Motivating My Teammate
After our last meeting, I was really surprised that we can implement leadership at everyday level. In my impression, I was thinking that leadership must be something big, which impacts lots of people. And as we know, past two weeks was final weeks. All students are busy with schoolwork. So I asked myself how could I do something or say something make others a better day during these two busy weeks? Then I found I can start with making a positive impact on my teammates. We were doing a marketing plan project at that time, and the marketing plan is consist of multiple parts, which differs from the level of difficulties. We have to breakdown the task, and one guy has to the hardest part, which requires much more effort than any part else. Since all of my teammates are not that familiar with each other, and no one wants to talk about the how to breakdown the task. I realized there was awkward silence between our teammates. And I think I should be the one who motivate my teammate, and break the silence. Then I take the hardest part of our project and finish it earlier. I send to my teammate. They were really surprised that I finished it even without informing them. Then I actively speak on group chat, help other teammates work on their part. I maintain an open attitude, try to be objective, and I encourage them to revise my finished part.
It turns out everybody finish their own part one week earlier before due day. So we got enough time to email to professors, revise the marketing plan again based on the feedbacks we received. What I did is not something special and extraordinary, I just tried to make a positive impact on the people around me: try to emphasize leadership from every group message I sent, every meeting we have and every group presentation we did. Finally, I created an atmosphere that every teammate is comfortable express their opinions, speak loud about their concerns. Everyone enjoy being teammate with each other, and we decide to be teammate again in the coming semester.
Like I said, what I did is really something usual and common. There are countless students doing group projects in Carey. What I did maybe impress my teammates and inspire them in the future. Awkward silence happens very often in groups project work. If I can make a positive impact on my four teammates’ understanding of teamwork a little bit, I believe they will do better next time by having this wonderful group work experiences. As for me, leadership does not have to be something very unique. Like Drew Dudley said, “We have all changed someone’s life – usually without even realizing it.” (2010) I believe by starting from something small, we can finally make something really impactful.
