To Team or Not to Team

    I have decided to work independently on the portfolio project for AICE Media Studies. Many different experiences have contributed to this decision. In class we have read multiple enlightening articles, took part in collaborating activities, and held discussions about team work.

    For instance, the social media peer account activity was an influential factor in my resolve. In this activity, I was given the task of analyzing a peer’s social media account to get a better understanding of who they are. After going through my partner's social media platforms, I came to realize that we are quite different. The article by John H. Bradley explains that, “According to personality type theory, extroverts prefer the outside world of people and things, while introverts enjoy the inner world of concepts and ideas”, (The effect of personality type on team performance). This theory helps clarify my reasoning behind choosing to work independently. I am self-reliant and considerably determined when it comes to getting work done. I believe that working with a partner would be inadaquate overall. Contrasting personality types may clash, resulting in inefficient work productivity.       

   Additionally, the Lost at Sea activity was also very educational. This team-building activity allowed me to experience collaboration with my classmates. We each individually ranked useful items based on their importance if one found themselves lost at sea. Then we collaborated to collectively decide upon new rankings that we would all agree on. This was proven rather difficult due to our opposing ideas on the items’ significance. I think that making group decisions would be a challenging obstacle to overcome when working on the portfolio project. I would prefer to personally deal with decision making when completing a given assignment.  

   

   Eli Becker conveys that a critical aspect of constructive teamwork is ensuring that each member involved feels heard. People can only effectively address conflict when they have a proper understanding of one another, (Team building and group dynamics: creating and fostering a culture of teamwork requires trust, collaboration, and accountability). I feel that it would be simpler to work independently so I would not have to worry about that issue.  

   

   Furthermore, I consider myself a perfectionist, I like things done meticulously precise and have extremely high-performance standards. Working with others might not mix well with these particular character traits. John h. Bradley illuminates the fact that personality type plays a huge role in team performance in his article. Not to mention that working in a group requires each member to take personal responsibility for their actions. I do not want to have to rely on others to carry out a task. With everything taken into account, I believe that working independently on the portfolio project will be the most beneficial choice for me.