From Group Projects to Great Teams: Helping Students Lead Together

We’ve all seen the classic group project flop, one student does it all, one vanishes, and one shows up last minute. Now imagine that in a student leadership team. Yikes, right?

But strong teams don’t just happen they’re built. And advisors play a key role in helping students learn how to lead together.

Why Collaboration Matters

Titles are great, but real leadership is about:

• Clear communication

• Shared decision-making

• Delegating fairly

• Handling conflict

• Celebrating team wins

These are real-life leadership skills and they need to be taught.

Quick Strategies for Building Better Teams

1. Define Roles by Strengths Go beyond titles. Assign roles like “Creative Lead” or “Logistics Coordinator” based on interests and skills. Rotate them to build empathy and flexibility.

2. Build in Honest Reflection Use quick team check-ins:

• What worked?

• What didn’t?

• How are we feeling? Keep it real, student-led, and judgment-free.

  
  

3. Teach Feedback Skills Show how to give kind, helpful feedback:

• “I noticed…”

• “Next time, could we…?”

• “One thing I appreciated…”

  
  

4. Celebrate the Team, Not Just the Star Shout out collective wins, morning announcements, a pizza lunch, or a rotating MVP award build team pride and shared ownership.

Final Thought

You’re not just supervising, you’re shaping how students work, lead, and grow together.

With your guidance, student leaders don’t just plan better events, they become better teams. And that’s a leadership legacy that lasts.