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How to Succeed with Teamwork/Guided reading as a College Student

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De Techizard
Do you consider yourself a lone wolf when it comes to projects and planning? Does the thought of cooperating with others leave you feeling afraid? If so, you can have a difficult path ahead of you.

Teamwork skills will serve you well in your future career, but it is also extremely beneficial during your stay at school. Regardless of the type of program, you sign up for, the ability to work in a team will probably be included in your classes and could help you achieve a high academic level.

It's time to stop being afraid of group work and use these opportunities to improve your valuable skill set.

The Goal of Team and Group Work

The goal of teamwork and group work is to enable you to undertake more detailed and fuller projects leading to deeper learning. This is achieved thanks to the combined talents of the group members who contribute to the knowledge, skills, and ideas.

One of the difficulties in teamwork and group work is that you cannot work as quickly as possible. Patience, communication skills and commitment are required to make the most of the contribution of all group members. Effective group work requires each member to focus on the process, not just the product.

Starting the process

A large part of the project's success is based on the foundations identified at the beginning. Here you can get to know the group members, problems in advance, set goals and goals and formulate a working strategy.

1. Build the dynamics of the group

The quality of your relationships with other group members is an important factor in the overall success of the group, so it is important to take the time to get to know your colleagues.
  • Find out about their origin and interests.
  • Find common goals and expectations related to the task.
  • Discuss work styles and individual strengths and weaknesses: this will help you formulate goals and allocate tasks appropriately.


2. Agree on objectives

It is important to agree on a common goal. Share and discuss the understanding of the objectives and scope of the project, quality of completion product and methods of cooperation. If you do not understand something, say it now.

3. Organize the group
  • Clearly define the task sections and specify who will execute them and by date.
  • Make a list of contact and names information for everyone.
  • Decide how to collaborate throughout the entire project, how meetings will be organized and who will be responsible for taking notes during meetings.
  • Plan how you collect and edit your assignment collectively. The best group membership is represented by a single unified project, not a set of separate elements.

Maintaining relationships

Relationships are the key to project success, so be ready to invest significant energy in the development of all your relationships in the group. Remember also that people have very different ways of interacting in groups, depending on their social and cultural background.

Here are some tips for dealing with conflicts in a team and group as college students:
  • Agree with the initial strategy of dealing with people who: (a) Are too dominant, (b) Do not do your part of the job.
  • Speak to your lecturer or tutor for guidance.
  • During a negotiation, separate the person from the problem. Do not let your opinion override your opinion about your ideas and do not criticize their ideas, sounding like a critique of their personality!
  • Attempt to put yourself in their shoes and see their perception. This can give you an insight into how to deal best with the situation.
  • Prepare to renegotiate the things you set at the beginning: roles in the group, goals, and scope of the task, methods of cooperation, etc., so that they correspond to the needs and objectives of the group.

Leadership

Effective leaders manage the process: they help the group decide how to work effectively and monitor the progress of the group in relation to the planned plan. They should not only lead the group to their own desired results.

Therefore, a good leader is an excellent listener and is also prepared to re-evaluate his own opinion on a given topic.

Where do you look for help?
  • Teaching staff: inform your tutor or lecturer about any problem that prevents the group from working effectively; earlier it is better than later.
  • Library of the Learning consultants: we can facilitate your group planning session.
  • Counseling and mental health can help you solve problems you may encounter in your group.

Teamwork and group work is important as a college student, and the more experience you have, the better.

Start today by joining forces with others to accomplish an assignment or project. Whether you have worked with groups or not before, there is always room for improvement.

Have other tips for succeeding with teamwork and group-reading as a college student? Share below as it might help a lot of persons move to the top. 
 
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