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Group Project Success
May 8, 2009 | Tagged group project, non-profits, red cross, teams | Leave a Comment
A year ago I was asked to join a Red Cross public relations team. After every meeting I get in my car amazed at how much we accomplish in two short hours. Our current project is a huge black-tie event that could turn out to be the biggest fundraiser for the local chapter this year—all because of the dynamic of our five-member group.
While driving home tonight, I reflected on the team’s productivity, and why I feel so energized after we have been together.
Collaborative Is Interactive
First, I realized that every member empowers the other by encouraging each person to contribute their ideas, and then everyone respectfully considers what was said. The team responds to ideas with questions and insights, while the conversation takes the form of a solution toward a common goal.
Second, each member is accountable to one another, and we depend on each other. For instance, because the dinner is centered on honoring heroes who are ordinary people that have done extraordinary things this past year, we needed to solicit the public for nominees.
Each committee member discussed and selected different avenues to accomplish this task. When nominations came in, e-mails were sent to each other that included suggestions, information and praise.
Before long we had more nominees than we could possibly consider, so we had to pare down the list.
When we met to finalize who we were going to honor, the meeting took on an air of careful consideration toward each other and our goal. The Red Cross is about helping people in distress, which takes capital. Our job is to raise that capital. At the same time, this dinner is about honoring selfless people who have changed other’s lives.
Every team member had their own particular favorites, but as we discussed each nominee we all carefully considered what each person had to say. Soon we narrowed the list down to four incredible people, and all of us felt very good about our final decision.
Our dinner will be over in two weeks, but I’m looking forward to our next project. I think I am addicted to our collaborative success. Our mutual respect and dedicated focus toward reaching our goal is a powerful elixir. I can not wait to see what our next challenge will be—and that is what I consider a group project success!
- Susan Jernigan