Do you remember when you had group projects in college?
Why You Hate Teamwork
You probably hated it because a number of your teammates coasted while you did all the work. Worse, all received the same grade for your efforts. You probably thought your teammates were just lazy or irresponsible, but this is a common phenomenon calledĀ social loafing in the business literature. In economics, it is called the free rider problem.
Some students worked hard as others doodled. A couple found group project meetings to be the perfect opportunity to flirt with someone new. A few never even showed up to the group meeting. You remember. This is why you still don’t like teamwork.
In my textbook I discussed the phenomenon as follows:
“Social loafing is treason against the group, and the loafer is a leech who drains the group of resources without returning equivalent to the group.Ā In a classroom setting, a social loafer ought to receive no mercy from his professor or the group he lets down.”
-(The Bottom Line in Leadership and Management)
These strongly worded Ā lines were a warning to my students to play nice with others, but I have since found a better way.
Why You Will Love Teamwork Again
If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know that I teach graduate students at Charleston Southern University. Last week I had one of those AHA moments that I relish.
After completing a particularly challenging class project, a student in her final semester mentioned in passing that this was her “best group project experience to date.” Remember, she was just about to graduate and she said that this was the best group experience she had.
Intrigued by the remark, I gave it some considerable thought. Ā Later and I suggested that “it was because you all came to it with the right attitude and spirit.” It was really that simple.
What was the Difference?
This was a class entitled Fundamentals of Leadership, and the very nature of the course forced students to think deeply about their motivations and attitudes. The were individually thinking about becoming the kind of leaders that others would want to follow. When they came together with servant-leadership foremost in their minds, they acted accordingly.
Jesus called them together and said,Ā āYou know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slaveājust as the Son of ManĀ did not come to be served, but to serve,Ā and to give his life as a ransomĀ for many.ā (Matthew 20:25-28)
The “all chiefs and no indians” attitude disappeared. No one tried to play CEO of Group Project, Inc. Everyone showed up and pulled their own weight. They served Ā voluntarily, without cajoling each other to get the work done.Ā A number of students even described the experience as “enjoyable.”
The parameters of the class project were no different than in other classes. Moreover, it was not because they were focused on the mission. There was no conscious effort on the part of anyone in the class to rally around a mission. The difference was that they each aspired to become the kind of Ā leader that they know they should be.
What about you? In your project teams, do your colleagues come to serve the group or do they try to do the least they can to get by?Ā
Wouldn’t this kind of attitude be refreshing in your office?
-Darin Gerdes
PS – There is no magic to this process. As the professor, I mold the discussion, but the core of this thinking comes from the books students read for class:Ā Lead Like Jesus, The Steward Leader, The Leadership Challenge, and Leadership and Self-Deception. Incidentally, these are 4 of my Top Ten Leadership books.
Want to read more about excellence in teamwork? Read the related post: Ā What Navy SEALS Can Teach Us About Teamwork.
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Dr. Gerdes is the Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Business atĀ Charleston Southern University. All ideas expressed on www.daringerdes.com are his own.
