Intensive and enriching.
This was how CG1413 had panned out to be. A module so unlike the others, we were given ample opportunities to develop our communication skills.
The pinnacle of this module would have to be working as a team.
Prior to this module, I have always been reserved and to a certain extent, aloof. Working as a team was always marked by disdain. Yet, recognizing the importance of teamwork not only in CEG, but also in the corporate world, I did my best to keep an open mind and learn.
What I've Learnt
On a personal level, bearing in mind the 7Cs, coupled with writing techniques picked up, I had cultivated the habit of writing formal letters/emails more concisely. Utilizing the principles of effective communication, I had not only become a better writer, but also one who could express my ideas and convey my messages succinctly.
Teamwork
Teamwork is unquantifiable. Through this semester, I have learnt to respect others better. I used to be blunt, direct and to a certain extent, self-centred. With team collaboration becoming increasingly important, I was compelled to be more level-headed and tactful.
Additionally, I was given an opportunity to lead my team. Being a leader is a different ball game altogether. Carrying the responsibilities of knowing the team’s objectives, progress etc, it was a somewhat arduous task for someone who has been so reliant on others. Ultimately, it was fulfilling and rewarding to see my team through the stages of the project (CELC Project).
CG1102+CG1413 Project
With teams that consisted of people of diverse backgrounds and cultures, it was imperative for us to communicate effectively with the others. As a student who hardly interacted with foreigners previously, I found the lessons invaluable and informative. This had allowed me to communicate with my teammates more effectively whilst avoiding conflicts.
Shortcomings
Despite improvements, I have to admit that I still fell short of expectations. Evidently, I had difficulty organizing my thoughts during presentations. I could not reach the level of eloquence and fluency expected of an effective communicator. During oral defence, I exposed my flaws in critical thinking and substantiation of arguments. However, these are things which I am determined to work on beyond this module.
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Rome was not built in a day. Similarly, you would not expect a person to transform into an effective communicator in a semester. It takes consistent practices and discipline to achieve that. Nonetheless, CG1413 has been the perfect platform for us to hone our leadership skills, speak confidently, think critically, and present constructive comments through the many presentations, blog posts and reflections.
It had been a reinvigorating and refreshing change to the humdrum drudgery of school.
Finally, I would like to thank Ms Goh, for all her teachings and guidance throughout this semester!
On to something light and cute!
Cheers! =)
-Justin
On to something light and cute!
Why? Even animals work as a team!
Cheers! =)
-Justin
Dear Justin,
ReplyDeleteAs fellow teammates for both CG1102 and CG1108 Project, I can say that you are great team supporter! You are always cooperative and willing to take the initiative to try and help the team. Also as a leader in your CELC project, you have been in the positions of both leader and member. Thus, you were able to experience and understand both sides of the story, allowing you to have more perspectives of the situations. This enriching experience will definitely allow you to be more tolerant and understanding towards your team members.
Writing skills wise, they are definitely a notch up above mine! Your posts are always enjoyable to read and interesting. One thing you can improve on can be the concise factor in the 7Cs of effective writing (I am also guilty of this mistake!). I could see your concise effort in trying to revise and proofread your reports/post. I have so much to learn from you. :)
I am really glad that we are on the same team(s) together. From a semester with no project to one that consist of having 3 projects running concurrently, you have learnt and absorbed a lot of skills and abilities of being an effective team communicator. You are right! Rome is not built in a day. With regards to eloquence and fluency, those have to come with experiences and practices. Not to worry, I believe you can definitely break that barrier and be a great team communicator!
Everyone has his/her strengths, thus working as a team allows everyone to learn from each other and then proceed together to make the project a success!
Good Luck to the Finals!!!
Let’s look forward to our overseas trips!!!)
Cheers,
Kevin Lin :)
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteThe 7C’s helped me a lot with my writing too. I am glad you were able see its effectiveness in formal writing. I found it extremely useful when communicating with government agencies. However, I realised that in trying to abide by the 7C’s, we may have took longer than it was necessary to write. I hope you did not encounter this problem. For me, I definitely took twice as long to write formal letters. I do know however that this problem will diminish with more practice.
You identified your fluency in presentation as a weakness and intend to work on it beyond this module. This made me see the true effectiveness and purpose of this module i.e. to prepare us for the rest of the university course or even the rest of our life. It is commendable to see that you actually set new goals to begin, at the end of this module.
Hey Justin,
ReplyDeleteIt is evident that you have made best use of everything you have learnt in this module. It would be an understatement to rate your final blog post 'impressive'. It has all the content delivered in a succint style and is well organised.
As your classmate for a semester, I can tell for sure that you are indeed a good communicator and culturally tolerant. I'm still flabbergasted as to how you find yourself lacking when it comes to presentations. I, for one, have been very impressed by your style of delivery during oral presentations.
You were right in addressing this module a 'refreshing change'. Unlike most other modules, it not just gave us an arena to practise our skills but also enlightened us about the vitality of what we have learnt in all our future endeavours.
It has been a pleasure learning with you and from each other. I wish you luck for the forthcoming final exams.
-Lakshmi
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteI like your pictures at the end of your post! They are very cute!
It is good to see that you have identified your shortcomings. Identifying the points certainly would help you improve yourself! Like you have said, I find that you are hesitant during presentations. However, I believe that you are able to overcome this barrier with more practices as you possess good command of the language.
I can see that you led your group well for the CELC project, and you participated actively for the CG1102 project as a team member. Good job! It is a pity that I did not get to work with you this semester. I hope that we will have the opportunity to work together in the future.
Jing Mei
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteThe most important purpose of CG1413 is to teach us how to work in team as well as communicate with each other effectively. Throughout this module, we have to learn the writing techniques, communication skills and reflections for what we did. This would be very useful in the future.
It is very good for being a team leader in the problem solving project. It will give you a chance to try being a leader. Looking at what you did in the presentation, I think you could be a very good leader. Moreover, you did well in the presentation. Although there were still flaws as you mentioned, you can overcome it by putting more practice in the future. Your speaking skill is very good so I think it will not be difficult to overcome this.
Good luck to you!
Best regards,
Khoa