TEAMWORK AND THE TEAM MARTYR
For this assignment on Teamwork, we were assigned to discuss
strategies on how we might deal with a student “Martyr” on a Team. To quote Richard Dool’s article on “Managing
Conflict in Online Student Groups, “The ‘Martyr’ is quick to point out that he
has had to do much more than everyone else on the team because no one else
seems to be taking his/her part seriously.
His work schedule is ‘unique’ and his commitments unusual.”
Responses from our group sited communication as the number one
key to achieving Team success and avoiding any one person elevating to
martyrdom. Good communication at the start of the project must be made so Team
members understand the individual tasks for which they are responsible and the
Team understands the direction the group is going.
Setting realistic goals for the Team to accomplish is our
second strategy to avoid any martyr in the group. Having face-to-face check point meetings
along the way allows members to discuss their accomplishments and offer suggestions
to each other to solve any problems another member may be having. This also gives
members a chance to encourage and praise each other, keep everyone on schedule
and keep the Team excited about the project.
And our third strategy is to remind the Team that their
assessment not only depends on what they accomplish as a group, but also how
well each individual has contributed to the group’s success. Letting them know what is expected of them
will make each person take his/her part seriously because they will be graded
as a group and as an individual.
With these strategies in place, the chances for a person to
evolve as the Team Martyr are slim. With
each Team member understanding his/her role, responsibility, and the goal
ahead, no one person will be doing all the work for the Team. Instead, each individual will be working
toward their Team’s success.
"The Importance and the Benefit of Teamwork"
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