Final Reflection

ES2007S has come to (almost) an end and let us end this module with our reflections on the times throughout this course(:

During this course, I have gleaned communication skills on how to deliver information (speak effectively), so that audience receive it in the intended meaning, how to listen actively and how to resolve conflicts amiacably. The importance of non-verbal cues is very much appreciated too. I believe that a good communicator is one who can both speak well and listen attentively, in order to establish communication with a partner.

I have since become more conscious of my non-verbals espcecially during presentation, so that I appear more confident. In addition I have learnt (and am still perfecting) to speak (including non-verbals) in a way such that people do not misunderstand my intention or intended meaning because this will aid in preventing unwanted conflicts.

Cover letter and resume-writing will certainly give me an edge over my counterparts who have not attended formal tutorials on the know-hows of such business letters. I am very glad to have picked up tips and skills on how to write such important letters in addition to good writing skills (the 7Cs), which will certainly facilitate job-hunting in the few months to come.

However, I feel that more presentation sessions (like PT) may be implemented to brush up our presentation skills since such skills are undoubtedly vital in life generally (and not just at the workplace). The feedback after peer teaching session has given me insights on how to improve on my presentation skills (though my OP was worse than PT; nervousness was the root of it).

It was of great interest to hear the differing opinions of different course mates on the various issues discussed during classes. Furthermore, to receive and give comments on one others' blog post promoted the exchange of opinions too. Ms. Lim's feedback throughout the proposal and OP period also spurred me to analyse and think more.

At the end of the day, I know that I could have participated more during classes though since ES classes are of interactive nature.

'6' was to indicate the 6th blogpost which was open topic haha.

ES classes were pretty enjoyable despite the heavy workload, because of the interesting course mates(:

Lastly I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Lim for her constant guidance and feedback to help me improve and also my fellow course mates for their contributions to make ES classes lively and more enjoyable.

xoxo

Joanne

Reflection on Oral Presentation

Now that the Oral Presentation is over and done with (great relief!), it's time to sit down and reflect on it; the good and the bad. First and foremost, thanks J-A-Y for the effort put in(:


For the preparation of my slides, I was glad to have added in the screenshots of the various web pages across the faculties since we want them to understand the impact of having enough information on a web page v.s. insufficient information. I felt that the time I spent on preparing the slides was more than adequate and the content on the slides was concise and reader-friendly.


However I have to admit that the time I spent on preparation for delivery of the slides was far from sufficient. I ran through the presentation briefly for only 3 or 4 times. I could have practised and started to perfect my delivery skills earlier (not that there was much time though) and also 'memorised' more information instead of relying on cue cards.


My delivery of the oral presentation was quite a flop!:( I was too nervous and I did not improve even after the first few slides. I remembered that I fumbled a little here and there, sometimes forgetting the points too thus was not professional at all; neither was confidence portrayed. Nervousness was very much reflected in my voice and actions. Nonetheless, I believe that I maintained good eye contact with the audience, was loud enough, had proper variations in my tone and placed emphasis where required. I referred occasionally to the slides, to show 'connection' between myself (the presenter) and my slides and I used appropriate gestures.


Our slides were plain and simple, very much reader-friendly but I would think that special effects may capture the audience's attention more. In addition, the use of diagrams etc. could be employed more often for visual enhancement of the slides and the presentation as a whole.


All in all, I feel that it was rather unsatisfactory and I know that I could have done it much better! Lesson learnt!

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior

Culture varies across different social groups and has certain symbolic meanings attached to different cultural actions or words. However not everyone understands the different cultures of different people and this is when conflict may arise, effecting in some minor consequences to perhaps a fight?


One cultural conflict that I witnessed was at the workplace, in the office. It was near lunchtime and so everyone had staggered timings to go for lunch, so being the one with the earliest timeslot, I had the opportunity to witness this situation. Colleague A was a Malay permanent female staff while colleague B was a new (Singaporean) Chinese part-time female staff (just like me). Colleague A had came back from lunch and all lunch time slots were almost over but she saw that colleague B has yet to go for her lunch and was continuously at work all the while.


Colleague B had emailed me to tell me that she had abdominal pain, so she could barely walk around or make her way down for lunch thus I was tasked to buy some snacks back for her. Colleague A, on the other hand understood from another permanent staff that colleague B indeed stayed in the office all the time and was at her work desk (instead of the pantry) during her lunch time slot, so she became very unhappy that colleague B was being so hardworking. However, colleague B hardly did much work; she merely picked up a few calls. She was so frustrated that she totally ignored colleague B and gave her cold shoulder and had poor attitude towards colleague B. Colleague B was in the dark until the same permanent staff informed her about the issue.


I felt that Colleague B was being treated unfairly by colleague A and surely felt the unjustness in me. Colleague B reasoned that since she was at her work desk, she might as well get some work done and I thought the same too. I feel that it is not about trying to eagerly show everyone (the managers) that she was hardworking but just a 'matter of convenience', which may compromise a tinge of diligence - she is willing to work even though it was her lunch time.


This conflict arose due to the fact that the Malay colleague was more of a lazy person while the Chinese was more hardworking, so to speak. Such cultural differences at the workplace are bound to lead to conflicts because the Malay would deem that the Chinese is trying to outshine the rest, which may not necessarily be the case as it could simply be that she grew up with the cultural mindset of not being afraid that hardworking or working during lunchtime is equivalent to 'losing out' (since one is not paid).

Intercultural interactions if not appropriately dealt with may lead to cultural conflicts, which if not resolved amicably may lead to cultural stand-off for the parties involved. Thus, it is vital to understand each other's cultures and to communicate effectively to try to minimise the possibility of a conflict in the first place or resolve the inevitable conflict harmoniously


I think that at a workplace, it is best to try to 'play by the rules', so that at the end of the day, one can mingle and work well with the rest of the colleagues.

Personal Statement II - Discovering Self

When I first stepped into the retail industry as a retail assistant at Ralph Lauren for a mere 2 months, I began to realise that I enjoy providing superior service to my customers and I take pride in their acknowledgement when they say "Thank you, Joanne". Some customers may be rude or unreasonable but at the end of the day, just one pleasant customer is sufficient to make my day. This has moulded me into someone who appreciates little yet thoughtful actions from the people around me. In addition, my role as a coach and coordinator at A* Consultants and Crew Head of NUS Science Faculty Dinner and Dance Committee made me recognised that I take absolute pleasure in the satisfaction derived from effective and successful liaisons with corporate partners. Through these enriching experiences, I honed my effective interpersonal skills.

Having been someone who was introverted, stepping forward to take up different roles had presented me with unexpected discoveries about myself.

"There is a popular belief amongst anthropologists that you have to immerse yourself in an unknown world in order to truly understand your own" -Unknown author, from The Nanny Diaries. This is undoubtedly a principle that I hold and will continue to do so in the life-long process of self-discovery. This gives me the motivation to step up to challenges because I may have the opportunity to discover more about myself despite being situated beyond my comfort zone. With a positive attitude and outlook to life, I aim to conquer boundaries that I subconsciously drew for myself.

Personal Statement - Discovering Self

Hello peers! I'm not too sure how to go about writing this but I hope I am going in the right direction.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years" -Abraham Lincoln; this is certainly what I believe in and I hope to lead a well-lived life.

The most fundamental form of life in my years is relationship. Since a tender age, I was taught the importance of (maintaining) relationships - kinship, friendship, romantic relationships etc. as this was imbued in me through the close-knitted and warm family that I grew up in. In our free time, my family enjoys having sumptuous meals together, be it local hawker delights or fine cuisines at restaurants; we enjoy the simplicity of sitting down for a meal and having a hearty chat. Over the years, they have grown to become my pillar of support in life and thus I have developed into a family-oriented individual. However, I can never neglect my supportive and life-long friends that I have come across in my life thus far. From late night suppers to playing of sports to birthday celebrations to casual chats over meals, my friends are certainly a part of my life; They have seen me teared during my darkest moments or laugh at every little thing. I feel that my friends are such a blessing and a joyful bunch to be with. Being someone who cherishes my family and friends, I place them of priority in my life and am always readily available for them when the need arises.

Besides my dear family and friends, many other people make up and occupy the life of my life. Throughout my part-time jobs stint and management of events during my academic career, I have had the privilege to interact and liaise with people from different professions and positions and I began to realise my liking for mingling with them and drawing life-long lessons from the talks with them, which also presented me with self discovery opportunities.

Having worked as a retail assistant for the first time at Ralph Lauren for a mere one and a half months, it made me took value in small gestures from customers , for example when they say "Thank you, Joanne", I know that I have served well and they took the effort to notice my name. This has moulded me into someone who better appreciates seemingly insignificant but thoughtful actions from people around me. In spite of aching feet and tiredness from the hectic schedule, I took pride in serving my customers professionally and that was when I realised that I like to provide service to people, with a smile, may I add. In addition, working as a coordinator at A* Consultants and being the logistics head of NUS Science Faculty Dinner and Dance Committee made me recognised that I take pleasure in the absolute satisfaction derived from successful and effective liaisons with corporate partners. Well, I like to serve and liaise.

The many different people in my life have impacted on me with different intensities but one thing for sure, without them, self discovery would not have been as successful. As an individual who is always on the journey of self discovery, I like to seek solitude at times and reflect upon the happenings around me, how I fared as a friend/family member/student, anyhow just typically reflect upon life. Sometimes I enjoy the peace from solitary while at other times, I prefer to work in a team and derive joy from interacting with people from all walks of life by listening to their fascinating life stories. To me, a 'self' certainly comprises of many different facets.

"There is a popular belief amongst anthropologists that you have to immerse yourself in an unfamiliar world in order to truly understand your own" -The Nanny Diaries; this is undoubtedly a quote that I will always hold in my mind through my life-long journey of self-discovery, so I will always be prepared to step up to challenges and find myself in the unfamiliar world because in this competitive society, I feel the urge to take charge of my life. Maybe it is time to step into another industry/field and perhaps, I will uncover a new self or perhaps I should say, a new facet of myself(:

(: with love.

Job Application Letter

Joanne Lee Yan Yun

address

address

Handphone: (+65) 9

2nd September 2009

Wilson Chan

CEO

ISUN LLP

Dear Mr. Chan,

I am writing to express my interest for the post of PSLE Science Coach, in response to the job posting in JobsCentral.com on 2nd September 2009. I am currently in my last year of study in the National University of Singapore and will graduate in 2010 with Bachelors in Life Science (Biomedical Science). The accomplishments noted in the accompanying resume will illustrate the value and vision that I can bring to your company.

I have built a solid foundation of Science knowledge over the course of my study. Being one of the instrumental planners for the Science Enrichment Week in National Junior College, I formulated mind-boggling and engaging Science Experiments to appeal to the participants. In addition, my previous job experience at A* Consultants has equipped me with invaluable skills on drawing up effective lesson plans and I have demonstrated the success of my strategic result-oriented planning via the continuous participation of schools in the enrichment programmes that I have conducted. I also had to liaise directly with school teachers to understand the objectives that they wish to achieve and the students’ needs, thus I have developed an insightful perspective of children aged between 9 to 12 years old.

Having to coordinate between school teachers and trainers under A* Consultants, I have honed my effective interpersonal communication skills. I possess an excellent track record for meeting all deadlines and delivering high quality proposals. Furthermore, my ability to productively handle up to three projects at one time has validated my proficiency in project management, thus I can take on the leadership role to spearhead further development of the company when the need arises.

In review of your company's objectives and possible openings, my qualifications and experience are in perfect tune with your current needs. If your company is looking for an independent and results-oriented professional with a solid performance track record, I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the value of my strengths and experience and the possibility of joining your dynamic company. I can be reached at the handphone number above but I will call you on 10th September 2009 to ensure that my resume has reached you. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Joanne Lee

So sorry, blogspot screw up the format! I can't separate the paragraphs.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts - Do It; Not Merely Try

Interpersonal conflicts are almost inevitable in everyone’s life; from minor issues like the unhappiness of a couple over their inability to compromise on a dating place to major conflicts like a family breakup. The causal of most interpersonal conflicts could be due to the lack of effective communication. However I believe that it is important to realise that it is not the conflict itself that is detrimental to a relationship but the management of the conflict and how the conflict is approached and resolved that determines if the relationship in question can be salvaged.

Personally, my family is always my pillar of support in life thus family issues are upsetting to me. Hence I have decided to address a conflict between a mother and a daughter but well, I am certainly not one of the leads. This conflict persisted over some time and was not really a one-off issue.
The teenage daughter was always the main concern to her family members especially her mother due to her truants, lies and secretive behaviour. However it was important to note that the 13 year old daughter was from a nuclear family, with loving and attentive parents and siblings and the mother was a housewife who took time to understand her children and fulfilled their needs to her most possible capability.

The conflict began when the daughter started to be rude to her mother and was unwilling to give more details regarding her whereabouts. She went home late without informing the worrying parents at home but the parents could only wait up as they had no access to her friends’ contact numbers. The mother had even spotted the daughter wearing clothes that had never appeared in the house before and perhaps were skimpy clothes that the conservative mother would not have allowed her to wear at her then tender age of 13. The mother had not confronted the daughter at this point in time, in hope of her turning over a new leaf. This must have been very hurtful for the mother to experience.

On the contrary, things only got worse. The daughter began to skip tuitions and the mother had to bear with repeated humiliating phone calls from the tuition teacher that her daughter was absent, yet again. The mother still did not approach her daughter, fearing that she may worsen the situation and made her daughter felt stifled. Hence all she did was to continue to show her love and attention and instruct her daughter to attend her tuitions religiously, which was obviously not taken to heart.
The daughter seemed to have enjoyed the thrill she was going through and did not take into consideration her mother’s feelings. The daughter may be merely interested in seeking some thrill and going through a stage of being rebellious while the mother might have understood this by not confronting her but simply ensuring that things did not get way out of hand. Indeed, the situation slowly improved and the mother-daughter relationship is now close beyond words.

A mother-and-child relationship (especially that of a teenage child) appears to pose sensitive issues that require tact in handling, so how would you have handled the situation if you were the mother? Just being curious, do you think there is any precaution to take to ensure that the daughter (or any child) does not enter the stage of being rebellious?

I guess at the end of the day, blood is certainly thicker than water and when both parties take on an effective approach to a conflict, more insights will be gained on the relationship rather than an infliction of harm.

Take the effort; do not say try but do it!