Final Reflection

Thursday marked the last lesson for this module. Looking back on all that we have accomplished, I didn’t think that I could survive. I remember enrolling in Ms Lim’s class last semester but I dropped it before the first lesson. I am glad that I did not do the same thing this time. Taking this module will definitely remain as one of the wisest decision I made in NUS.

I will like to highlight two main skills which I have developed through this course and they are being aware and working as a team. This course really taught me a lot about being aware about details in written and verbal communications. For example, the importance of concreteness and conciseness in writing. I also realised the importance of having a professional presentation for written communication and I think that it takes awareness to achieve it. This course also highlighted to me the importance of non-verbal communication which I was previously unaware of.

Another skill which I have developed will be working as a team. As a team sport player, I pride myself for my ability to work effectively in a team. But the project work in this module showed me a different side to team work. Through the project, I have learnt to give constructive criticism and take criticism the right way.

There are so many skills and lessons which I have learnt from this module which I cannot fit into this final blog post. Lastly, I will like to thank Ms Lim for making this journey enriching and interesting. To Team Planet, thank you for all the time and effort you have invested this semester! I’m so glad that I got to work with all of you! :) To all my classmates, thank you for making all the classes interesting and lively! I will miss those days when I excitedly (I really mean this) rush to class from my first lecture in the morning.

Reflection on Oral Presentation

Thursday marked the end of Team Planet’s oral presentation of our proposal the URA concept plan 2011. Overall, I felt that the presentation went smoothly as most things fell into place. All of this is attributed to the entire team’s effort in putting together the proposal and presentation. One notable thing about Team Planet is that we have always prepared the proposal and presentation like we were going to present it to URA representatives. With clear idea of the reader and audience in mind, it helped us greatly in relating to the audience.

I am grateful to work with such an effective team who was extremely dedicated in getting things done properly and never compromising on quality despite facing the pressure of time. My detailed reflection on the different parts of the oral presentation can be found in the rest of this blog post.

Preparation and use of slideware

The preparation for this oral presentation was an unique experience with many first-times for me.

Firstly, it was the first time I wrote a speech text before an oral presentation. I used to think that with a good knowledge of the topic and the slides to remind me I could naturally elaborate on every point and deliver a presentation. My idea was proven wrong after my Peer teaching session (which was honestly one of the worst public speaking experience I ever had). After that experience, I truly comprehend what Ms Lim meant when she told us that if we do not make a deliberate effort to think about what we are going to do during the presentation, it will not happen during the presentation. Therefore, I told myself that I was not going to take chances for the final oral presentation. I prepared a speech text that contained the lines which I intended to say during the presentation and refined it until it can be completed within 5 minutes after the practices with my team.

Secondly, it was the first time I used the program Prezi to prepare slides for my presentation. It was a risk that we decided to take as a team as we only learnt about the software one day before the actual presentation. To be honest, I was initially sceptical about how much value a flash program was going to add to our team’s presentation and the fact that we were only left with less than 14 hours before our actual presentation made me question the idea even more. However, my team members’ determination reassured that it was a risk worth taking. Everyone was determined to make the flash presentation work despite facing the time constraint and technical difficulties along the way. I could not tell how the audience received the slideware. Personally, I was very pleased with the effect that the software delivered and I am proud of our work. I am confident that given more time, we are able to further refine the presentation slides to perfection.

Delivery

I would say that the overall delivery of the presentation was smooth. I was glad that after numerous practices with my team and on my own, I was able present confidently without the aid of cue cards even without deliberate memorisation.

Delivery of this presentation was an unique experience in its own too. I used to feel very nervous before a presentation but this time, I felt confident speaking to the audience after adequate preparation with my team mates. I was aware of some mistakes which I made during the presentation. One obvious mistake took place during the start of the presentation, I unknowingly snapped my fingers when I started speaking, I believe that it came across as rude to the audience. At the start of the presentation, I also forgot to gesture towards my team members while I was introducing them. Other glitches happened during the presentation when I stammered during some parts of the presentation (possibly due to my nerves). At some point during the presentation, I habitually crossed my arms and I know that this action was inappropriate as it meant defensiveness. I was aware of this action and I made a deliberate effort to not repeat it. Another mistake was when I replied Thomas’s question with “huh?” when I could not hear him properly during the Q&A session. This was grave mistake and there are no excuses for that. I’m sorry Thomas!

Other areas which I could improve on was my facial expression. I made a deliberate effort to smile during the presentation but audience feedback told me that it was not very obvious. I could not really tell my body language as I did not plan the gestures which I was going to do during the presentation.

Overall, I was very proud of my team’s presentation. As a presenter, I am aware that I have many areas which need to be worked on. Lastly, I want to thank my team again for their dedication. Practising for the presentation in front of LT 25 during the wee hours is an experience that I will never forget. :)

Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour

Culture refers to the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group. Indeed, culture impacts a person in several areas, from how we express our emotions to what is good or bad. This makes intercultural interaction interesting yet, tricky at the same time because an action which is acceptable in one culture may be unacceptable in another.

I was caught in an intercultural situation when I visited Japan. My family and I were travelling on the Japanese subway to the airport. We carried 2 huge suitcases which we placed on the ground and we stood around it during the subway ride. It was a weekday morning where the train was packed with commuters and our huge suitcases took up some standing space. Throughout the train ride, we felt the Japanese commuters staring at us in disapprovingly. Our family felt strange as we were completely unaware of what we have done to invite such stares as tourists placing their luggage on the ground is completely acceptable on the Singapore MRT.

After some research on the internet, I found out that the Japanese found people who took up too much space on the train inconsiderate (and yes, even women with strollers). Solution? Some travellers advised that the best way around this is to say "I'm sorry" (go-men-nasai), "Excuse me" (sumi-ma-sen) and smile. :)

An interesting link I’ll like to shared:
Ten Things not to do on the Japanese subway

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

I have never been one who was good at handling conflicts. So, my approach has always been to avoid them. However, conflicts are unavoidable in all relationships. They can stem from miscommunication, misunderstanding or simply an individual having a bad day.

My friends and I often found it difficult to find time to meet up during the semester. After weeks of planning, we managed to find a time when all of us could meet up for dinner. At the restaurant, we were greeted by some unexpected company. One of my friends had arranged to meet her other group of friends at the same time and place. The atmosphere turned awkward as I had my friend sitting in the middle of two groups and trying to join both conversations. We tried to strike a conversation with her other friends but we eventually gave up as they displayed no interest in breaking the ice. Throughout dinner, I felt uncomfortable and displeased with her arrangement but I contained my feelings. After we finished our food, both groups discussed about separate plans after dinner. We thought that my friend was going to join them, so we foot our bill and left politely. Later on, my friend sent me a message me to confront me about our hostility. I felt wronged and disappointed in her at the same time. We did make an effort to improve the situation but her friends appeared uninterested.

We were all secretly unhappy with my friend’s arrangement but to avoid an emotional confrontation, I chose to remain silent. This incident did not affect our friendship but I always felt that I could have handle the situation better. Dear classmates, what will you suggest me to do to handle the situation better?

Application Letter Draft 2

The job advertisement for my desired position is as follows:

Position	Biologist/ Chemist/ Microbiologist
Organisation	PUB, The National Water Agency
Date Posted	Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Application Deadline	Friday, February 25, 2011
Location	40 Scotts Road, #22-01 Environment Building, Singapore 228231
No. of Vacancies

PUB is an organisation that is recognised internationally for good water management. PUB won the 2007 Stockholm Industry Water Award and was named Water Agency of the Year 2006 in the international Global Water Awards. In 2008, PUB was awarded the Singapore Quality Award for business excellence. NEWater, Singapore's high-quality reclaimed water, also clinched the 'Environmental Contribution of the Year' at the Global Water Awards 2008. At PUB, the national water agency, you will enjoy opportunities to build a clear future for the water industry. Responsibilities • Monitor and analyse water quality data (e.g. algae, zooplankton, bacteria etc.) and explore the use of technology to enhance the work of the Water Quality division. • Support the essential day-to-day operations of the operational departments in the management of water quality. • Provide scientific services for several new Boardwide projects and new initiatives on ongoing projects, including the Marina Barrage Reservoir Scheme, Singapore Waterworks Upgrading, Sampling and Monitoring Programme (SAMP) and water quality emergency response drill. • Carry out and manage R&D projects to help improve water quality. Requirements • Good Honours degree in Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology or any relevant disciplines. • Meticulous and organised • Possess good interpersonal skills and able to work effectively in a team   My application letter for the above position is as follows:  95 Whampoa Drive #12-240 Singapore 320095 9 February 2011 Ms Audrey CHUA Senior Manager, Human Resources Department PUB, The National Water Agency 40 Scotts Road #09-01 Singapore 228231 Dear Ms Chua, I am writing to you in response to your advertisement for the position of Biologist/Chemist/Microbiologist found on www.careers.gov.sg. I believe that with my specialized skills and knowledge in Chemistry, I will make a useful addition to your team. I will be graduating with a degree in Chemistry from National University of Singapore. During my undergraduate studies, I developed a keen interest in analytical and inorganic chemistry. My specialized skills in analytical chemistry can be applied to water management and quality control. I will also be a useful member in your R&D projects in water quality research. PUB’s achievements and dedication in water management research has inspired me to pursue a career in your organization. I have strong communication and interpersonal skills demonstrated in my past job experiences at Ci You Childcare Centre and Goldenleaf Textile. I learnt to be meticulous and organised as I handled the company’s data when I worked as an administrative executive. I also honed strong analytical skills during my undergraduate training in Chemistry. I am a good team player as shown in my leadership and competitive experience in Netball. As a leader, I am motivating and encouraging towards my team members. I am disciplined and I uphold my responsibilities in a team. I am enthusiastic and friendly as I actively participated in events like the Inter-Faculty Games and Science Orientation Week. I am motivated and constantly striving for excellence. I was awarded the Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarship in 2009. I believe in giving back to my community as I regularly volunteered at the Tai Pei Buddhist centre. I like stretching my abilities and interests from sports like netball, swimming and cycling to music. From reading about the R&D projects conducted by PUB, I am deeply inspired to work in leading laboratories like yours. I believe that with my technical knowledge, good interpersonal skills and passion in science I will make a suitable candidate for the position. I will appreciate an interview at your convenience. Thank you for your consideration. I can be contacted at 9XXXXXXXXX or email at tXXXXX@hotmail.com. Yours sincerely, Tan Pei Zi

Why is Effective Communication important?

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailypic/ 

As I receive my training in Chemistry, I realised that there are many other essential skills which my course cannot fulfil and one of it is communication. The last time I had an interview, it was pretty much a disaster. So, when I find myself lacking in these areas, I decided to take up this module. I think that effective communication is an important life skill for reasons which I will explain.

Firstly, I believe that effective communication will enable me to portray a professional image which is important in earning the trust and recognition at work. Professionalism is important as I believe that it is one of the key qualities which will leave employers a good impression. It is crucial at the workplace as it affects whether my future superior and co-workers can trust me at a task or my leadership. Hence, apart from having the ability, effective communication skills to convey my ideas are also absolutely essential to me. 

Secondly, I believe that effective communication skills minimises problems arising from misunderstandings.  Be it at a workplace or social setting, ineffective or lack of communication is often the root of arguments or conflicts. These conflicts and arguments are detrimental to relationships and a waste of time of effort in resolving them at work. Very often, I find people misinterpreting my point or completely missing it and I suspect that this is due to my inability to put my message across properly. Through this course, I hope that I will pick up skills which will help me organise my thoughts and ideas, learn how to put them across clearly and transform myself into an effective communicator!

Before we reach the age where are able to read each other’s mind through implanted microchips (which I suppose won’t be any time soon), let’s learn how to convey our thoughts and ideas effectively and save time guessing what each other is saying or explaining, “That’s not what I meant!”.