The old Righteous Brothers song ‘You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’, whoa, that lovin’ feelin’ pops into my mind this morning. Why? Well, yesterday I lost a student whom I had been excited (and grateful!) to have in my classroom. {He had no choice but to replace my course with one that would satisfy a credit requirement for his imminent graduation}.
The scoop:
Many of you AEC readers also serve as adjunct professors in your respective area universities, and so you know the responsibility (and pressure?!) that you hold as an instructor—actually a facilitator—within the classroom. This is not unlike within your own firm—when you are leading a schematic design session; orchestrating professional training; hosting all-office meetings.
While this student {Matt} had only attended two of our three-hour class sessions, I was confident that we would make a good team in terms of maintaining high-energy in the classroom. From the first moment, I could tell that Matt would be a good addition to our group dynamic. Really good. He would be fun; he would be committed; he would be engaged. Most important, it was clear that Matt would have raised the bar in terms of healthy academic competition in the classroom.
I appreciated Matt, and wanted him to stay. But instead, for now, our classroom will return to the more typical scenario. where I will be single-handedly responsible for keeping the students engaged, with the hope that at various times one or more will step up. (And, of course, they always do. But it’s most helpful for me as the ‘facilitator’ when I have built-in ‘players’ in the group.)
Group dynamics in our industry:
A range of group dynamics exist in design and construction firms–in teams, departments, offices, regions, the entire company. As you know, work output is greatly impacted by a positive group dynamic, based upon a host of factors: job satisfaction; loyalty; teamwork; longevity with the firm; commitment towards success.
Take away:
This post is a ‘Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, dagnabit!’ message. Let’s face it. Matt would have made my job easier in that particular class. I will miss the guy for a week or two, then I’ll move on to the ‘new normal’ dynamic that will occur within the section. Funny, I recall many times when I would be working (in-house) at a firm and someone highly valuable to our group dynamic would depart. My heart would sink, but here’s what I learned.
Many times, when that positive personality would leave, other people in the group would start to shine in their own rite. They others would recognize that ‘something’ was missing (the good cheer and easy laughter; the soothing rationale when something went wrong; the ambition and motivation for success; the practical jokes; the voracious desire for learning and growth…whatever that person brought to the dynamic). Rather than let ‘it’ stay missing, other individuals would step into some version of the role themselves.
So yes, in the meantime while I’m waiting for others to be as responsive, engaging, and ambitious as Matt, it will be me that takes highest responsibility for making the classroom lively, open, and ambitious. This is what I signed up for, but I can’t help but hope that another ‘Matt’ (or two or four!) steps up to join me really soon!
Please feel free to share any shifts in group dynamic that you’ve experienced in your firms. How were they handled? What was the new normal? Any thoughts on best ways to manage those shifts?
PS. One last thought. If someone who had a positive impact on your group dynamic recently left your firm, how might you (as another group member) step up with equivalent offerings to keep the group strong? Even though it can be disappointing when someone good leaves, there are opportunities for you to emulate some of the amazing things that person may have offered from a group dynamic perspective.