I had been directly involved with a conflict over the semester. It involves a team based project of 5 team members. All team members come from the same course as I. This project specifically focuses on the development of an original game. Before I continue, I will split the team members into 2 groups: Team Slacker and Team Worker. Team Slacker consists of 3 members, and Team Worker consists of another member and I.
During this whole period, the whole team isn't communicating with each other due to avoiding confrontation of the issues at hand. Eventually, Team Slacker accused Team Worker for not informing them the tasks they needed to do. However, I personally believe that they could refer to schedule which was created and agreed upon by all members of the team which clearly contains a list of tasks stated by each member. Since we are all in the university, whereby lecturers won't hold our hands anymore, I expected Team Slacker to take initiative and update themselves and contribute to the schedule about outstanding tasks. However, they preferred to be told verbally without the use of the schedule.
Not only that, Team Slacker felt that they were being treated as dogs because Team Worker finalised the game design at the beginning of the semester and had additional ideas of the design. Based on that reasoning, Team Slacker is demotivated to do work. Little did they not know that Team Worker has spent the last week of their holiday writing the game idea in a comprehensive manner. Also, Team Worker feels that it is logical to quickly finalise the game idea before the semester begins as it will speed up the production since they have experienced difficulty in developing a game without concrete document stating the features of the game. However, this backfired as Team Slacker attempted to use it as another avenue to support themselves in the argument.
So, how am I to accept these reasons after attempting to assist them in the completion of this game project?
In order to get both groups to collaborate, each team member has to recognise and subsequently adapt to different working styles within the team.
Edited: 25 March 2016
It would rather be good if your group has someone like a leader to manage everyone, get everyone to be motivated to do things as well as get everyone updated on everyone's progress, such as informing the Team slacker that the Team worker has started on certain task and that they should start on their.
ReplyDeleteEven though by right they should have the initialisation to start doing things but it seems like they do not have it that why some handholding or a small push to motivate them to start doing things.
I have been in groups like this before and I have been on either side of the group as well. People get demotivated very easily if they are not reminded of their goals and deadline every now and then as everyone could be busy with their other stuff that they forgot about it.
The reason they gave is not wrong as information of the writing of documentation was not shared to them so they did not know there was one to start from.
How can we get both groups to collaborate? Based on the group development theory, what can we do at the forming stage?
ReplyDeleteI have read the following blogs:
ReplyDeleteJonathan Seah
https://com150jonathanseah.wordpress.com/
Rong Wei
https://com150rongwei.wordpress.com