Group projects: the ultimate test of patience and teamwork. Whether you’re the one organising the chaos or taking a backseat, this quiz will reveal your true group project personality.
How It Works:
We’ll take you through the different stages of a group project from start to finish, all you have to do is pick the option that best matches what you would do. Keep track of your letters (A-E), and at the end, we’ll reveal your group project alter ego and how the Skills4Living programme can help you be a better teammate, as well as tackle life outside of your studies.
What is Skills4Living?
Backed by UNESCO and our own Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, the Skills4Living programme will help you develop the essential skills that you need throughout uni to tackle everything from group projects to student house conflicts, and to navigate life after graduation.
Through ten online modules that tackle real-world challenges, you’ll learn skills that employers are really looking for, including conflict resolution, resilience, leadership and self-belief. You’ll have the chance to connect with other students in optional group sessions and, for every module you complete, you’ll receive a digital certificate to boost your CV and LinkedIn profile.
Stage 1️⃣: Project planning
✍️ The task is set, and the group has been formed. What’s your move?
A: Immediately create a group chat, suggest meeting times, and start assigning roles.
B: Open a spreadsheet, colour-code the deadlines, and ask if everyone’s free on Thursday.
C: Roll your eyes, knowing this is going to be a disaster.
D: Suggest doing the project as a musical or interpretive dance. You’re only half joking.
E: You’ve already muted the group chat and haven’t replied. Classic.
Stage 2️⃣: Brainstorming session
🧠 It’s time to get some ideas down on paper. You…
A: Guide the discussion and make sure everyone stays on track. You’ve already got loads of good ideas.
B: Make a shared folder. You add eight articles that you read after the first seminar that everyone should read.
C: You try to keep everyone realistic and say when an idea won’t work. It’s better to under-promise and over-deliver after all.
D: You suggest circling back to the interpretive dance idea. Have we thought about submitting the project in the style of a haiku?
E: You send the odd thumb in the group chat and submit a vague paragraph not entirely related to the task at hand.
Stage 3️⃣: The inevitable conflict
🥊 It wouldn’t be a group project without a little bit of tension. A couple of people in the group disagree about the direction the project is going in. What do you do next?
A: You stick to your guns. You know you’re right.
B: You forward everyone the original brief and the minutes from your first discussion. It’s important to stay on task and not get carried away.
C: You do your best to mediate the discussion, playing devil’s advocate to cover all bases. You only say, “I told you so” four or five times.
D: You share memes about the drama.
E: You react to a passive aggressive message with the popcorn emoji and the chat explodes.
Stage 4️⃣: Time to get to work
🤝 Divide and conquer. Tasks are divided up and deadlines set. You would…
A: Assign everyone tasks randomly and confirm deadlines.
B: You make a shared checklist and follow up with reminders every 30 seconds (or that’s what it feels like).
C: You swap your tasks for ones you know will play to your strengths.
D: You volunteer for the weirdest task just to keep things interesting. You also order face paint just in case it comes in handy for the presentation.
E: You get assigned something and say nothing. Are you even in the chat anymore?
Stage 5️⃣: The big day
🗓️ All your hard work comes down to this. It’s time to do some final touches and present.
A: It’s your moment. You lead the presentation and receive a standing ovation… or pretty close.
B: You make sure everyone sticks to the deadlines and submits everything to you first so you can triple-check the spelling, formatting and citations.
C: You present the opposing argument and it’s so well researched that it accidentally undermines your whole project. Looks like you were right this whole time after all.
D: You get talked out of the face paint but your section is more stand-up comedy set than lecture. The audience is delighted.
E: You arrive ten minutes late and half-heartedly nod throughout the presentation.
The results are in. Your group project personality is…
Mostly A – The Leader
You’re the captain of the ship and it would surely sink without you. You keep things moving and make the tough decisions. It’s true, you can seem bossy at times, but you’re just excited to share your good ideas and don’t have time to waste.
Your Strength
Leadership: The clue’s in the name. You have no problem taking charge and motivating the group. You aren’t afraid to make difficult choices and delegate tasks to make sure everything gets done on time for the benefit of the group.
Skill to develop
Active listening: It’s all well and good taking charge, but for leaders in university or the workplace, it’s just as important to listen to the people around you and take their ideas into consideration. In a project, make sure that you give everyone the chance to speak, avoid interruptions or assumptions, and ask clarifying questions to get the best results. Remember, listen to understand, not to respond.
Mostly B – The Organiser
You’re the checklist whizz and deadline enforcer. You bring structure to chaos and secretly (or not so secretly) love a spreadsheet. You’re the reason the project gets submitted on time with no spelling errors.
Your Strength
Goal setting: You know your aims and how you’re going to achieve it. You can break big tasks down into manageable chunks to ward off overwhelm and everyone in your group is glad you’re there to keep them on track… most of the time.
Skill to develop
Adaptability: Checklists and spreadsheets can help keep a project on schedule, but you need to be prepared for last-minute changes or unexpected bright ideas. Oftentimes, these make a group project even better, so don’t let it stress you out if it wasn’t in your original plan. Adapting your schedule and working style to suit the people you’re working with is a key skill you’ll need for the future.
Mostly C – The Skeptic
You’re brutally honest, and not afraid to challenge ideas. By taking the other side of any argument, you make sure you have the strongest case possible, leaving no room for error. While some may say that can be a buzzkill, you also keep the group grounded.
Your Strength
Critical thinking: You certainly have the ability to logically evaluate information and form a reasoned judgment. There’s no-one better at questioning assumptions, analysing problems, evaluating evidence, and constructing a foolproof argument.
Skill to develop
Problem-solving: It’s useful to see problems before they arrive, but it’s even more helpful to have a ready-made solution that will avoid catastrophe. Problem-solving turns a negative into a positive, and is a vital skill in student life, as well as the day-to-day challenges that arise in friendships, family life and the workplace.
Mostly D – The Wildcard
You’re the life of the party and always bring the unexpected. Whether it’s a bizarre idea or a hilarious presentation style, you keep things interesting. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes chaotic, they never see your ideas coming.
Your Strength
Creativity: There’s never a dull moment with you around. Your experimental ideas bring life to the most mundane tasks. Your creative thinking isn’t just useful for anything arty, but it means you can come up with unusual solutions to everyday problems that no-one would ever think of.
Skill to develop
Empathy: You might be fine with the idea of an interpretive dance in front of your entire cohort, but does everyone else in your group feel the same way? Make sure you don’t get so carried away with your wild ideas that you forget to put yourself in everyone else’s shoes. It’s important to make sure everyone feels comfortable.
Mostly E – The Ghost
You’re… technically in the group. You pop in occasionally, contribute just enough, and somehow still get a passing grade. Mysterious. Elusive. Iconic?
Your Strength
Self-care: Self-care looks different for everyone, whether it’s getting enough sleep, exercising or eating healthy meals. For you, it looks like setting clear boundaries and not letting academic stress take over your life. Be careful though, your ghosting habits can come across as selfish if other people are having to pick up the slack in a group project, and this could harm your relationships long-term.
Skill to develop
Dependability: Let’s face it, you’re not the most reliable member of the group. Other people might cover for you for now, but that won’t always be the case. Dependability is a skill like any other and can be strengthened with some time and attention. By boosting your dependability, you’ll build trust and stronger relationships in uni life and beyond.
Every type of person in a group project has their place and something to contribute. Some maybe more than others…
If you want to boost your essential life skills and be a better teammate in uni projects and beyond, join Skills4Living today. With modules covering key topics from gender equality and sustainability to mental health and staying safe, you’ll find everyday challenges easier to tackle and build the skills employers value, like managing stress and money to growing in confidence and planning for the future.