How many times has the phrase “Teamwork makes the dream work” let you down? Once, twice, maybe several times? The phrase preaches the idea that group teamwork makes work easier. Yet group work seems to create far more drama or work than independent work. Teammates get irritated with each other, colleagues avoid each other, and classmates gossip about the person that neglected to participate. So, does teamwork make the dream work, or is it the stuff of nightmares?
Based on my past experiences with group projects, I have concluded that teamwork does not make the dream work for me. Too often, I find myself completing my portion of the work and then also completing parts meant to be done by the other group members, who have left their work unfinished. Since I don’t want to receive a bad grade on the assignment, I sacrifice hours of my time to bring their work up to a class’s standard.
In fact, whenever group work or working in teams is mentioned in classes, my stomach drops. The knowledge that I am going to have to dedicate many extra hours to the assignment lurks in the back of my mind, and I am filled with dread. However, one could argue that I would spend the same amount of time on an individual assignment as I would a group assignment working with a team, so why do I experience dread with group assignments but not individual ones? Well, when you have a partner that is supposed to do a certain amount of work on a project and then they fail to complete it, a feeling of betrayal or annoyance tends to arise. The knowledge that this person was unable to complete what they were supposed to might leave a bad impression of them in your mind for future instances, even if the person themselves is kind. Also, in an ideal situation, working in teams is supposed to make the work easier because multiple people are working on the project together. However, teammates have to communicate with each other in order to reach that ideal situation, and if one person is not communicating with the rest of the team, then even more work is created for the people attempting to reach out to the non-responsive person.
And slackers in group work are not limited to peers in school classrooms. I have heard many stories, be them from my parents, friends, or the internet, about adults who have had to carry the weight of their team members through a project. A common theme throughout all of these stories is a lasting feeling of contempt for the person doing less work by the person doing the extra work. Drama can stem from these feelings as rude behavior appears and rumors about either person begin to spread.
However, even though many people I’ve spoken to have had negative experiences with teamwork, the article “Takeoffs Take Teamwork” by Richard Hackman says that “Teams that work well together are 50% more productive.” Teamwork can be effective and productive, but only when that team cooperates. If there is miscommunication, laziness, or neglect from a team member, that team will ultimately fail.
How can we avoid miscommunication or a lazy team member in order to achieve the 50% more productiveness Hackman claims is possible? Some students suggested that creating a communication link, like through a messaging app, is a great place to start. This way, students can communicate with each other about due dates, schedules, and check in on each other to make sure the work is completed.
Something I personally have found helpful for teamwork at school is when teachers grade each person in the group individually. In this scenario, each person receives credit for the work they completed on their own, so if someone fails to complete their portion of the assignment, then they alone bear the consequences for their actions. Even if the teacher cannot grade the students individually, recognition that one student did most of the work is often appreciated. Watching someone get a high grade for something they did not lift a finger to help with teaches a bad lesson about work. For example, if a student continues to think that there will always be someone around to pick up their slack, then their work ethic is going to continue to decrease as they move through school. Two people can receive the same accolades even if one person did everything to get those two people there.
A third possible solution, which is similar to the second, could be speaking with someone in a higher position, whether that be a teacher or a manager or even a boss, about the situation. If the teammate you are currently working with is not carrying their weight through the project, then it could be possible to get a replacement teammate who would carry their weight. This solution would create a more positive environment amongst the team members and would most likely result in that 50% increase in productivity if the team member is one who would contribute.
Are these solutions limited to academic and career work? Of course not! Teamwork can become malignant in athletics as well, or any other environment. For example, if you’re playing in a doubles tennis match and you are running for the ball every single time but your partner is not and you wind up losing the set, then the same feelings of contempt will probably emerge for your partner. They are not playing their part for the team, and as a result, the whole team is failing. While the solutions would need to be slightly modified in a situation like this, similar concepts can be applied to create a better environment for everyone in terms of working together.
So, does teamwork make the dream work? Well, if it is the right kind of teamwork, with communication between the different team members and everyone contributing to the work, then yes, teamwork does make the dream work. Working together gets the work completed more efficiently and working can be more fun when there are multiple people to do it with. However, should someone neglect their portion of the work or if there is miscommunication between people, then teamwork can become a nightmare. While it may seem hard to facilitate positive teamwork, it is not impossible. I have worked in successful teams before and so have many other students and adults I have spoken to. One thing almost all of them said was that for successful teamwork to occur, there needs to be mutual respect between team members. People do not need to necessarily agree on every aspect of the project, but as long as everyone is contributing and their ideas are heard, the work environment will be positive. Maybe even dreamlike.