To Team, or Not to Team?

This week was our judgement week for whether we choose to work in teams. We went through numerous activities that really highlighted to me how teamwork should be scoped out before a project. We analyzed the social media of potential partners but since I was not fully set on working with a partner, so I chose a random classmate. Then we did a lost at sea activity that was intended to give us an insight to how we worked in groups.

                When going through a random classmates social media I was paired with Sonja whose Instagram I analyzed. Sonja’s page was heavily flooded with spiritual images of awakenings of the third eye and the managing of stress on our bodies. She also showed a keen interest in anime a type of Japanese cartoon with mainly being of the action and horror genre. Her Instagram was very different from what I had expected but, in all honesty, I feel like I had not gained much knowledge on her as a teammate and instead learned just simple facts about her.

                During the lost at sea activity, we were tasked with ranking the importance of items we would have with us if we were stranded in the middle of the ocean while waiting for help. At first, we worked alone and made our own list where we chose the importance of the items 1 through 15. After we finished were paired into groups of 4 where we compared our answers. I saw many of us had decently similar answers nothing differed from one another too much. But then we were set to make another list, this time with the help of each other. After this, we were given a coast guard list that ranked the items, and we were supposed to compare the three lists and see which were the most like the professional answer. Overall, the list made with a team was the most similar and proved to be effective which was a huge learning point for me.

                All in all, I do see the importance of teamwork and how multiple opinions can push an idea to its best form. As stated by Eli Becker, teamwork shows us we “can work together to build a more effective team and achieve sustainable results.” (Becker, 2015). But I still feel I should work alone when it comes to my magazine, I feel like if I work with a partner or multiple people ill either end up settling for less or becoming a control freak and ruining the experience for those around me. I don’t want to take the time to analyze every persons personality types when I’m more than confident in myself to lead and carry this project to my desired end goal. “Certain types make natural leaders while others are more comfortable as followers. Certain personality types are natural communicators while others find it very difficult to express themselves.” (Bradley, 1997). M magazine will be fully written and photographed by me and will include picture of the clothing I’ve made this seems like the most effective step in the right direction and I hope I can begin production soon.