ES2007S

Week 12 Final Reflection (Blog Post #7)

2008-11-02T07:07:00.000-08:00

For this final post, return to your first post and review what you wrote. Has your understanding of the value of effective communications skills changed since that time? If so, in what way? If not, why not? How do you feel about the communication skills that you have developed in this module? Please reflect on what you have done, on your interactions and your overall learning.

After going through this module, I have come to realise, even more, how applicable effective communication is to me, even in my everyday routine. Saying things the right way, using the appropriate words and tone are important to get the message across.

The survey project allowed me to fine tune my skills as a team worker. The importance of responsibility and punctuality of every individual within the team is emphasized. In addition, I learnt more about myself as a team player; I tend to be impatient and easily flustered when there is error in communication, hence I need to work on this aspect.

Another important skill I am glad to have picked up in this module is the ability to write resumes and job application letters, which will definitely come in handy once I graduate from NUS. Making an oral presentation also gave me the opportunity to explore better ways to express myself in front of a sizeable audience. This is especially vital in the working world, where one may have the best product to offer but if he/ she fails to promote it well to the clients, it is as good as nothing and all hard work previously put in may go down the drain.

Overall, I am really glad to have taken this module. I have gained skills which I am sure will come in useful to me now as well as in the near future.

Week 9 Biodata (Blog Post #6)

2008-10-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

Using what you have learned about the 7Cs of effective communication and “Discovering Self”, plan and write a 100-word biodata. Be sure to have your blogging buddy evaluate and comment on the strengths and weaknesses of your biodata based on the criteria found on page 6 of the Skill Builders. Also, be sure to give constructive and detailed feedback to your buddy.

I am Seow Hui Kee Joceyln, age 19, female, currently in my second year of study at National University of Singapore (NUS). I believe myself to be a sociable person, as I enjoy interacting with people and making new friends. Being empathetic and sensitive, I am generally able to mediate in conflicts as well as provide comfort to troubled friends. Building rapport is usually not difficult for me. Self-motivated and results-driven, I always desire to excel in things I partake.

Having done relief teaching in CHIJ Saint Nicholas Girls’ School for three months, I have learnt to communicate effectively with both adolescents and adults. Teaching has also made me more meticulous and patient, which I believe are qualities that will benefit me greatly in future assignments.

Reflecting on the Research Project Experience (Blog Post #5)

2008-10-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

For this post, look at Appendix 2 of the skill builder Documenting Reports 6: Peer Review. Use the questions there as a guide for writing about one aspect of your learning experience, be that your success in teamwork, communication amongst your group, problems encountered, etc.

This research project has been an enriching experience; I have learnt the proper way of writing a professional report and ways to better communicate with others. This project made me see the importance of bringing my message across clearly every time. Sometimes text messages and emails could be misinterpreted, resulting in misunderstandings and reduced efficiency. Hence, I preferred speaking face-to-face and I made it a point to clarify whenever in doubt. Patience was vital, especially since each of us had different working styles. It was, therefore, important that we took the effort and time to know each other better and work along each others’ working styles.

Being part of the team meant every member had a part to play. It was fortunate that both of us in the project group understood that. We did what was assigned to us efficiently and to the best of our abilities.

When doing research, it was important to find reliable sources and get specific information; too much irrelevant information only caused confusion. I also learnt to support my hypotheses and results with substantial secondary data so that it would be convincing.

In preparation for the oral presentation, I wish to adopt a positive and spontaneous attitude. Listening actively to others’ opinions and suggestions, resolving conflicts by finding win-win solutions and understanding what needs to be done will allow me to contribute more to the project at hand.

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior (Blog Post #4)

2008-09-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

For this post, return to the skill builder for Fostering Intercultural Communication. Describe in writing the intercultural scenario that you observed for that task and present an interpretation in light of your understanding of cultural norms and values and the fundamentals of effective communication.

This scenario occurred a couple of months ago in a tim sum restaurant in Chinatown. An English man wanted to order fried dumplings but the menu only offered steamed ones, so he spoke to the Chinese waitress. However, she did not seem to understand English very well. He tried pointing to the picture of the steamed dumplings in the menu and said ‘fry’ several times when placing the order. She seemed to understand what he wanted and made a hand gesture of touching five fingers together a couple of times.

After about fifteen minutes, the dish had not been served and the English customer appeared quite agitated, he asked for the waitress again to ensure the order had gotten to the kitchen. Ten minutes later, the food finally arrived. To the customer’s alarm, five plates of steamed dumplings were served. Apparantly, the waitress had mistaken ‘fry’ as ‘five’; this, of course, displeased the customer and he called for the manager to lodge a complaint. The waitress was indignant.

In this episode, language barrier was the main problem. The waitress did not understand what the customer was trying to tell her. Body language was also a problem; she tried confirming her interpretation of what he said by making the hand gesture of touching five fingers together, which meant ‘five’ to most locals. The customer, being a foreigner, did not know what the gesture meant of course. The waiting time for the food to arrive was also too long for the customer, seeing how he wanted the waitress to ensure the order had been placed. Perhaps it was due to the different concept of time that the customer had, he could be very time conscious and wanted things to be done quickly.

In such a situation, where people of different cultures are involved, parties involved must develop cultural self-awareness. The waitress had to be more versatile in responding to the situation; she could have requested for an English-speaking waitress to help take the order instead. She could have been more empathetic towards the customer’s frustration as well, instead of being indignant at his complaint. Patience is also required when dealing with such scenarios.

Potential Research Project Topics (Blog Post #3)

2008-09-03T20:39:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the skill builder for Documenting Reports 1, write a description of the issue/problem/product that you would like to research. Be sure to follow that description with your topic’s general research question. Also, explain why an attitudinal survey would be needed in order to study this topic.

Currently, there are no statistics on what percentage of the Singaporean population gays constitute. The main reason for this is section 377A of the Penal Code (Singapore), which criminalizes "gross indecency" between people of the same gender. So constitutional rights for gay people are basically nonexistent, and penalties for crimes of homosexual acts are up to 2 years imprisonment.

However, during the Penal Code review in October 2007, the Singapore government declared that private, consensual, adult homosexual sex would no longer be punishable by law but its illegality would remain as a statement of the values of the "conservative majority".

General research question: Is Singapore going to legalize gay marriages in the near future?

Hypotheses: Singapore will/ will not legalize gay marriages in the near future.

The objective of this report: To allow the Singapore government to hear the opinions of the people and, from there, consider legislations that would better protect the rights of homosexuals in Singapore.

Significance of this topic (homosexuals in Singapore):

Firstly, the proportion of gays and lesbians in Singapore is likely to be similar to that in other countries, although there is little hard data. They form quite a substantial part of our population, thus, it is nearly impossible to turn a blind eye to the injustices they seem to face.

Secondly, in January 2006, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) granted S$100,000 to Liberty League, an organisation affiliated with an ex-gay movement. This movement promotes gender and sexual health for the individual, family and society. The fact that the government invests heavily in this area shows the concern it has for this issue of homosexuality among Singaporeans.

An attitudinal survey would be needed to find out Singaporean’s level of acceptance towards legalizing gay marriages. If Singapore is generally still too conservative and unwilling to accept it, then it is unlikely that any changes to the legislation regarding the rights of homosexuals will be made in the near future.

Sample survey questions:
1. All adults in committed relationships should be allowed to marry or enter into civil unions, regardless of their sexual orientation, as proposed by liberal religious groups and some secular organizations. Agree/ disagree/ neutral.
2. You would accept if the government decides to pass a bill that prohibited same-sex marriages. Agree/ disagree/ neutral.
3. You would be likely to vote for a candidate who support gay rights, including gay marriage. Agree/ disagree/ neutral.
4. Gays should be allowed to adopt children. Agree/ disagree/ neutral.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict (Blog Post #2)

2008-08-29T05:04:00.001-07:00

For this post, describe in detail an interpersonal conflict situation, real or hypothetical. Describe in detail the setting/context of the conflict, the people involved, the main problem, and the possible causes. Try to identify the feelings of the people involved. Finally, while considering the main problem, articulate it in the form of a question that might be answered in the form of a possible solution by the members of your blogging group.

At a schoolmate’s birthday celebration several weeks back, one of my friends offered me a slice of the birthday cake. I rejected politely as I was feeling slightly unwell after a heavy meal I had just before that. She appeared to be very offended and snapped at me for being unappreciative, after which, she stormed off leaving me in an awkward situation. The main problem was miscommunication between both parties. She probably did not understand why I rejected her offer and took it personally. On my part, I failed to communicate to her why I could not accept her offer. I do not know the exact reason for her outburst either; it could be caused by several factors. Maybe she was in a bad mood to begin with and needed to vent her unhappiness.

She could have been hurt by my gesture, thinking I was being unappreciative. She probably doubted my sincerity towards our friendship. I, on the other hand, felt hurt by her accusation. Her lack of understanding and empathy, especially since I was unwell at that time, disappointed me greatly. Also, leaving me feeling awkward in a crowd made me feel even worse. Could this entire episode have been avoided? How should I react to her the next time we meet?

Effective Communication Skills (Blog Post #1)

2008-08-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

For your first post, explain why developing effective communication skills is important for you. Think about this assignment while surveying the topics in the textbook, The Science of Effective Communication in the Workplace.

Effective communication, be it verbal or not, is conveying and receiving information clearly. It is an essential part of my personal and professional life.

Effective communication is vital in the work place, where teamwork is important. The ability to communicate a vision and direction, as well as to motivate and inspire others in the team, is part of effective communication. Also, putting across important decisions and ideas to fellow co-workers unambiguously can only be done with effective communication. Ineffective communication often leads to wasted time and effort, confusion and missed opportunities, all of which are roadblocks to success. A recent survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Business School, found out that communication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well as the ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing to career success. Hence, being able to communicate well will give me an edge in the working world, whatever my profession may be.

Communication involves expressing our thoughts, ideas, and feelings to others; it is what we say and how we say it. Through this process, we convey attitudes, values, priorities, and beliefs. Particularly in the personal context, ineffective communication often leads to hurt feelings of loved ones. A parent who fails to convey enough love to his/her child may leave the child feeling alone and abandoned. In an inappropriate tone, words spoken to console may aggravate the situation. Thus, effective communication is, no doubt, vital for maintaining healthy and strong relationships.