How should you handle a situation where you are not getting support or help from others during group work?

Thank you for your question! 

First of all, I think it is important to start discussing how the work will be managed early on. If the group agrees to divide tasks and that sections may need to be revised before submission, how should that process work? Do you want to discuss changes together before they are made? This gives the group an opportunity to talk things through, allowing the person who wrote a particular section to understand why revisions are needed, while also giving them the chance to make those changes themselves. 

If the behaviour continues, with one student taking over other people's work and refusing to compromise to the point where someone is effectively excluded from the project, it is important to raise the issue with the lecturer. If you find yourself in this situation, you have rights as a student. This is group work, not an individual assignment. It may be helpful to discuss the issue either as a group or in a one-to-one conversation, and try to understand why this student is so resistant to collaboration. If the situation does not improve, I believe it is important to involve the lecturer responsible for the assignment so that they can provide support and guidance. 

It can also be very helpful for the group to create a group agreement early on, outlining the expectations and ground rules you want to work from. This makes it easier to address situations where someone is not respecting the group's agreed way of working. Such discussions can help both you and the rest of the group gain a better understanding of why the student is behaving in this way. 

Excluding a group member is never acceptable. If this happens to you, you have the right to have your voice heard. In situations like this, it is important to communicate what is happening, either on your own, with the support of other group members, or with the help of a lecturer. When raising the issue, try to focus on the behaviour itself and how it affects you, rather than attacking the person. Aim to be factual and specific rather than making personal criticisms. 

Ultimately, the key lies in how we choose to communicate with one another. If you are experiencing a situation like this, it is completely understandable to feel frustrated. However, it is important not to communicate solely from that frustration. Instead, try to be clear and specific about how the behaviour affects you, so that the other person has an opportunity to understand the impact of their actions. This is also why it is important, from the outset, to have open conversations about how you want the group to function, both in terms of the atmosphere within the group and the way you communicate with one another. 

Best regards, 

Counsellor