Group Project Survival Skills

       Home                                               Why Groups?

     Where to start?

     Group Roles? 

     Communication?

     Ideas -decisions?

     Deal with Conflict?      

      Manage Schedules?            

    Group Assessment?

Introduction                   Case Study                    Resources  

Survivor # 3...Could Be You! 

Working successfully in group projects takes practice. Things don't go perfectly every time. So to a certain extent you have to go with the flow, stay calm and focus on the end result. Just like classes, friendships and families, groups represent a variety of skills, personalities and experiences. Sometimes students approach groups wanting everyone to contribute the same amount of "work."  If you start out keeping score, just as in relationships, the focus becomes one solely of what (or the amount) you did or didn't do, not the end result.

The hints in this website give you strategies for preparing and developing skills that encourage full participation of all members. The best way to approach a group is to lead by example. If other members see someone who is interested in their opinion and ideas, someone who shows up on time, completes work on schedule, is willing to help other members when they have questions, then that tends to set the standard for the group.

When there are problems, they should be expressed honestly and openly by talking about the behavior rather than the person. Making a real attempt to follow hints on this site will help you develop skills that will be very useful in your academic and professional career.

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