Group Work

The author of this response has been in a number of groups. Some of them have been good experiences while others have been controlled to complete chaos. Whether it be work or school groups, getting the wrong group of people together can cause issues. People not being familiar with each other can also be causes for concern and reasons for further action. The author of this response will tell of things that were done (or would have been done, given hindsight) to keep the group focused and cohesive as possible. Also, there will be a discussion about what happens when the people in the group do not know each other.

Working in groups is usually straightforward. The people involved usually know the goal that is to be obtained and they fully intend to work together to achieve that goal. As far as people that do not know each other, that is usually not going to be a problem unless certain types of people are in the mix such as extremely shy people, passive-aggressive people, people who are resisting a change that is under way or people that are overly bossy or opinionated. Regardless of the circumstances, someone should be named the leader or they should (politely) volunteer or make an effort to steer the efforts of the group. The author has seen situations where someone tries to have only their ideas move forward or they will actively resist or question the change underway. Indeed, many people loathe change and they will directly or indirectly try to undermine the same. Something else that can happen is that no one steps forward or asserts themselves and this limits the reach and ability of the overall group. What is key is to have a group that is willing to work together, that knows what the goal is, why the goal should be obtained and at least a general idea of how to get there. The rest is just fleshing out the details and getting things done.

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