Final Reflection on Learning (Post #4)

ES2007S was by far the most enjoyable module that I have taken in NUS. It might be because all my other modules in this semester are content-based whereas ES2007S was more project and skill-based but nonetheless it made my other modules bearable as well. Maybe you find it hard to believe, but I used to look forward to every class and I will not forget rushing for the 11:50 bus to get to class on time. (I had a class before the lesson which is why I took this bus.)

I have learned something from every component of this module, the peer teaching, the application letter, the interviews, the oral presentation, and the blogging. I realized that interviews require a significant amount of preparation and you cannot simply rely on good luck to ace an interview. I also learnt about Emotional Intelligence which facilitates effective communication and require understanding others. It is becoming increasingly important at the workplace and is the key for personal branding. Now I really understand the words of late Dhirubhai Ambani, a self-made billionaire who started as a petrol pump attendant, “Secret of my success was to have ambition and know minds of people”.

But my main objective behind taking this module was to be exceptionally good at presenting. I know I have not achieved this aim yet but I can say with absolute certainty that I have improved significantly. Before taking this module, I used to be nervous while presenting in front of an audience. For the peer-teaching presentation, I thought I prepared well but again I was nervous while starting on my part. I knew that to improve for the next presentation would require significant preparation. Feedback from my team members and Mdm Fazilah helped greatly in preparation for the oral presentation. I was awake for the whole night before the presentation (for other work) and was finding it hard to recall all the points from my speech but still, I think, I did quite well for the final presentation. I know there is still a large room for improvement but at least now I am more confident in presenting and know how to improve further. 

I can keep writing but it should end. I would like to thank Mdm Fazilah for her constant feedback and for being so approachable and friendly throughout the course. It was an absolute privilege Mdm Fazilah to have a brilliant and understanding teacher like you as our instructor.

As a significant part of this module is learning from peers, I would also like to thank all my classmates for their teaching and answers to our queries. I would also like to thank my team members, Anna and Yuki, for being so supportive and encouraging.  I would like to thank Maolei, Rachael and LiYing for their thoughtful feedback on my interview. If I forgot to thank anybody, I hope you will understand. 

I believe that it was the whole class effort and a superb instructor that made this module so enjoyable for me. I would also like to wish everybody all the best for their upcoming exams. Thank you everybody, you are all very amazing people.

Reflection on Team-based Research Project Proposal (Post #3)

I have learnt many new things from this module and acquired necessary skills for the workplace. The Team-based Project Proposal alone has provided me important ‘takeaways’ for the workplace. I aim to firmly hold on to the positive ‘takeaways’ and, of course, lose the negative ones. 

An aspect which I believe our team was really good at was the support and understanding that we had for each other. This is the most important ‘value’, in my opinion, required at workplace. From the course I have learnt the importance of being empathetic in everyday conversations and how it can permanently affect relationships at workplace. Because all our team members were from different faculties, our timetables and exam periods were different and so was the ‘stress period’. But every team member constantly encouraged the one who was going through his/her stressful time. This is an essential lesson for workplace as we spend significant time with our colleagues and healthy relationships demand understanding and support from both sides.

However, what our team lacked was a clear plan in the initial stages itself. Everything seems to fall out of place without a well thought and realistic plan. We should have, or at least I should have, planned ahead for future commitments and avoid unnecessary stress during the most critical time of the semester. Another issue is following that plan. Even if we have the most efficient plan for our projects it will not run smoothly, the way we want it to, if we do not stick to it. These will be few lessons but important lessons that I will be leaving with from this project proposal. Lessons learnt here will definitely be useful in the workplace as similar situations and projects are there as well. I intend to learn from my mistakes in this module and be better equipped for my work life or even future projects in the university.

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior (Post #2)

The culture that we grow up in teaches us values, acceptable behavior, norms and many other things and these teachings form the basis for our daily interactions. Since different cultures have different set of teachings, there is a high probability of conflicts because people might not be aware of values of other cultures.  In this post, I will be talking about a cultural misunderstanding that could have possibly led to a conflict.

There were many foreign students in my secondary school in Chandigarh but the Indian students were still the majority. One day, I was having lunch with my friends at the school canteen. One of them was a traditional Sikh, Sahib Noor and one was a Thai international student, Ping-Pong (this is how we addressed him). At some point during the conversation, the issue about the Sikh turbans came up. (Turban is a kind of cloth head wear and is considered part of Sikh identity and their Guru’s gift.) Ping-Pong touched Sahib Noor’s turban and asked, in a very casual manner, why Sikhs wear the turban. In a very aggressive tone, Sahib Noor ordered Ping-Pong to never do that again. Although it was not his intention, Ping-Pong offended Sahib Noor because the head and turban are sacred for the Sikhs and must not be touched or insulted in any way. The situation was contained as some of us tried to calm down Sahib Noor while others explained the significance of turban to Ping-Pong. This is an example of a situation where cultural differences lead to potential conflicts.

Our group tried to help all the classmates from different countries and different Indian states. Nonetheless, there were times when they experienced cultural shock. Ping-Pong also faced problems in verbal communication as he did not understand the language that most of his classmates conversed in. Initially when he was very reserved and not our friend yet, he addressed the teachers by their name which is considered rude in India. These are just some of the problems that he faced in the new Indian culture. Even the Indians from other parts of the country had cultural differences and faced communication problems.

In this globalized world, we cannot avoid interactions with different cultures. Communicating with people from other cultures can be challenging. So we need to find out more about the set of values, norms and customs in a culture so as to facilitate effective communication. Culture in my state is different from Sikh culture but I never offended any of my Sikh friends as I was aware of their beliefs. Therefore, understanding and discovering a culture is necessary before interacting in that culture for effective communication and to avoid the risk of upsetting people from that culture.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts #Post 1

A and B had been army buddies for a year since their enlistment. A had to forego his job of a personal trainer at 'California fitness' and B had graduated from a junior college. Despite the differences in their social and educational background, they got along well. Their bonding strengthened when they had to complete outfield missions. B was physically smaller and weaker than A and needed much help from A during these missions. A often made fun of B’s smaller size but B always took that in a playful spirit because despite the casual jokes, A never hesitated in helping B.

A and B became even better friends through their common interest in soccer. Every day after office hours, they played soccer inside their camp. One day, A was very unlucky and he was missing out every opportunity to score a goal. One could feel the tension building up on the field as A got very serious during the game. When A missed an easy open goal again, B jokingly said that how come the big size was not helping him that day. This sparked an outrage in A and he pushed B against the wall. He wanted to use physical contact, but was able to hold himself back at the last moment. He hit the wall instead.

This was the unpleasant end to their friendship. Although A and B were in the same group for another year, they never talked after that incident.

The underlying reasons that led to this situation was the lack of social awareness on B’s part and no self-management on A’s part. B should have picked the emotional cues and realize that A is not in the mood to take on any joke. And A needed to have better self-management instead of letting his short-temper affect his behavior and his relationship with B. I feel that this incident could have been avoided if A and B did not lack emotional intelligence. Do you guys agree?