of the following to explore further this term:
- Create a self-care routine that you incorporate into your weekly tasks. Read, watch, or listen to articles, books, videos, and podcasts about self-awareness, self-reflection, mindfulness, and stress reduction. These resources can help you build your self-care toolkit.
- Find ways to connect to your community through organizations, clubs, events, and volunteer opportunities. Work on developing a solid sense of belonging academically, socially, and campuswide.
- Get to know at least one professor this term and begin to build your support network of classmates, peers, mentors, and advisors. Commit to reaching out to people to begin developing relationships.
- Talk with your family and friends about what kinds of support you would like from them while you are in college. Be clear about your needs.
- Create a system for managing group work that includes assigning roles, setting goals, and developing communication expectations.
Licenses and Attributions:
Original content: CC BY Attribution:
OpenStax College Success Concise 5.3 Working in Groups and Summary 5. Access for free at: https://openstax.org/books/college-success-concise/pages/5-3-working-in-groups and https://openstax.org/books/college-success-concise/pages/5-summary
Baldwin, A. (2023). Working in Groups, and Summary. In College Success Concise. OpenStax.
Modifications: Changed name of classmate in Application, renumbered figures and tables.
- Tuckman, Bruce W (1965). “Developmental sequence in small groups”. Psychological Bulletin. 63 (6): 384–399. doi:10.1037/h0022100. PMID 14314073. ↵