As a senior, the biggest thing that has been on my mind is Senior Design. It has been non-stop hustle and bustle going from meeting to meeting and trying to figure out what exactly is going to be at our table in April. We are to create a project that is a culmination of our knowledge and experience in the classroom and in the workforce. However, I have drawn upon my experience from being on sports teams to guide me through this year-long learning experience.
One of the things that sports has taught me is that you are all in the same boat together — literally if you participate in crew. Unless you row a single, crew requires the coordination of two, four, or eight people, plus a coxswain, the person that gives out commands and steers the boat, to effectively traverse water. Everyone is focused on the person in front of them, matching that person’s exact placement through the stroke of the oar. If even one person is out of time, it slows down the boat, veers it off course, and can cause others to lose timing. Everyone needs to be on the same page, and this applies to group projects.
Every successful team also needs strong leaders and captains. These people don’t need to be the best or most athletic at what they do. However, they do need to be able to command respect and lead effectively. Persuasion and confidence are the best tools that they have. In crew, the coxswain needs to be able to steer the boat clear of obstacles as well as instill a sense of confidence within his or her rowers. In your project, the leader may change at times depending on what tasks need to be done. Therefore, these people need to keep their groups motivated and prepared for whatever road bumps there may be.
Effective sports teams are also capable of using every practice and game as a learning experience. In my junior year of high school, our football team did not win a single game. Until my senior year, no boat was able to finish any higher than last place at the largest crew regatta of the season. Did we mope around and lament about the losses? No, we reflected upon what we could have done better and changed things around. We trained harder for the next season. The team was able to get more wins my senior year (by this time I had left the team), and one of our boats was able to make it into the finals for the first time.
Sure, you may not have done as well as you would have liked on your website design or project proposal, but you can learn from it and be even better for your next stage in the process.
When you’re in your meetings with your teams, keep these ideas in mind. Almost everyone goes through the same ups and downs as you. Don’t be afraid to step up when your team needs a leader. Learn from everything, good and bad. Vince Lombardi once said, “Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” That man took a 1-10-1 team and turned it into a championship-making machine. You’ll get through Senior Design just fine.
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