I recently wrote about how group work can really suck. Not everyone pulls their weight, personalities clash, and more. However, there is something about group work that, when it does work, can be kind of magical.

The magic of group work means that the parties working together can produce something greater than what is possible working independently. In other words, in its best form, group work is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of parts. 

But how to create that kind of environment? What are the factors that let that kind of bountiful thinking and creativity flourish? I’ll give you a hint: it’s all about the relationships.

To produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts, group members must have a deep respect for each other. They must let their egos go to get to something they could not do on their own. This is the kind of respect that makes all good partnerships work. It’s the kind of respect that means you put the group and the group’s health first ahead of any individual needs. 

The group becomes its own entity—one that mediates the relationships between its members. Once that structure is in place, you can build your project, your relationship, and something bigger than each of you alone. Your work can bring out the best of each other’s work and add to it without threatening its significance. Magic.