What do you wish college students knew about project teams?
Sandra MaughonProfessor| Piedmont CollegeCleveland, Ga, United States
When you have a new-hire or recent college graduate assigned to your team for the first time, what do you wish they understood? What are the common mistakes you see them make? In particular, I'm interested in your experience with inexperienced team members in a virtual or international team environment. Saving Changes...
The good news is that most recent college graduates will have been on enough group projects to have learned the basic do's and don'ts of teamwork. However, college still focuses too much on WHAT you accomplish vs. HOW you accomplished it, and many objectives in college are geared towards individual accomplishment or beating ones' peers as opposed to the success of a team.
Also, for very recent graduates, there can be the challenge in adapting to the working rituals and standards of the company they join. If they were used to waking up late, cramming for exams, and having Fridays off, that could be a (short term) challenge...
Kiron
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1 reply by Sandra Maughon
Feb 12, 2018 4:17 PM
Sandra Maughon
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What vs. How - that is a great thought. I can think of several places within the curriculum I can start bringing that forward. And for internships, too.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
A common mistake or misunderstanding I find is that new graduates feel threatened because they are new and start thinking that others compete with them because they do not have a clear and practical understanding how Team Work Works !
They need to have a better understanding that team members COMPLEMENT each other, not COMPETE with each other.
RK
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1 reply by Sandra Maughon
Feb 12, 2018 4:16 PM
Sandra Maughon
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Yes! That is good advice; it is hard to make the jump from college (school) teams to professional work teams and insecurities do often manifest in competition. Thanks!
Saving Changes...
Sandra MaughonProfessor| Piedmont CollegeCleveland, Ga, United States
Feb 12, 2018 4:10 PM
Replying to Rami Kaibni
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A common mistake or misunderstanding I find is that new graduates feel threatened because they are new and start thinking that others compete with them because they do not have a clear and practical understanding how Team Work Works !
They need to have a better understanding that team members COMPLEMENT each other, not COMPETE with each other.
RK
Yes! That is good advice; it is hard to make the jump from college (school) teams to professional work teams and insecurities do often manifest in competition. Thanks!
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Feb 12, 2018 4:17 PM
Rami Kaibni
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You're welcome Sandra - You raised a very good and important question.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Feb 12, 2018 4:16 PM
Replying to Sandra Maughon
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Yes! That is good advice; it is hard to make the jump from college (school) teams to professional work teams and insecurities do often manifest in competition. Thanks!
You're welcome Sandra - You raised a very good and important question. Saving Changes...
Sandra MaughonProfessor| Piedmont CollegeCleveland, Ga, United States
Feb 12, 2018 3:46 PM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Sandra -
The good news is that most recent college graduates will have been on enough group projects to have learned the basic do's and don'ts of teamwork. However, college still focuses too much on WHAT you accomplish vs. HOW you accomplished it, and many objectives in college are geared towards individual accomplishment or beating ones' peers as opposed to the success of a team.
Also, for very recent graduates, there can be the challenge in adapting to the working rituals and standards of the company they join. If they were used to waking up late, cramming for exams, and having Fridays off, that could be a (short term) challenge...
Kiron
What vs. How - that is a great thought. I can think of several places within the curriculum I can start bringing that forward. And for internships, too. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
I am "living" in this type of environments from more than 25 years ago working with people around the whole world. Is very grateful for me when young people come to me because they feel I can help her/him and they believe in my. I learn a lot from them. If I have to pointed out one simple thing it is they do not have the attitude to speak directly to defend a position mainly if the stakeholder belongs to top management. Is not a lack of attitude. I found that country culture impact a lot on that. So, I tried to help them to find the way to speak with truth and candor at all times. Saving Changes...
In conjunction with Kiron's and Rami's responses - if my college days were worth anything, it was the observation that group projects often have one zealous member, 2-3 folks who pitch in when asked, and a couple of free-riders who are there just to make up the body count.
And all the working members pretty much divvy up the tasks in a higgledy-piggledy manner. There is no structure, no RACI.
College students come out of such group assignments thinking that this approach is the best. It may work in college group assignment scenarios, but it falls flat when we come to a scenario where how the project is done is as important as completing the project. Where cost, quality, risk have to be measured and managed.
To answer the original question, I wish college students are taught the importance of roles within teams, and complementing set of responsibilities for each of these roles, and how disparate roles can combine together to deliver an objective efficiently and effectively.
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1 reply by Sandra Maughon
Feb 13, 2018 5:34 PM
Sandra Maughon
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Karan, that is an excellent point. I have to admit, this is a fundamental point I have totally missed recently. I knew I needed to have a lecture on teams early on in the semester, but I didn't address roles - only in the esoteric sense of task vs. social roles. What you have said is so important, I will revise my approach almost immediately. I may not actually use the term "RACI" but I will certainly explain the roles of leader, SME (research), writer (production), and editor (quality) into their 4-person teams. There is a natural place where I can introduce it in the next couple of weeks. I think it will help the students tremendously, and I appreciate your comment very much!
Yes agreed, the university environment fosters competition, not team work. That's just something they need to learn organically once they enter employment. How good they being a team member really depends on the organizational culture, and the managers/mentors they have around them. Saving Changes...
1. organization culture, processes, ground rules
2. communication flow
3. role in the team
4. point of contact when have challenges Saving Changes...
Sandra MaughonProfessor| Piedmont CollegeCleveland, Ga, United States
Feb 12, 2018 10:01 PM
Replying to Karan Shah
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In conjunction with Kiron's and Rami's responses - if my college days were worth anything, it was the observation that group projects often have one zealous member, 2-3 folks who pitch in when asked, and a couple of free-riders who are there just to make up the body count.
And all the working members pretty much divvy up the tasks in a higgledy-piggledy manner. There is no structure, no RACI.
College students come out of such group assignments thinking that this approach is the best. It may work in college group assignment scenarios, but it falls flat when we come to a scenario where how the project is done is as important as completing the project. Where cost, quality, risk have to be measured and managed.
To answer the original question, I wish college students are taught the importance of roles within teams, and complementing set of responsibilities for each of these roles, and how disparate roles can combine together to deliver an objective efficiently and effectively.
Karan, that is an excellent point. I have to admit, this is a fundamental point I have totally missed recently. I knew I needed to have a lecture on teams early on in the semester, but I didn't address roles - only in the esoteric sense of task vs. social roles. What you have said is so important, I will revise my approach almost immediately. I may not actually use the term "RACI" but I will certainly explain the roles of leader, SME (research), writer (production), and editor (quality) into their 4-person teams. There is a natural place where I can introduce it in the next couple of weeks. I think it will help the students tremendously, and I appreciate your comment very much! Saving Changes...
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