Partnerships
Partnerships are built between two or more people that are working towards a common goal. This can come in the form of a school project, a business idea, or a workplace task. Though partnerships can come together for various reasons and can include incredibility different people, the goal but be accomplished effectively to ensure success for everyone.
One of the biggest problems in working with others are differences in ways of thinking or tacking the problem at hand. Here are some tips for working past and even with differences.
Build more relationships with people who are not like you-If you limit your relationships in business to people who are just like you, your business potential is severely limited.Get to know your business associates as people, to understand their personality, strengths, and motivation, before you deal with them on business issues.
Don't assume others are intentionally being difficult-They are simply being who they are, and they are as frustrated with you as you are with them when things aren't working. They are thinking and making decisions based on their unique personality, cultural background, and their previous experiences. Your challenge is to adapt to them.
Never try to change people -- capitalize on their strengths-It's easier to adapt your own style than to try to force others to be like you. People can change themselves, if they respect you as a role model, and feel your courtesy and respect for their position and ability. Always be civil and diplomatic, and don't allow emotions to cloud the situation.
Don't generalize the discussion -- stick to the problem at hand-Often it's tempting to bring up prior issues to make a point, but this approach is fraught with the danger of escalating emotions and potential misunderstandings. Successful work relationships require focus, cooperation, and listening, and often benefit from different approaches.
Encourage business disagreements and healthy conflict-Real innovation can only come from people who think and see things differently. Disagreements should lead to constructive discussions, real learning, and better solutions. The challenge is to remain non-judgmental, non-defensive, and not feel the need to win every argument.
~Inc https://www.inc.com/martin-zwilling/5-techniques-for-working-successfully-with-people-who-are-very-different-from-you.html
Build more relationships with people who are not like you-If you limit your relationships in business to people who are just like you, your business potential is severely limited.Get to know your business associates as people, to understand their personality, strengths, and motivation, before you deal with them on business issues.
Don't assume others are intentionally being difficult-They are simply being who they are, and they are as frustrated with you as you are with them when things aren't working. They are thinking and making decisions based on their unique personality, cultural background, and their previous experiences. Your challenge is to adapt to them.
Never try to change people -- capitalize on their strengths-It's easier to adapt your own style than to try to force others to be like you. People can change themselves, if they respect you as a role model, and feel your courtesy and respect for their position and ability. Always be civil and diplomatic, and don't allow emotions to cloud the situation.
Don't generalize the discussion -- stick to the problem at hand-Often it's tempting to bring up prior issues to make a point, but this approach is fraught with the danger of escalating emotions and potential misunderstandings. Successful work relationships require focus, cooperation, and listening, and often benefit from different approaches.
Encourage business disagreements and healthy conflict-Real innovation can only come from people who think and see things differently. Disagreements should lead to constructive discussions, real learning, and better solutions. The challenge is to remain non-judgmental, non-defensive, and not feel the need to win every argument.
~Inc https://www.inc.com/martin-zwilling/5-techniques-for-working-successfully-with-people-who-are-very-different-from-you.html
When working with others on a school project things can get out of hand, but creating organization and responsibilities within the group keeps things functional. Here are some steps to create a better school project!
Review the assignment as a group- Does the group understand the instructions? What is the deadline? Will all the work happen in the classroom, or will you need to set time aside after school to work on it?
Come up with a list of questions- Inevitably, the teacher’s instructions may or may not have all the information the group needs to finish a project. The group should write down their questions and get clarification from the teacher.
Talk about the end result- The group should be clear on what is the goal of the project. Take turns asking for suggestions or ideas of how to best approach the project. Find something useful in each idea, see how you can make them work together.
Identify roles and assign them-The group should talk for a few minutes about what their strengths are, and what each group member feels like they can bring to the team. Is there an artist in the group? Is there a good speaker or a good writer? Who has access to the needed supplies? Who can do research, proofread, fact-check? Which student will lead the meetings? Who will keep track of tasks and when they’re due?
Work out a plan with deadlines-How much time they have to work on it will define the plan. The group should break down the project into steps, and decide how to space out all the work. Is it a 6-week project? Start with milestones for every week. Do you only have 7 days to work on the project? Then have your deadlines clear for every day between today and the due date.
Assign tasks to every group member for every milestone-One complaint I’ve heard for years from... kids and their friends is that one or two students end up doing all the work, while others just coast. Every group should be fair in terms of the amount of time that each group member will have to spend working on the project.
Follow an agenda for the group meetings-If the project is properly planned and broken down from the beginning, each group meeting should have the same basic questions. Talk about whether you finished your tasks due that day. Is there an obstacle that is stopping you from completing your task? What is your plan for your next task?
Discuss progress being done by everyone-Is anyone is taking on too much (or too little!) and make adjustments. If someone seems overwhelmed because their part of the project ended up being bigger than expected, ask what the rest of the group can do to take on some of their work. Is someone not pulling their weight? Ask specifically “what part of the project do you want to contribute to more?”
Do not be afraid to ask your teacher for feedback-Too many times...kids seem frustrated because they have discussed something in the group but they can’t come up with an answer. Sometimes they did not catch all their questions from the beginning. Instead of spinning their wheels, they should not be afraid to ask the teacher input when you feel stuck as a group and need help in terms of what direction to take.
~Teen Smart Goals https://www.teensmartgoals.com/not-another-school-group-project
Review the assignment as a group- Does the group understand the instructions? What is the deadline? Will all the work happen in the classroom, or will you need to set time aside after school to work on it?
Come up with a list of questions- Inevitably, the teacher’s instructions may or may not have all the information the group needs to finish a project. The group should write down their questions and get clarification from the teacher.
Talk about the end result- The group should be clear on what is the goal of the project. Take turns asking for suggestions or ideas of how to best approach the project. Find something useful in each idea, see how you can make them work together.
Identify roles and assign them-The group should talk for a few minutes about what their strengths are, and what each group member feels like they can bring to the team. Is there an artist in the group? Is there a good speaker or a good writer? Who has access to the needed supplies? Who can do research, proofread, fact-check? Which student will lead the meetings? Who will keep track of tasks and when they’re due?
Work out a plan with deadlines-How much time they have to work on it will define the plan. The group should break down the project into steps, and decide how to space out all the work. Is it a 6-week project? Start with milestones for every week. Do you only have 7 days to work on the project? Then have your deadlines clear for every day between today and the due date.
Assign tasks to every group member for every milestone-One complaint I’ve heard for years from... kids and their friends is that one or two students end up doing all the work, while others just coast. Every group should be fair in terms of the amount of time that each group member will have to spend working on the project.
Follow an agenda for the group meetings-If the project is properly planned and broken down from the beginning, each group meeting should have the same basic questions. Talk about whether you finished your tasks due that day. Is there an obstacle that is stopping you from completing your task? What is your plan for your next task?
Discuss progress being done by everyone-Is anyone is taking on too much (or too little!) and make adjustments. If someone seems overwhelmed because their part of the project ended up being bigger than expected, ask what the rest of the group can do to take on some of their work. Is someone not pulling their weight? Ask specifically “what part of the project do you want to contribute to more?”
Do not be afraid to ask your teacher for feedback-Too many times...kids seem frustrated because they have discussed something in the group but they can’t come up with an answer. Sometimes they did not catch all their questions from the beginning. Instead of spinning their wheels, they should not be afraid to ask the teacher input when you feel stuck as a group and need help in terms of what direction to take.
~Teen Smart Goals https://www.teensmartgoals.com/not-another-school-group-project