Several heads are better than one.

Jenny, Sam, Juan, Ashley, and Yolanda were all taking a course called Community Service 101, for which students receive credit for performing volunteer work. The instructor had organized the students into groups, and then charged each group with deciding on a volunteer project and contributing at least thirty hours of service per person. At the end of the term, each group would deliver a thirty-minute multimedia presentation informing the class about its project. Jenny, Sam, Juan, Ashley, and Yolanda were placed together as a group, one of five in the class.

Throughout the term, this team of five experienced firsthand the challenges and benefits of working in a group. For example, they argued over what to call themselves, eventually settling on HELP (Hands-on, Empowering, Loving People) after an intense and uncomfortable debate. During their first few meetings, Sam and Yolanda kept interrupting each other, while Ashley tried to dominate the discussion. Eventually, Juan stepped in to bring things under control. He reminded the others that they needed to select a volunteer project and work out a plan for implementing the project in order to fulfill the requirements of the course. Jenny, realizing that smoother cooperation would help them achieve this goal, suggested that the group agree on rules for communicating and making decisions. They settled on several rules, including (1) no interrupting when someone is speaking, (2) everyone gets a chance to contribute ideas, and (3) all decisions must be unanimous.

As the project unfolded, HELP’s attention to effective leadership and productive participation enabled the group’s members to select and carry out a worthy project—supporting an after-school program at a nearby elementary school. Through spirited but respectful discussions, each member was able to offer unique and valuable ideas for carrying out the project.

Despite the rocky start, the group’s commitment to the mission and to one another paid big dividends. By the time HELP was scheduled to deliver its presentation on the project to the rest of the class, Jenny, Sam, Juan, Ashley, and Yolanda had mastered the challenges of managing group dynamics. Their speech was a resounding success, as each member described a different aspect of how HELP had carried out its project and what results the group had achieved.

Through their project, these students had discovered both the difficulties and the advantages of working in a small group—a limited number of people (three or more) gathered for a specific purpose. This classroom experience showed them that group dynamics—the ways in which members relate to one another and view their functions—can determine whether a group achieves its mission.

Learning how to master group dynamics, work well with others in pursuit of a common goal, and communicate your group’s achievement to others are valuable life skills. Although group interactions can sometimes be frustrating, you will inevitably be asked or decide to participate in a group at some point in your educational and professional lives—whether in the classroom, in your community, or at work.¹

Why is working effectively in a group so important? Small groups offer important advantages over individual efforts. Often, people can achieve a better outcome by collaborating on a task rather than working alone. Each group member has unique experiences and perspectives to offer. By sharing their ideas, each member has the chance to spot potential problems or improvements in a plan that a lone individual might miss. And each person in a group has different strengths and interests. The group can divide up a project so that each member takes responsibility for the portions of the job he or she is best suited for.

But as we’ve seen with HELP’s story, to gain the benefits of collaboration, group members must interact productively. This chapter provides suggestions for managing key elements of group dynamics—including how to lead a group, how to participate in one, how to make decisions as a group, and how to present your findings or decisions to an audience.