I’ll never forget high school history class.

I couldn’t tell you what the project was (it’s been almost 20 years, sigh), but I’ll never forget the feeling I got when my instructor handed me a piece of paper with a big fat “C+.”

I was a straight-A student. I loved to learn. (Still do!) I always put in extra effort and went above and beyond the original ask. The thing about this group project was that I was only responsible for 1/3 of the final report, and my two other “partners” half-assed their way through.

That grade was the primary reason I got a B+ in History class… instead of an A. It was also one of the two Bs I’d end my high school days with, eliminating me from valedictorian status. Looking back, I couldn’t care less. I’ve done pretty well for myself. At the time, I was heartbroken, aggravated and so mad that I had to rely on other people to “win.”

To be successful, you must learn to work with other people.

Little did I know how BIG of a life impact this lesson would have on me as I went to college and especially in my career. To be successful, you must learn to work with other people. You must learn to identify people’s strengths and weaknesses and then opt to amplify the good stuff or (ill advised) harp on what needs improvement.

Teamwork is everything and I learned the hard way that you can’t just focus on your part and expect to win. You won’t.

What do you think? Tell me about a group project and whether you loved it or hated it, and why.