Friends, Business, and women - does it work?

[Maverick_]

I am keen to hear from people if it has. I am studying a module where we have had to work in a team of 5 to produce a business plan, we are all friends, we had 8 weeks to produce it (its due this Friday), we are all friends. During those 8 weeks not a single full turnout meeting has taken place and every team needs a organiser and we have one - me (and I feel like I've failed).

We've got a girl who is seems mentally-displaced and over reactive, for criticism for not delivering what she was expected to (she has a selfish reputation), and another couple of people who have not put the effort in, and its been left to two members to carry the project.

I've learnt that when I run my business in future, going with friends may not be the best idea or better, choosing the correct type of people to employ/work with is VERY important.

Working with guys is easier then girls, as we just don't mix emotions with business. I am not generalising because there are awesome girls out there and I've had good experiances too. I've worked in teams of guys and girls before and its been easier to work with guys, girls can get exteremly vicious sometimes over the smallest things!

I thrive when it comes to entrepreneurial activities like these, I feel like I've actually LEARNT something during this process but it has left me with such disappointed feelings of not achieving the potential!


What do you do?


Argh!

 

[Flambeur]

welcome to the real world, and yes, business + friends or business + unprofessional people doesn't lead to good results.

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by Maverick_

I am keen to hear from people if it has. I am studying a module where we have had to work in a team of 5 to produce a business plan,

What do you do?


Next time get all the Indian and Chinese kids in your group. The Indians have convinced the world they are good at math, and the Chinese, well even if they aren't, they will work 20 hours a day on the project.

I actually had a European student tell me this. He admitted it was so he could be the stereotypical European and have more leisure time. The American students all formed groups with their friends and had your problem.

 

[Milhouse]

Now you understand why being a manager can really suck. This is why so many people don't truly like to lead. It turns out it is a lot of hard work. Even during my MBA, where people were supposed to be interested in leading, it felt like 80% were not, 10% just liked the prestige or power that came with leading, and 10% were somehow good leaders.

I don't necessarily have a problem with friends or women on my teams. In fact, I like working with people that I consider at least somewhat my friends. People have strengths and weaknesses, and they have wants and needs. If you want to lead people, you need to quickly assess these things and find ways to fit them into the puzzle to take advantage of strengths, protect from weaknesses, and fulfill some of those needs, and hopefully a few wants.

BTW, I will have serious disagreements with coworkers about things, but immediately after work is done, we're ready to go have some drinks together. . .we know business is business and can maintain that curtain between personal and professional. That is important.

 

[robin]

Fire them.

 

[Reveille24]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

Next time get all the Indian and Chinese kids in your group. The Indians have convinced the world they are good at math, and the Chinese, well even if they aren't, they will work 20 hours a day on the project.

Oh my. That's not funny, yet I'm so laughing ha

 

[bluemagic]

Lol, business "school".

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by Reveille24

Oh my. That's not funny, yet I'm so laughing ha

It's even funnier when a European Union bureaucrat working on his MBA tells it to you

Belgians, they have this world figured out

 

[random-adam]

Originally Posted by Milhouse

BTW, I will have serious disagreements with coworkers about things, but immediately after work is done, we're ready to go have some drinks together. . .we know business is business and can maintain that curtain between personal and professional. That is important.

+1.

And the ability to both say without consequence and understand completely when someone says "Hey, leave me the hell alone for ten minutes so I can nail down this issue, and then you'll have my undivided attention," whether he be CS Rep I or Exec VP.

Thanks for reminding me how lucky I am to have a great office.