Determine group’s goals for the simulation.

Create your goal list: Identify your goals for this group activity.

Use Honesty exercise. Answer the question, what do you want from this group class activity?

List out your thoughts in order as fast as you can. Once you have done that return to this article and proceed.

First thing you think of is often your primary goal. Now you may have a primary goal, but you might have other goals as well.

Here are some common goals (primary and secondary):

Excellent Grade

Passing grade

No work

Learn marketing strategy

Minimize time commitment

Stress-free, no arguing.

Make friends

Interact with others

Avoid interactive with others.

Finalize the goal list by reviewing your list of goals and reduce it down the 2-4 most important into a goal statement. Make sure to put in order of importance. Where “1” is the most important.

Align the group’s goals. Now that you and each of your group members have created the goal lists, you want to meet and create a goal list for the group.

Groups share their goals to identify the common goals.

If members have the same goal, but some have it as most important and some have as least important, discuss the pros and cons of the order of important. Come to a common agreement.

This might mean some compromise, but not bullying. Look at transformational leadership and active listening for ideas on how to do this.

After all is done you might still have group members who have goals that even after discussion they hold as important but don’t align with group goals. In these cases, you should be accepting. Realize that the group does have to perform well in the simulation to earn a good grade. Consideration of their goals should be important for the group’s performance.

There is the concern that a group member(s) goal(s) could hinder the performance of the group. For instance, someone whose goal is no work. In this case, you are going to need to discuss with this group member how they need to change this goal.    

Additional concerns:

All or some might not be honest.

Even if you and all group members are honest, you still might not know/unaware of all goals. Subconscious goals.

Might have different work styles

Might have different personality styles

Might have different decision styles.

What is false about aligning group goals?

First step is for group members to list in order of importance their goal(s) for the group.

Typically when a person is asked to list their goals for their goal experience, the first goal you list is the most important.

Once the individuals have listed in order of importance their 2-3 goals, it helps for the group to discuss each members and then work to set up a common set of goals for the group.

When creating a common set of group goals, all of the goals have to align. There should not be any other individual goals to be recognized by the group.