To Team or Not to Team

Group projects can go one of two ways: amazing or awful. I have had so many bad experiences with group projects. I either do all the work, or I am never listened too. Teachers never gave me a choice, either, because it is widely agreed that working in groups and having multiple minds is more beneficial than working alone. However, in the study called “The effect of personality type on team performance. Journal of Management Development” Bradley discusses his findings when it comes to collaborative work and solo work in the music industry. It showed that there was no difference from working in a group and working alone in the music industry. This could debunk the claim that collaboration is needed.


As I grow older, though, I have been able to assert dominance and have more control in groups. I am able to take leadership and make sure that everyone is being heard. In “Of rabbit holes and aquamarines (cabbages and kings)”, Krell points out the positive outcomes of working in a groups. For example there is a sense of community when a group works well together and all feel understood. Working in a group can take off some of the stress on one’s shoulders. In class, when we collaborated on our “Lost at Sea” activity and had to rank essential items on a life boat. Talking to other people after doing it alone made me feel a little more relieved. The fresh I ideas caused us to do better.


Before all the compatibility activities done in class, I wanted to work with Genesis Rodriguez-Rodriguez on the project because I was close with her. My mind hasn’t changed; I still want to work with her. The activities, like the “lost at sea” challenge,, just further showed me that Genesis would make a great partner. We are able to compromise and bring a diverse amount of ideas to the table. Genesis, being in theater and an improv troupe, is a natural very creative person and knows how to draw attention from an audience. When we did the “Social Media Peer Account” activity, I looked back at Genesis’s old posts on her instagram. She always posts funny videos of her as different characters; she can easily make anyone someone smile. Even though the study implied that working with a group does not affect how successful the product is, I believe that not only will our project be creative, but we will also enjoy doing it.


I’ve known Genesis for 4 years, and I have from time and time again seen her hard work ethic. She gets things done in her own unique style and I admire that. Knowing each other for that long also means we don’t need to break the ice. We already know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and are comfortable to point them out.