"Competing Priorities Among Team Members" is an exercise designed to help a (learning) team or working group (e.g., committee, service group, task force, or volunteer group) foresee, discuss, and work through potential conflicts surrounding competing life priorities while in pursuit of a common goal or deliverable. The exercise consists of (1) completing individual and team logs for which participants must evaluate their weekly time and energy commitments (emotional, mental, physical, and so on) and (2) engaging in team and class debriefs to resolve any potential conflicts that could hinder collaboration or productivity.

This exercise has been successfully facilitated at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business with first-year MBA students in preparation for work in their learning teams. It is, however, appropriate for first- and second-year MBA courses on leadership or teams, specifically in sessions related to social dilemmas, managing team conflict (whether task related or relational), norm setting, team culture, or social loafing. Finally, the exercise may be used in the executive education format with both early-stage and mid-career executives, as well as with any team or working group that has various concerns pulling members in different directions.