Have you ever been apart of a group for a project and have that one member of the group you don’t hear from. Everyone does their part except that one partner, who hasn’t communicated with anyone, until the night before the project is due. The frustration and pent up anxiety from the carelessness the fellow group member inflicts is aggravating. However, throughout life whether it be work, in school or even an extra curricular activity, working together and team work is a valuable skill that is needed in order to succeed. So, how can you avoid being that dreaded group partner? Let’s take a look.

When it comes to being a successful collaborator communication is the number one key to success. It is important to stay connected with team members and constantly check lines of communication such as emails or Teams chats. When it comes to collaborating, you are not the only person who is depending on your actions other members are too. So, it is important to keep peers updated on progress that has been made and ideas that are being thought of. Good communication is an essential foundation for all collaborative work.

In addition to having good communication skills it is important to also have good listening skills. As important as it is to share ideas it may be even more important to be able to listen to other’s ideas. You have to be respectful and open to anything a fellow collaborator may have to say. Although, it may not be the direction you wanted to take the project, it is important to remain a team player and be prepared for your own perspective the change. Most times in the end you can look at the decision and say, “wow I didn’t see how this would work out, but it actually works really well.” It is important to always keep an open mind, pay attention to team members and be respectful toward other’s thoughts and ideas.

Finally, it is important to be trust worthy. It is so important to be a reliable person, especially when working with others on a project. You want your team members to be excited to be working with you, not dread it because they feel they have to pick up your slack because you aren’t doing your part. Think of the members on a team to be like the foundation of a house, if one part cracks the whole house is lob sided. Don’t be the part that cracks. Be the person everyone can count on!

Collaborative work is an effective way for people to work together and come up with multi layer ideas that one person cannot achieve. It can be a fun way to do work, so long as all the parts are working. Working with others is a life long skill that is utilized in many seasons of life! You just want to make sure you remain a good communicator, listener and unworthy induvial so you don’t become “that” group member.