In the classes I teach, there is always a component of group work. My students are working adults, often also parents with young children, and the idea of coordinating with other busy classmates can be daunting. It’s hard enough for them to find time to do the work, let alone align schedules with someone else before they can dig in.
Nevertheless, I make them do it anyway because it’s such a valuable skill in the workplace. It always seems “easier” to do the project without input from other departments or customers. We use the excuse of being “too busy” to seek input or feedback. People don’t make the time to develop relationships, so collaboration is harder, and the cycle continues.
Brené Brown talks about the shift from “knowledge hoarding” to “knowledge sharing,” and this process begins in classroom group work. When pairs or teams of students must cooperate and develop a combined project, it is in everyone’s best interest to work together. I hope those skills help them become knowledge sharers in their jobs as they realize working together made the final product better and added perspectives that would have otherwise been missed.
If you don’t have a teacher or boss who forces group work on you, take the initiative to create some yourself. Reach out to a colleague or external voice and start a dialogue about how your work can benefit from their experience. It may require a bit more time, but the outcome will be worth it.
