# Troubles with Group Members for Presentations



## Peppermint Mocha (Jun 19, 2011)

Hi all,
I am fed-up of the non-working group members in my Verbal Com group a.k.a. the slackers.
As fellow students I'm pretty sure you have all experienced the difficulties of group work.

Other that reporting it to the lecturer and kicking that person out of the group how do you handle this particular problem?


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## birthday (Feb 6, 2011)

I say report. Never in my life have I allowed someone to burden me with their stupidity and laziness. You may try to talk to them and encourage them, but nine out of ten times leopards won't change their spots. You catch my drift? Why should you suffer for others?


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## dagnytaggart (Jun 6, 2010)

Usually we get to grade the efforts of each member anonymously. Do all the work yourself and quietly give them zeros, and encourage other hard-workers to do the same.

Telling the professor is not a good idea. They usually just tell you to work it out yourselves, you can't switch groups, etc. And then there's bad blood between the members, meaning they'll give YOU unfair ratings.

Teamwork is just FUN FUN FUN, isn't it?

Welcome to my world, I'm juggling 5 group projects from 5 classes, and I'm pulling most of the weight in all except 1.


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## Peppermint Mocha (Jun 19, 2011)

birthday said:


> I say report it


What @dagnytaggart said is usually what happens with lecturers. They don't want to hear it.



dagnytaggart said:


> Usually we get to grade the efforts of each member anonymously. Do all the work yourself and quietly give them zeros, and encourage other hard-workers to do the same


This usually works but our school doesn't allow the anonymously part and ALL group members MUST agree with the mark being given so it causes problems.



dagnytaggart said:


> then there's bad blood between the members, meaning they'll give YOU unfair ratings.


Can you believe I did the project myself and they TRIED to give ME zero? Well I kept and printed all emails so luckily I was able to prove that I didn't deserve zero but still. Group members are a real trip sometimes


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## Azure Bass (Sep 6, 2010)

Tranquillity said:


> Hi all,
> I am fed-up of the non-working group members in my Verbal Com group a.k.a. the slackers.
> As fellow students I'm pretty sure you have all experienced the difficulties of group work.
> 
> Other that reporting it to the lecturer and kicking that person out of the group how do you handle this particular problem?


Go back to the storming stage of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.


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## Peppermint Mocha (Jun 19, 2011)

Azure Bass said:


> Go back to the storming stage of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.


Hey...thanks 

I forgot about that course I did 3 semesters ago... lol
Back to the text book on that chapter.


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## Azure Bass (Sep 6, 2010)

Tranquillity said:


> Hey...thanks
> 
> I forgot about that course I did 3 semesters ago... lol
> Back to the text book on that chapter.


Was the course speech and communications?


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## Peppermint Mocha (Jun 19, 2011)

Azure Bass said:


> Was the course speech and communications?


No, although in Verbal Communication we do have a section on group dynamics, speech and communications.

The course was Organisational Behavior. It goes more in-depth in group work and why we react a certain way to situations. 

It's what led me to this forum as I wanted to learn more about personalities.


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## Azure Bass (Sep 6, 2010)

Tranquillity said:


> No, although in Verbal Communication we do have a section on group dynamics, speech and communications.
> 
> The course was Organisational Behavior. It goes more in-depth in group work and why we react a certain way to situations.
> 
> It's what led me to this forum as I wanted to learn more about personalities.


Oh, I see. So aside from suggesting the topic, my information would be useless. Your course is a higher grade than the one I took, speech and communications. 

Thanks for responding.


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## Peppermint Mocha (Jun 19, 2011)

Azure Bass said:


> Oh, I see. So aside from suggesting the topic, my information would be useless. Your course is a higher grade than the one I took, speech and communications.
> 
> Thanks for responding.


Even if the course was a higher grade, the mere fact you remembered about group dynamics shows that you are actually learning and remembering. 

I, on the other hand, am just learning most of this work to pass the subject and quickly forget most of it so I appreciated your help


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## Azure Bass (Sep 6, 2010)

Tranquillity said:


> Even if the course was a higher grade, the mere fact you remembered about group dynamics shows that you are actually learning and remembering.
> 
> I, on the other hand, am just learning most of this work to pass the subject and quickly forget most of it so I appreciated your help


You're very welcome. The knowledge you learn while you're in college is priceless. You're forced to pay for things you may not even use. It's like an all-inclusive membership to institutions that take advantage of the minds that think they use the institution. I learn because I want to understand. 

Thank you for your encouragement, I strongly suggest that you take advantage of the education you're achieving while you're in college. We all have differing opportunities.

Edit
@Tranquillity I didn't mean to assert dogma on this post. Please take my opinion based on the trend of college funding with a grain of salt.


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## Peppermint Mocha (Jun 19, 2011)

Azure Bass said:


> @Tranquillity I didn't mean to assert dogma on this post. Please take my opinion based on the trend of college funding with a grain of salt.


No offense taken. 

You are right. This is an opportunity that comes only once and I should be more appreciative. In Trinidad and Tobago the government is paying for this degree so I don't have to pay for it. Not everyone is so lucky. I have been taking it for granted and I shouldn't.

Your words were like a subtle (much needed) wake-up call.


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