Now, to tie this into what I’ve learned in Commerce 101, I actually feel inclined to go beyond the class material and into the practical skills acquired from working in groups. Entering Sauder, I feel/felt as though a lot of the interactions between us are rooted in competition. We want to do better than the person sitting beside us because the higher we rank, the better our opportunities are upon leaving school. This competition manifests most easily in independent assignments. When I work alone I have total control over the project and that has its benefits. There is no time wasted on disputes, I can place emphasis on what I think is important, and the project will turn out the way I want it to.
That being said, I have come to prefer group work immensely. Being able to generate and discuss ideas with my peers allows us four times the creativity and innovation. For everything I can learn from reading a book and working on my ideas by myself, I feel as though I can learn so much more by being a part of something bigger. When we meet to discuss the projects, we respect each other and recognize that no matter how great our own ideas are, we always have something to learn from someone else in that room. As well, our differing personalities and skill sets compliment each others so that every task has someone fitted for it. That cooperation, that respect, trust, and the awareness that we are all working to the same goal drives the way we treat each other and the result is a positive environment where discussion is open and everyone’s opinion is of value. I believe that when we work together we as a whole are greater than the sum of our parts.

Commerce 101 has taught me that people and businesses are not so different. Of course I recognize that within a company, I will be doing plenty of group work and hopefully the respect and desire to learn from each other will stay, but I hope it expands beyond that to include other companies in the name of coopetition. It’s easier to reach the top when you don’t have to go it alone.