[DenisDonnacha]

Does anyone else get stuck, or forced into being the "leader" in group projects or group work in school/college?

Don't ask me why, but anytime I'm put into a group for something, everyone looks to me to lead them. I never volunteer for it or anything, but no-one else ever steps up and I'm left with no choice but to start giving orders and tasks to people and making sure it gets done.

It's actually quite frustrating, because I don't like leading people, it's not a natural thing for me, and I have no idea why my classmates look to me to lead, I'm by no means the best student and generally as a person I don't show much confidence in myself or even a whole lot of enthusiasm, which I always thought were characteristics of being a leader.

Has anyone else been stuck in this position?

[Rose3]

There are advantages and disadvantages when you find yourself being the leader.
Some of the advantages are that you know what's happening in your group, and
you have some direction about where it's going and what needs to be done,
people often will listen when you ask for their assistance along the way, and you
catch errors in time for correction.

Some of the disadvantages are that you find yourself having to deal with all the
details, make or attend all the extra meetings when no body else bothers, and
you do most of the proof-reading and corrections.

Which would you prefer?

[Umbral_Seraph]

No, I wouldn't let anyone follow me. I wouldn't let anyone lead me either. What I would do was state what it was I was going to do and asked everyone else what they were going to do.

[DenisDonnacha]

Originally Posted by Umbral_Seraph

No, I wouldn't let anyone follow me. I wouldn't let anyone lead me either. What I would do was state what it was I was going to do and asked everyone else what they were going to do.

I've tried that, but then get stuck with the "You tell me what to do and I'll do it" types, and you have to keep checking in on them constantly.
I mean at this stage I've done almost 10 group projects this year, some big, some small, and we're basically being put in the same groups over and over, I'd like to see someone else take the initiative for once.

[Seshat]

I've even had to ask the teachers for permission in order to do the projects on my own ever since I was in middle-school because I have horrible experiences with the "forced into being the leader" thing. In my case, it has happened because people just stay there sitting around as if the project magically finished itself or something.