Team Player?

[Catalyst]

Or do you prefere to work on your own? I am definatly a lone worker! We need to do a group presentation for uni and i want to throttle 3 out of the four people in the group! Maybe i am a lone worker because i want to take control?

 

[abecedarian]

Or do you prefere to work on your own? I am definatly a lone worker! We need to do a group presentation for uni and i want to throttle 3 out of the four people in the group! Maybe i am a lone worker because i want to take control?

Or maybe you're the "lone worker" because you are the responsible team player I think you've squarely pegged the main problem with group projects..whether that's in an academic or work setting.

I like both situations, depending on who else is on the team. With the right coworkers, team ventures can be very rewarding and enjoyable. But I have vivid memories of learning to do it all in home ec class when my 'team members' were either A. Incompetent(couldn't send Tony for sugar, since he couldn't see the point in properly measuring) or B. Unreliable. (couldn't depend on Teresa to wipe out the sink-she just stared at me, like she was on downers) See, Tony was reliable alright-I could count on him to be consistent in never measuring the sugar or anything else..he just couldn't see how it mattered..while Teresa was completely unreliable-it was a waste of breathe and precious energy and sanity(mine!) to direct her to do anything. I would have been better off in a 'group' all by myself, rather than in a group like that. The only benefit was, I learned to do a LOT that semester that I might have missed if the 'team' had been better.

 

[Gem]

I agree ABC, teamwork can be enjoyable. But I prefer to work alone, it's just simpler, and easier - I know how much effort/dedication I'm going to put into a task so I know exactly what I can achieve. In a team you have to be diplomatic, and very careful in the way that you communicate. Plus when I have a deadline to meet or a task to complete, I can't rest, eat or sleep until it is done - and most people i've worked with like to take breaks - regularly.

Catalyst,I used to feel the same at uni - there were several times when I would just take all the work home with me and get it done - it was either that or as you said throttle them all. I think you want to automatically take control because you know exactly what needs to be done and how you're going to do it - and you've probably subconsciously 'appraised' your teammates and realised that left to their own devices they just wouldn't get anything done properly - of course this is how I explain my own control freak tendancies

 

[SFG75]

I have experienced both situations and until lately, would've have preferred working alone. I teach with two other individuals and we know how to use each other's strengths to cover for our respective weaknesses. The 20 year elementary teaching veteran handles *task-oriented* matters that consist of deadlines and small details that she just thrives off of. Our other staff person is a good organizer and planner. She is great at laying out a plan of action that we need to take on something that the other two of us don't understand. She sees the forest, we see the trees. I handle the more *nuanced* situations that requires more give and take, situations that greatly frustrate our 20 year elem. vet to no end. A great example would be de-escalating a bi-polar client and getting them back towork after they have been jacked-up on anger for whatever reason. So I'd have to say that I prefer working with others when the personnel are a good fit. Otherwise, I'll prefer to work solo.