Final Reflection on Learning

There has not been many 12 weeks as enriching as the one which just passed, marking the end of ES2007S. Professional communications entails a spectrum of skills which would propel and differentiate us in the workplace. I took the wonderful advice of my friend who had taken this module the semester before, and have never looked back since.

3 points come to mind when I revise the learning outcomes for the module. Firstly, in the workplace or life in general, people skills such as conflict management and being assertive are indispensable. These skills define us, how we perceive ourselves and others, and ultimately shape us into unique individuals.While we communicate verbally, non-verbals are often as important, if not more, as verbal cues. Specific to the workplace, written communication tips were also given. How to convey good and bad news, how we write application letters, these are useful life skills to be equipped with. 

Next, we were exposed to 4 presentation opportunities, consisting of a peer teaching session, research proposal as well as both dry runs. The amount of "air-time" one has in the module does wonders to our presentation prowess. Constant feedback by mdm Radhika and peers were generously exchanged, and have resulted in immense improvements as seen from the final presentation. That was, in my opinion, a "graduation" moment for students in the module. Tips like where to stand, where to place our hands seem trivial but they actually paint a better image of us as presenters. The video recordings of our presentations allow a glimpse of a third party view of ourselves, giving us another perspective to assess ourselves.

Lastly, we experienced firsthand the amount of work needed to create a persuasive proposal. Being able to persuade and convince audiences is yet another important skill at the workplace, this is how we can bring people into our perspective and encourage them to do the same for a common greater good.

This module has been extremely beneficial, especially since I am about to enter the working world. I will keep the learning points in mind, and create a successful personal brand at the workplace.

Reflection on Project Proposal

I had the good fortune of being grouped with Si Kai and Yumeng for the research proposal. I knew Si Kai is a cooperative and self-initiated team member from the peer teaching project, and was looking forward to working with him again. A new member onboard was Yumeng, whose working style I had to explore and synergize with our group dynamics. Initially, she was reserved and quiet which was understandable given her unfamiliarity with us. I initiated frequent communication with her and soon enough the ice was broken and she was contributing enthusiastically by the second meeting. Communication is a delicate and important aspect in group projects, and sometimes to maintain a pleasant working relationship you have to talk on a personal level to make the other party feel comfortable.

The next challenge was about finding credible primary sources for our project within a short span of time. The initial idea was to conduct face-to-face interviews, but when replies came back, the problem was about finding a time when everyone could make it. Within a matter of minutes, we decided to switch to email interview instead, effectively reducing the inconvenience for all parties. NEA (National Environment Agency) was the only company to get back to us, and their reply proved to be robust and informative enough. This has shown that things can go wrong or go off track during a project, but one has to be flexible and forward-thinking enough to proceed and not stagnate.

I would be entering working life soon, and projects would be my bread and butter. This module has equipped me with the necessary communication skills which I have to continually hone and practise. Possible improvements that I will execute include the ability to communicate deadlines and the managing the intricate balance between getting the job done and understanding the cause for delays. Also, I will improve on the distribution of tasks for the group members. Factors to juggle and balance are each member's strengths and weaknesses, as well as their willingness for the task.

Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour

Singapore has always been a mixing pot of people from diverse cultural backgrounds since its formation. It is thus pertinent for everyone to equip themselves with intercultural awareness and skills to interact tactfully with people they meet.

Given the inherent conflict-prone nature of intercultural interaction, I have observed numerous intercultural conflicts before, and one particular incident still strikes me til this day. It was during my second year of university, when I was doing a group project with peers whom I did not know before the project. The 3 group members consisted of 2 local students and an exchange student from Finland. I was appointed as the leader and we got off to group discussions before long. Soon we were at the stage of compiling everyone's work after we split roles, and while we have previously laid down details which everyone agreed upon, the exchange student made some changes to the online document without informing us. When the other local student saw the changes, he was furious at how the original plan was not adhered to, and confronted the exchange student during the next meeting.

The main crux of the conflict was that the local student, coming from a high power distance culture, felt that the exchange student should at least have informed me, as I was the compiler of the individual parts. He did not like how the exchange student had bypassed the hierarchy and took matters into his own hands. The exchange student, coming from a low power distance culture, felt that his actions were too minor and wanted to only discuss it at the next meeting. This is where one important point of intercultural communication comes into play: awareness. Both parties were not aware of the other person's culture and values, and thus acted according to what they themselves deemed fit. Awareness is more than knowledge; it is the the respect and accommodation you are willing to undertake for the person from a different cultural background. In this case, both parties could have exercised more awareness for each other, and seek to reach middle ground in a communication mode more fitting of other party's culture.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

Interpersonal conflicts form an inevitable part of life. To avoid them is impossible, due to the unique perspectives everyone take, and it is of paramount importance that we understand the strategy to resolve them. At the workplace, unresolved interpersonal conflicts can lead to serious implications, which might sour relationships between colleagues, resulting in unhappiness and loss of jobs.

I recall a particular incident which happened at the company I interned for. It was a trying period as the company needed a higher output temporarily, and everyone was understandably in a bitter mood. As the intern, I assisted in the simpler procedures and thus could observe the intricate dealings between the colleagues. I noticed that two of them (I shall call them A and B) started talking less to each other, and even spoke unkindly behind each other's backs. Lucky as I was, they saw me as the neutral party and gossiped freely through me. A was jealous that B could request for lesser OT (overtime) while everyone else had to add in extra hours, while B could not stand the sight of A always leaving the office during work hours. I knew there were misunderstandings, and decided to act as the mediator. 

Firstly, both of them are already mothers and I had to be very cautious in my tone and choice of words in order not to appear rude or disrespectful. I chose to speak to each of them on different days, and then decide on a suitable timing to bring both together to lay everything on the table. Secondly, they were oblivious to each other's own side of the story, and focused on what they wanted to see. I had to reveal whatever I knew to both of them, and resolve this misunderstanding. Lastly, their EQ (Emotional Quotient) was the trigger to this interpersonal conflict. Whenever they talked, the listening party would always argue or speak her side of the story before the speaking party could finish her piece. I hoped to see them communicating more amicably.

As it turned out, A had a different job scope which required her to leave office for another site, where she had to perform her duties. As for B, she was tiding through difficult domestic issues which required her immediate presence most of the time. The fact that she does not reside in Singapore made matters worse. When both of them finally opened up to each other, we all realized how foolishly simple this whole incident was. All they needed was to listen a second longer, to understand that bit more, and all these would not have happened.

This incident reminded me that while interpersonal conflicts are tricky issues, we definitely can resolve them with tact, which requires EQ. It is the bedrock of successful people skills, and with adequate practice we can emerge on top when resolving interpersonal conflicts.