How group projects apply to real life and your career

Said in group, stay in group.

When was the last time you had to be accountable in a group setting? When was the last time you were dependent on a group member? Face it, we aren’t on our own island in post-secondary. We can’t do everything ourselves. Sometimes we need a little help. Sometimes others need us to step up.

Group work isn’t just about a school project or making decisions in school. It applies to life, as experience will eventually be transferred to the workplace. Experience isn’t just about job placements or internships, however. It is multifaceted and can frame how we’re viewed by others.

Let’s check out how group projects apply to real-life experience.

Experience you can bank

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At times, we view school as being completely separate from work. Graduating isn’t the final stop on your journey, but the first step to a new life.

We often feel like group projects are just about grades or achieving a high GPA. However, they’re actually about gaining the confidence you’re going to need to be a leader in your particular chosen field once you leave the classroom.

You don’t have to be an expert as soon as you enter the workforce, but you’re going to need the ability to listen, learn and at times delegate tasks to others on your team. Taking direction from others isn’t always easy, but it is necessary because learning is a lifelong task that doesn’t end after school is over.

Clash of the personalities

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We are all different, with different personalities. No two people are alike, and disagreeability is often a major problem at times. Sometimes, however, it can hold a group hostage.

Studies have found that disagreeable individuals don’t necessarily attain a higher level of power. Being overly malleable and easily pushed out of your position is not always ideal, because you can be bullied.

The key? Find a middle ground. Be agreeable and respectful and find a way to state your case in a group setting with facts and information to back you up. Be ready for questioning and be open to change.

Translating from academic to professional life

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In school, if you and your group miss a deadline, you can lose marks. At work, if you lead a team and miss a deadline, you can lose your job. This is why you must treat school both as a tool to learn and as a jumping-off point into being a professional. Being a professional, in any industry, is serious business.

You have to be accountable and you have to get along with people you normally wouldn’t have a ton of commonalities with. Sometimes this means blending into the background and simply listening. At other times, it means taking charge and giving direction.

School isn’t just about regurgitating facts and memorizing information. It’s really about preparing you for a world that can be harsh and critical.

From obstacles to outcomes

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Leadership is not always tied to meeting deadlines, but rather to how we go about resolving conflict. Conflict isn’t just normal, but inevitable. This isn’t always a bad thing, however, if handled correctly. While disagreements happen all the time, conflict can lead to severed relationships and lasting damage within a team.

Being a leader means knowing how to manage resources effectively in order to negotiate. The ability to negotiate is crucial in de-escalating tense situations. Using words and being open-minded can really make the difference between a team falling apart and a team overcoming major obstacles.

Approaches to resume building

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Group projects are valuable because they’re opportunities to learn skills which you can list on your resume. Getting comfortable with people you weren’t initially familiar with is exactly what awaits you when approaching an interview for a job position. Having a resume that works for you means listing experiences and skills that you’ve acquired by working with others.

After tackling that group project for weeks that nearly pushed you to your limit, now you can list “works well with others” and “valuable team-player” on your resume and it’s not an exaggeration.

My personal approach

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Now that we know why group projects are so important, why not delve into how I approach them?

I am someone who tends to listen more than I speak, and by nature, I am an introvert. The skill I am most proud of is the ability to create harmony within a setting where there are many different types of people. My biggest asset? The ability to delegate tasks and manage deadlines.

Next time you’re dreading that mandatory group project, you can now reframe your mindset and use this as a learning opportunity to grow and excel in your future career where working with others might not be optional. And who knows, you might make a friend for life!

Feature image courtesy of Shane Rounce via Unsplash.

Are you now aquatinted with your group dynamics? Go on a road trip with your friends and travel on a budget!