Report: Challenges and Strategies in Group Work - M&OB Course

This report analyzes the challenges faced while working in groups, focusing on issues like knowledge sharing, task performance, and the impact on individual perception. The student discusses the inability to share information, unequal emphasis on work principles, and initial stress related to quality delivery. The report highlights strategies to effectively manage group work, including clarifying roles, adopting success-oriented interactions, and emphasizing group and community building. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of equal contribution, defined roles, and maintaining high standards for effective team performance. The report includes references to relevant academic sources.

9/22/2017
Student Name
Management & Organizational Behavior – Working As Part of a Group

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
Challenges Faced While Working In Groups..............................................................................................1
Task Performance Challenges Experienced.................................................................................................2
Effect on My Perception of Working in Groups..........................................................................................2
Three Strategies to Effectively Manage Working in Groups.......................................................................3
Be clear and specific in your role............................................................................................................3
Adopt success oriented interactions and transactions..............................................................................3
Emphasize on Group and community building........................................................................................3
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................3
References:..................................................................................................................................................3

Introduction
Individual performance and development are closely related to an individual’s talents but
working as part of a group also contributed immensely towards individual development. In my
experience working as part of a group or team plays an important role towards individual growth
and development but also demonstrates an individual’s leadership skills and ability to handle
situations under pressure (Slater, 2010).
Challenges Faced While Working In Groups
The main challenge I faced while working as part of a group is the inability and unwillingness
for individuals to share information and knowledge for the well-being and good of the team. It’s
very rare to locate an individual willingness to share knowledge freely with others which results
in undermining team spirit and progress. This result in each team member focusing on their own
targets and forcing lower performers to remain under pressure and stress to meet targets and
resolve problems they encounter on their own. This approach leads to considerable time and
resource wastage which could have been eliminated through knowledge and experience sharing.
Organizations must therefore review team spirit and information sharing among team’s members
which helps speeds up knowledge acquisition thus helping enhance productivity.
Task Performance Challenges Experienced
The main problem faced while working as a group has been maintaining a strict and equal
emphasis on following the same principles towards work. This is due to the employer setting
achievement targets which results in distracting some employees from focusing on quality to just
focusing on quantity. These results in placing considerable pressure on certain individuals to
maintain high standards of quality control as they require taking on added pressure to ensure
quality is being maintained at high levels. Team managers have also contributed negatively
towards this trend by highlighting and praising individuals who have focused on numbers
without considering product quality and its contribution towards customer satisfaction
(Yearwood, 2010). This has resulted in an unbalanced working environment among teams
which require close revelation to ensure successful growth of all team members.

Effect on My Perception of Working in Groups
Initially working as part of a group seemed to be stressful as I retained a firm stand on delivering
quality. This saw me entering into conflicts with several team members who were overlooking
quality and focusing only on quality. It was also disheartened when the managers and team lead
praised high quantity achievers and now acknowledging quality. I remained strong and retained
my stance over focusing on high quality which the administration and my teammates have
gradually associated to me and infused to their working approach (Ephross & Vassil, 2006). I
have also learned not to argue on such aspects since the team members must be evenly
distributed towards quality and quantity but I always remain vigil and will highlight concerns a
team member may be repeating willingly or unwillingly.
Three Strategies to Effectively Manage Working in Groups
Be clear and specific in your role
It is critical an individual is clear regarding their role and maintain focus on their role despite of
their being external influence or pressure (Luca, 2017).
Adopt success oriented interactions and transactions
Avoid negative interactions, communications, and transactions which could result in group
conflict and focus on the group, product and organization development, and growth.
Emphasize on Group and community building
Encourage team members to observe each other as a community and lose night family and
encourage team building spirit and sharing information and approaches which help encourage
team development at a rapid pace.
Conclusion
Effective team performance relies on all team members contributing towards the process equally.
Over time each member takes responsibility of a certain task or role which they are responsible
for. It’s vital this role is emphasized on while maintaining high quality and standards. This
ensures equal distribution of the workload and constantly rising level of quality delivered by the
team as a unit.

References:
Ephross, P. H., & Vassil, T. V. (2006). Groups That Work: Structure and Process. Columbia University
Press.
Luca, R. (2017). Project Portfolio Management Strategies for Effective Organizational Operations.
Hershey: IGI Global.
OUP. (2010). Group Work across Populations, Challenges, and Settings: Oxford Bibliographies Online
Research Guide. Oxford University Press.
Slater, R. (2010). Team Management (Collins Business Secrets). London: HarperCollins UK.
Yearwood, J. (2010). Technologies for Supporting Reasoning Communities and Collaborative Decision
Making: Cooperative Approaches: Cooperative Approaches. IGI Global.