What is the benefit of everyone in a team adhering to a convention like this?
When adhering to a convention like this, it makes everyone on the team on the same page. There is much less confusion when an issue arises in the program.

Is there any benefit to sticking to a convention even when you’re working alone?
Even when alone, sticking to a convention allows others who might advise or observe your code easy access and understanding if it follows a universal convention. Along with this, perhaps working solo will turn into a team assignment. Therefore, it is also beneficial to adhere to this.

Is there any downside to coding conventions?
Yes. Although coding conventions can be good, there can also be poor coding conventions to begin with. Getting use to a certain bad style might impact your progress in learning and disseminating a better style.

What are the areas addressed in the Google guide that you are most surprised are specified?
I’m honestly surprised that there is a guide from Google for this. I have not looked at other in detail conventions and am still looking through the list.

In what areas does your own code not meet these standards?
Personally, I believe I need to work on line-wrapping and my organization of my code. Sometimes after completing a program and looking back, the code is unreadable because of how messy it is.
How would you feel about being forced to use this style for the programs you write?
I don’t think that it would be the worse. More than likely, I would adapt to the style rather than full on accept the entirety of it.