College group projects are always bringing together an interesting mix of students. Here are five types of people who you might be working with on your end-of-the-semester group project.
THE NATURAL LEADER
This person is great to have when doing a group project. They take charge in high-pressure situations and make sure the project gets done in the most efficient and effective way possible. They have great ideas and sell them in a manner that makes everybody in the group believe they are destined for the solid A. Group projects are infinitely easier and certainly less stressful with a confident leader at the helm. Without a leader, group projects turn into a power struggle with too many mediocre ideas and foolish opinions. Good luck pulling off the A when everybody is at each others’ throats.
THE PERSON WHO DOESN’T CONTRIBUTE
This person isn’t necessarily a bad person to have in the group. While they bring nothing of academic value to the table, they aren’t dragging the group down, per se. A lack of an opinion is better than a lot of awful and outlandish opinions. In other words, this person doesn’t bring any positive or negative vibes to the group. That being said, in certain instances this person can be a great team player. They might not offer a fresh perspective, but they are capable of carrying out orders and put forth a respectable effort when the leader delegates a task to them.
THE PERSON WHO NEVER SHOWS UP
There is nobody worse than this person. They are super lazy, don’t contribute any ideas or opinions, never respond to emails, almost never show up, and in the rare event they show up they are usually late and woefully unprepared. You hate that this person gets to slap their name on the final product. The most you can do is send out a text or an email, pointing out their blatant lack of effort. This rarely accomplishes anything though. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and hope this person isn’t in the next group project.
THE PERFECTIONIST
Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them. This person is both a gift and a curse to your group. They obsess over the most insignificant details and tend to slow down the group. They set the bar high (too high sometimes) and expect everybody in the group to put in as much work as they do, which can get very annoying for obvious reasons. However, this person is chiefly responsible for making sure the quality of the final product is second to none. Their obsessive nature comes in handy when everybody has had enough and wants to call it quits. The perfectionist will stay up late into the night, making sure everything is as tight as possible.
THE WORKHORSE
This person is a true team player. They are willing to put in the extra work, but don’t seek praise or recognition for their effort. They are driven by the fear of not making the Dean’s List, so they are willing to do almost anything to make sure they maintain their GPA. Without the workhorse, your group would be scrambling the night before to get everything done. Their work ethic and unselfish character is contagious and prompts the rest of the group to step up and put in the work to get the A. This person reminds you that good old-fashioned hard work can actually be rewarding.
