Blog Post #7: Final Reflection

My understanding of the value of effective communication skills has indeed changed over this module. In my first blog post, I wrote that effective communication requires strong language skills, good manners when speaking, as well as patience and sincerity in listening to others. My concept of communication centred on speaking and listening on a personal individual level. However after taking this module, I have learnt that effective communication in the workplace requires the projection of a professional image and hard work and commitment in cooperating for team projects.

Firstly, my writing skills were sharpened tremendously in this module. In fact this is my first module where I had to write and rewrite many drafts before submitting a piece of work! I learnt the structure and format of a professional survey report and how to write it meticulously in stages so that the final version would be complete and comprehensive.

I also polished my secretarial skills greatly in writing minutes for meetings. Prior to this module, my experience in taking down minutes was limited to CCA meetings and details were usually taken down casually. This was the first time I practised writing it professionally in a traditional format.

I also learnt many useful job skills, for example how to draft an impressive resume for a job applicatiion and how to write a persuasive cover letter. I also picked up various tips on how to handle difficult interview questions. These skills were not acquired anywhere prior to ES2007S and our engaging discussions in class prepared me mentally for future job searches.

This is also my first module where we put in a lot of effort to rehearse for our oral presentation. Prior to entering university, we would usually make small cue cards which we would refer to for our project presentations. So this was the first time I had no memory aids and had to memorise all my lines and suppress my stress and anxiety levels when presenting in front of the class.

Blog Post #6: Biodata

I am currently a second year Chemical Engineering student in NUS. Besides studying, I have developed my leadership skills through my involvement in various CCAs. In junior college, I was the chief editor and chairperson of College Magazine and the class representative. In my 1st year at NUS, I was the publicity head of NUS Chemical and Environmental Engineering Students’ Society. Leading and serving my fellow peers inculcated in me a sense of responsibility and enabled me to forge friendships everywhere. Confident, friendly and dependable would usually be the first impression that I give others and my dedication speaks all.

Blog Post #5: Reflecting on the Research Report Experience

I had a very positive learning experience doing the research report because Gary and Zhi Lian were very cooperative and committed project partners. After this research report, I truly understand what it takes to achieve success in teamwork.

Firstly I believe the most important factor in deciding whether a project will be successful is how responsible a role each team member plays. For example, after each meeting, we would split up the work and decide who would do which part. If each of us had not been a good team player, our project would have failed.

Secondly clear communication between team members is very important. Outside of class, we had to meet up to finish any additional work. We maintained contact through smses, msn messenger and face-to-face meetings. Sometimes it was necessary to clarify our doubts when working on the project and discussion helped us a lot.

Thirdly I believe it is necessary for team members to assume the role of leader or follower for the project to carry on seamlessly. For example in the beginning, Gary took charge a lot and decided on the date, time and venue of our project meetings. So he played the role of the leader and Zhi Lian and I followed.

Towards the end, Zhi Lian took charge of compiling the research report while Gary and I contributed our parts. So Zhi Lian played the role of the leader while Gary and I were followers. In a team, you cannot have 2 leaders simultaneously or people will quarrel or get confused about the direction of the project. Someone must also be the follower to ensure that the work gets done.

In our project, we interchanged the role of leader and follower a few times so that no one would be the leader for too long and get exhausted.

Lastly I believe building good interpersonal relationships are essential for successful teamwork. For example during the week when I had 3 midterm tests, Gary and Zhi Lian were understanding enough to give me less work and let me study. I reciprocated the favour when Gary had his midterm test by doing some of his work. If we had refused to help each other out and insisted that everyone contribute fairly, we would have been stressed out, bad-tempered and probably produce poor quality work.

Blog Post #4 Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour

My HDB flat was undergoing lift upgrading and there were many Indian and Chinese labourers around. I was walking towards the lift when I saw the foreman, who was a Singaporean, briefing the workers at the lift landing. The Chinese labourers were nodding their heads at the foreman's instructions. To my surprise, I saw the Indian labourers shaking their heads as the foreman was talking. However, the foreman ignored the non-verbal cues that the Indians were sending and continued his briefing. As he finished speaking, he asked on a final note, "You understand?" to all the workers. The Chinese labourers nodded and walked off to get a wheelbarrow while all the Indian labourers shook their heads vigorously.

To my further chagrin, the Indian labourers subsequently took a spade and starting laying tiles. Unable to contain myself, I walked up and asked the foreman, "Excuse me sir, but how can you let them start work when they don't understand your instructions? Our lift may collapse!"

The foreman was startled and replied, "They know what to do. What do you mean?" I said, "But they were shaking their heads!" This time the foreman laughed, "Young lady, when an Indian shakes his head, it means he agrees with you. If he keeps quiet and has no head shaking motions, it means he does not understand you. If you actually see him nodding his head, you are in trouble. He is totally lost. So basically you must explain to him until he shakes his head at you. They are different from us Chinese."

I confirmed what the foremean had said with my father, who was the Department Head of Painting and Blasting at Drydock World. My father had always worked with large numbers of Indian labourers at the shipyard. He verified what the foreman had said, "Yup Indians shake their heads when they agree with you or to show that they are listening. They sway their heads for at least one circle, from the left to the right back to the left. If they are interested in what you are saying, they shake their heads even faster."

I was enlightened after that day!

Blog Post #3: Potential Research Project Topics

Issue:

The topic I propose to research on concerns the CCA points system for NUS students staying in hall.

Description of issue

From a newspaper article in Lianhe Wanbao where a foreign student voiced his complaints, I understand that you need over 80 CCA points to stay in NUS hall, which means you have to join about 4 CCAs to qualify.

This has resulted in NUS hall students, mainly foreign students, to join many clubs and societies in order to secure the necessary CCA points without having the interest and passion in them. With our heavy academic workload, it is humanly impossible for a person to cope with 3 CCAs or more. Hence it is not surprising when CCAs complain that their foreign members are slacking off duties and pushing their work to other CCA members.

CCAs are meant to cultivate leadership skills in students. However with the demanding CCA points system, we are only encouraging hall students to join many CCAs in name and be absent physically, causing many problems to the running of the CCAs. We are in fact cultivating the spirit of irresponsibility.

Why survey?

An attitudinal survey is needed to study this topic so that we can find out about the opinions of both foreign and Singaporean students involved in CCA towards the CCA points system to stay in hall.

Purpose of study

If a general agreement is found that the CCA points sytem is detrimental, it can be proposed to the NUS Administration that the CCA points system be scrapped and replaced with a qualitative grading of the CCA system. For example, a NUS hall student would only have to join 1 CCA and points would be awarded based on his quality contributions to that CCA.

If he has been contributing actively, I believe he qualifies for a place to stay in hall while if he has been a missing member, he would be penalised. This would solve the problem of CCAs having members that want CCA points but do not do any work. I believe that my research topic has practical applications.

Blog Post #2: Interpersonal Conflict

This is a real interpersonal conflict that happened to me.

I had just become the Publicity Head of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Students' Society (ChESS) and I had to design a poster for the first event, the distribution of examination welfare packs to the students. After receiving instructions from the Welfare Head on what to include in the poster, I happily designed it and sent it to her.

The poster was to be mass-emailed the next day as the event was just a few days away. During that week I had 3 upcoming tests and I was very busy, tired, stressed out and only too glad to be done with the poster.

To my chagrin, upon receiving my poster, the Welfare Head smsed me to tell me that I had forgotten to include the detail, "For Chemical and Environmental Engineering Students Only" and asked me to redo the poster. I was shocked! I did not recall that she had asked me to write that in. I had perused her instructions very carefully and I did not remember this line.

Irritably I replied her and told her that she could not expect me to re-edit the poster if it was her negligence. In fact, it was written in the rules for poster request to publicity: if the details were not properly given beforehand due to negligence, the publicity committee reserved the right not to redo the poster.

Unfortunately the Welfare Head was furious. She smsed me back and scolded me for many messages, saying how it had been my negligence and it was sheer audacity for me to accuse her of that, and how I would get into trouble if I did not redo the poster at once.

If you were in my shoes, what would you do to defuse the situation?

Blog Post #1 Effective Communication Skills

Developing effective communication skills is important to me as it has often been touted by lecturers and seniors alike that this is an area we cannot afford to neglect. In the start-of-the-year department talk held by our chemical engineering department, our professor told us that NUS chemical engineering graduates are frequently lauded for their high technical achievement but criticised for their lack of interpersonal skills and knowledge beyond engineering.

People skills were also emphasised by my senior who went on an Industrial Attachment. As the chief editor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Students' Society (ChESS), I had the privilege to approach interns to ask them for write-ups to appear in our CCA's annual Columns Magazine, as a way to let juniors learn about the industry from their seniors.

Quoting my senior, he said "I have learnt that even as an intern with limited technical knowledge, it is usually the soft skills that play the crucial role for this position. My attention to detail, situational awareness, PR and communication skills and judgment were constantly put to the test... Communication isn’t just about spoken words, rather, it is the transfer of meaning that is important."

Such wise words indeed! He even included advice and tips on how to do a successful internship, for example how to get along with colleagues and superiors, the dress code for an intern to impress etc.

As we all know, communication is important because it enables us to make friends, live in harmony with our families and work smoothly in the workplace. Communication is not just about language power and knowing the correct manners and tone when you speak, it is also about sincerity and patience to listen, while putting yourself in the shoes of others.

Communication appears to be simple but it is easy to fall into the trap of neglecting it. Misunderstandings and conflicts arise which destroys harmonious relationships and efficiency at work.

In conclusion the importance of communication cannot be understated.