Student Center for the Public Trust

I’ve never been a fan of group projects. I believed I could usually do them faster and better by myself (please excuse my arrogance and ignorance). But my thoughts about group projects changed last year.

While participating in a group project for grad school, I became concerned that some of my financial projections may not be accurate. Since my group was using these projections to make recommendations about the potential merger of two companies, I did not want to provide them with bad information.

Although I was reluctant to admit that I was confused, one of my team members was an absolute whiz in financial models, so I swallowed my pride and asked her for help. She answered my questions and helped me tweak my calculation method. Everything finally clicked.

I apologized for taking up her time, but told her that I appreciated her help. She said it was no problem and replied that she believed that’s why we work in groups – to help each other learn.

Huh? I thought the goal was to get an A…I was humbled and embarrassed by my previous attitude toward group projects. When group members didn’t know how to do something, I used to get frustrated and volunteer to do it myself.

Over the course of the project, she and other group members also asked me a few questions, and I was able to help them as well. Ultimately we got an A on our project, but the grade was not nearly as important as the lesson I learned. My group helped me better understand my responsibility as a team member and leader.

Below are 5 things to consider as you start your next group project:

1. Encourage Other Ideas – Just because someone’s idea doesn’t align with your initial vision for the project, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong – it’s just different. As a leader, it’s important to encourage team members to share their input.
2. Clearly Define Your Purpose – Are you trying to get an A or are you all working together to enhance each other’s learning experience? Your ability to enhance the performance of others will help set you apart as a leader in school, and in your career.
3. Agree on Group Expectations – Before the project begins, each group member should clearly communicate how they expect the group to function. Each team member should agree to this process in writing and use it as a guide to address performance issues within the group.
4. Build in Checkpoints – I used to take over projects because I didn’t trust my group members to complete their parts by the deadline. Doing this created extra work for myself and robbed them of an opportunity to demonstrate their competence or learn how to do it in the future. Build in checkpoints for rough drafts so everyone can review the project and collectively make adjustments, well before the due date.
5. Give Feedback in Real Time – Have you ever seen group members complain about others without directly addressing their issues with the team members? If someone is not performing well, it is your responsibility to discuss it with them during the project, not after. The goal should be to help the group move forward, not simply to criticize low performers.

It wasn’t until I re-framed the purpose of a group project, that I was able to see how I failed countless group members in the past. Grades don’t always determine whether you pass or fail tests. Develop your own definition of success, and seek out ways to improve the performance of others around you.

Always remember, Leadership is a Lifestyle.

Ryan W. Hirsch
Program Manager, NASBA Center for the Public Trust