Level uP in ES2007S!

ES2007S-Professional Communication
Creator: Brad Blackstone
Total number of players: 14
Price: 700 (in NUS CORS dollars)
*Note: This game may be addictive, only for those above 19 years old.

Wrapping up ES2007S definitely touched my heart in some inexplicable way yesterday. Now, it is the time to sit and reflect on how far I have progressed ever since I first walked into the classroom three months ago.

I felt that my oral communication skills had improved through this module. A good head start was that I have no qualms about speaking in public. This was because I had been doing so ever since young; if you do consider my earliest “stint” of representing my school for a story-telling competition in Primary 3 as one. To me, the challenge lies in being a great speaker who has the power to influence and engage the audience. Hence, the final oral presentation project was a challenge but also an avenue for practice. Definitely, there is still room for improvement.

Fortunately, I have ES2007S to guide me on writing application letters and resumes because I am one of those who never signed up for any of the workshops organised by the NUS Career Centre (oops!). The peer teaching sessions and assignment were great approaches which helped me improve on persuasive writing skills! I even shared some tips and guidelines learnt with my interested friends! =D

Interaction among peers and active participation in class were emphasised throughout the module. These were not common sights in many of the modules in NUS. Personally, I think that the interactions conducted were very comprehensive. This was because we were assigned groups for our final project. Group discussions and critical comments among group members were inevitable. I learnt a lot about constructive peer review-oriented interactions. It was a good platform to analyse other’s work critically and later convey the comments to the writer, be it personally or in the written form through blog post comments.

As a whole, I never regretted taking up this module because it had been something I wanted ever since the start of semester. It was a wonderful experience because this module had not only guided me in the different communication aspects, but is enriching as a whole. We had a dedicated tutor, credits to Brad. I left, making many good friends who had together contributed to a much more interesting and unique module. Although there were definitely “tough” times where project deadlines clashed with other CAs at hand, I agree that going through and surviving these will leave an indelible mark in my memory. After all, this is part and parcel of life.

ES2007S had definitely brought me one level up in my knowledge and practice of good communication skills which are transferable. :)

Broadcast@NUS - Reflections on oral presentation

First of all, I am just relieved and glad that the presentation was over! That was practically the first line that greeted my friends when I met them in school after 12pm. Try asking any of them. =D

1 .Before the presentation
It would be good to start off with this because PREPARATION MATTERS. I believe it was this that made all the difference. My team mates and I met last Saturday from 8.30am to 2pm! That totally set a new record for me as I never had such a long meeting. We discussed about ways to enhance our slides and to deliver the presentation effectively. We want to make sure that our presentation has a THEME, which later became the title of our presentation, i.e “Broadcast@NUS”. I think that was really cool! Haha.

On the day Brad introduced Garr Reynolds and Steve Jobs in class, I made it a point to challenge myself in the upcoming presentation by not using any cue cards. After all, I took ES2007S to improve myself and why not try out something new? Thanks to Shih Han also who suggested that I searched for effective presentation videos on YouTube. I especially liked the one below and would like to share this with everyone.



In order to live up to the challenge and also not disappoint my group, I practised and rehearsed many times to familiarise myself with the content. Firstly, I memorised the order of the slides instead of the script. I remembered taking an hour just to ORGANISE MY THOUGHTS on the things I would like to say, taking note of what Soon Yee and Van has corrected me earlier on. It was really worth the effort because practice came in much easily after that. I made an effort not to memorise word for word but to remember the key points for each slide. That really helped!

2. It’s showtime!
Honestly, I was getting the adrenaline rush even before the presentation day itself. Perhaps I was excited because of the challenge, presenting without cue cards was something I never did before for such a formal presentation. However, I put my mind at ease knowing that my group and I had done all that we could – so bring it on! Haha. It always happens to me – getting nervous before any presentation is normal. I am glad that it wears off within the first minute after I speak as I reminded myself of the ULTIMATE GOAL - to sell my idea.

Take-away points from this presentation
• PRACTISE with your group. I would like to thank Soon Yee and Van again for giving their feedback on improving our slides and also on my presentation during our meeting. It is always useful because audience paint a better picture.

• Do not rely on cue cards. I think this is very effective. Firstly, it puts the responsibility on me as the speaker to know my content well. This also enabled me to establish better rapport with the audience. I also felt a sense of achievement by overcoming this challenge. =)

• Make it SIMPLE for the audience. They have no idea of your contents, and that precisely is the only reason for the presentation – to inform! Therefore, it is important to organise the ideas such that the listeners can get a good flow of the content.

At the same time, here are some things which I would like to get feedback on. Was it good to pace across the floor? I did that yesterday as I felt that the situation was quite dull when everyone kept looking at one side. Haha, and it’s a good way to avoid straining the necks to one side, right? =P Any comments on this, please feel free to voice out. However, I think it should not be done too much for a small room like that of our tutorial class.

I have some thoughts to share on the Q & A Session. It was my very first time that I enjoyed it, partly because I have my team mates with me! Unbelievable! Frequently people (me included) has negative perceptions tied up to Q & A, like it is the time to shoot tough questions to the speakers. ES2007S changed this mindset of mine because I was really in the mode of this NUSEU set up that I felt all questions raised were valid, interesting and insightful. Therefore, it had led to our team being able to give honest and realistic answers.

Overall, I must say I enjoyed the presentation thoroughly, from the beginning of the drafting stages till the very end. It was a great team effort. Also, I would like to thank Brad and all my classmates because I learnt a lot from you all!

Terima kasih.

P/s: Some words were capitalised to highlight their importance. It is of no intention whatsoever of the writer to be aggressive or fierce. LOL.

Proposal "Prolem Statement, Purpose Statement and Benefits" Draft #2

3.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Despite radio broadcasting being an important and influential form of mass media, FASS in NUS does not offer specialised related modules. The CNM Department places more emphasis on new media, but what about the conventional media like radio? Moreover, the communication modules currently offered does not seem to prepare undergraduates for this radio broadcasting particular workplace. If changes were to take place, the exact needs of the industry have to be determined in order for effective improvements to take place. Therefore, we hope to identify the oral communication skills required in the industry.

4.0 PURPOSE STATEMENT

In this proposal, we hope to convince NUSEU that it would be beneficial to allow our team to go ahead with our needs analysis on the radio broadcasting industry and use the findings to propose appropriate changes to the NUS curriculum. We hope that the improvements would make NUS students a place for effective education that meets the demands of the radio broadcasting workplace.

5.0 BENEFITS

Interested NUS undergraduates, NUS and also the radio broadcasting industry will benefit greatly from a needs analysis research conducted in the workplace, as the objectives and benefits of the research are as listed below:

• Increase the competitiveness of NUS

Venturing into an area of education that Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has been very experienced in could be risky. However it is also a chance to challenge their expertise in this area. In addition to that, it would also enhance NUS’s competitiveness because the plan will allow NUS to offer what other universities can offer.

• Become the key institution in Singapore’s Education Hub (Teo, 2004)

This research would also be in sync with Singapore’s plan to become an education hub in the region. While Singapore hopes to achieve this plan, NUS should be striving to become the key institution where foreign students seek their tertiary education from. Hence, it should have an extensive curriculum that is able to cater to all sorts of student applicants.

• Show concern on the welfare and future of NUS students

Firstly, conducting a needs analysis will reflect on the determination to create a conducive environment for education in NUS, which will in turn greatly benefit the students. Such initiative is able to create a stronger sense of belonging towards the institution. A plan that caters specifically for employment of the students would show students that the institution truly cares about them.

• Create higher employment rates among NUS undergraduates

This research and further follow-up plan would raise the competitive edge of NUS. If effectively implemented, higher employment rates of our graduates would ensure that we can be on par with other institutions such as Singapore Management University (SMU), which high percentages of graduates getting employed within six months after graduation.

• Venture into a new era of change

As mentioned earlier, radio broadcasting is an industry that is entering a new era of change. It is an appropriate time to venture into this industry and train skilled professionals who would be highly sought after for employment. Our graduates will also be up to date with the new developments in the broadcasting scene.

Proposal "Problem Statement, Purpose Statement and Benefits" Draft #1

3.0 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Despite radio broadcasting being an important and influential form of mass media, FASS in NUS does not offer specialised related modules. The CNM Department places more emphasis on new media, but what about the conventional media like radio? Moreover, the communication modules currently offered does not seem to prepare undergraduates for this radio broadcasting particular workplace. If changes were to take place, the exact needs of the industry have to be determined in order for effective improvements to take place. Therefore, we hope to identify the oral communication skills required in the industry.

4.0 PURPOSE STATEMENT

In this proposal, we hope to convince NUSEU that it would be beneficial to allow our team to go ahead with our needs analysis on the radio broadcasting industry and use the findings to propose appropriate changes to the NUS curriculum. We hope that the improvements would make NUS students a place for effective education that meets the demands of the radio broadcasting workplace.

5.0 BENEFITS

Interested NUS undergraduates, NUS and also the radio broadcasting industry will benefit greatly from a needs analysis research conducted in the workplace, as The objectives and achievements of the research are as listed below:

· Show concern on the welfare and future of NUS students

Firstly, a plan that caters specifically for employment of the students would show students that the institution truly cares about them.

· Increase competitiveness

Venturing into an area of education that Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has been very experienced in could be risky. However it is also a chance to challenge their expertise in this area. In addition to that, it would also enhance NUS’s competitiveness because the plan will allow NUS to offer what other universities can offer.

· Become the key institution in Singapore’s Education Hub (Teo, 2004)

This research would also be in sync with Singapore’s plan to become an education hub in the region. While Singapore hopes to achieve this plan, NUS should be striving to become the key institution where foreign students seek their tertiary education from. Hence, it should have an extensive curriculum that is able to cater to all sorts of student applicants.

· Create higher employment rates

This research and further follow-up plan would raise the competitive edge of NUS. If effectively implemented, higher employment rates of our graduates would ensure that we can be on par with other institutions such as Singapore Management University (SMU), which high percentages of graduates getting employed within six months after graduation.

· Venture into a new era of change

As mentioned earlier, radio broadcasting is an industry that is entering a new era of change. It is an appropriate time to jump into this industry and train skilled professionals who would be highly sought after for employment. Our graduates would also be up to date with the new developments in the broadcasting scene.

What happens when two different ends meet?

I would like to share a brief intercultural conflict which I experienced in secondary school. For the record, I came from a primary school with mainly Chinese classmates. On the very first day of secondary school, I was surprised to find out that there was only two Chinese (including me) out of around 40 students in the class! In fact, the whole school was nearly populated by Malay students. Needless to say, I barely knew anyone there and was learning to adapt to the new environment.

Everything took on a different light on the first day of Physical Education class. I being the usual self wore proper shirt and shorts (above the knee level), ready to start warming up. I was definitely appalled when one of my classmates came up to me and curtly commented that what I wore was too short! I was almost fuming mad because I have the right to wear anything I wanted to and it was decent after all. It was only then that I realised almost everyone wore tracksuit. I started to be a bit embarrassed as I was dressed differently from the rest.

However, I later gained composure and mustered my courage to ask her politely for clarification. She explained to me that Muslims girls should wear attires that deck them (“menutup aurat” in Malay). At the same time, it would be good for others who are around a majority of Muslim people to do the same too. This meant that the shorts, pants, trousers or skirt should be below the knee level. It is not a must, but more of a sign of tolerant and respect towards the Muslims.

I was glad that something was to be learnt from that incident. Therefore, I never wore anything “short” to school after that eventful day. It definitely helped me to understand their culture better and brought me through my five years of study in that secondary school. I am proud to say I not only survived, but also built few lasting friendships with some classmates till this very day! :D

P/S: So, what happens when two different ends meet? They can either form a knot or part. You decide.

Application Letter Draft #2

#03-01, Bampfyle Ville
24 West Coast Road
Singapore, 152423

5 February 2010

Group HR Department
PSC Corporation Ltd
348 Jalan Boon Lay
Singapore 619529

Dear Sir/Madam,

Application for the position of Laboratory Technician (Fortune Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd)

I am a Year 3 Applied Science undergraduate majoring in Food Science and Technology at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and will graduate by May this year. I am interested in the above mentioned career opportunity offered by your company.

Since December 2009, I have been doing my industrial attachment as a Quality Control intern at Nestlé Pte Ltd, Singapore. This has given me the opportunity to enhance my understanding of food analytical techniques to ensure quality and safety compliance. Moreover, I am capable of handling various food-processing equipment. I believe that what I have gained and will learn for the next few months will make me a more experienced worker. Therefore, I would like to seek this opportunity to work in your company in providing quality consumer essentials across Singapore and the region.

Throughout my undergraduate life in NUS, I am actively involved in extracurricular activities. I am the Vice Head for the Publications Committee and was also selected as the Secretariat Head for the Orientation Committee. Hence, taking up these leadership positions has fully enriched my university life and nurtured my soft skills such as effective time management and good interpersonal skills. I learned to handle different situations and people. I believe that I can be a key contributor to your company with these managerial and motivational skills. Moreover, I am also prepared to step out of my comfort zone to broaden my knowledge and acquire more life skills.

I am equipped with the knowledge of integrating computational data with laboratory techniques using applications like Microsoft Office. As an organised and motivated individual, I value quality in my work. In addition to the information above, commuting distance is not a problem for me. Since I am applying as a fresh graduate, I am willing to accept the general salary range of about $2000-$2500.

I hope that my qualification and skills will render me the suitable candidate in contributing to your company’s vision as a progressive leader in the food manufacturing business. I look forward to hearing your favourable response. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Stephanie Kho

Enclosure: Resume

Application Letter Draft #1

#03-01, Bampfyle Ville
24 West Coast Road
Singapore, 152423

2 February 2010

Group HR Department
PSC Corporation Ltd
348 Jalan Boon Lay
Singapore 619529

Dear Sir/Madam,

Application for the position of Laboratory Technician (Fortune Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd)

I am a final year undergraduate majoring in Food Science and Technology at the National University of Singapore (NUS). I will graduate by end of May this year and is interested in the above mentioned career opportunity offered by your company.

Currently, I am doing my industrial attachment at Nestlé Pte Ltd, Singapore as part of my graduation requirement for the course. I started the internship in December 2009 as a quality control (QC) intern. This has given me the opportunity for more hands-on and practical experiences in the food and beverage industry. Moreover, I am familiar with commonly-used food processing equipment in the production line. I believe what I have gained so far and will experience for the next few months will be useful in enhancing my analytical and experimental skills. Therefore, I would like to seek the opportunity to work in your company in providing quality consumer essentials across Singapore and the region.

I have been staying on-campus in King Edward VII Hall for three years. Throughout my undergraduate life in NUS, I am also actively involved in hall and university level extracurricular activities. I was appointed the Secretariat Head for my hall’s Orientation Committee in 2009. I was also the Vice Head for the hall’s Publications Committee. Being involved in such leadership positions has fully enriched my university life because I learned the essential skill of effective time management. It was a challenge which rewarded me with the ability to handle different kinds of situation and people. This involved effective communication and most importantly building team rapport. I believe that I will be a contributor to your company with these managerial and motivational skills. At the same time, I am also willing to engage in new activities to enhance my personal developmental skills.

Taking up several modules in NUS had provided me with the learning experience of integrating computational techniques with laboratory skills. I am able to use the Microsoft Office applications and am familiar with effective data handling because that was required of me as the Secretariat Head. Hence, I am an organised individual. In addition to possessing the qualities above, commuting distance is not a problem for me.

I hope that my qualification and skills will render me a suitable candidate in contributing to your company’s vision as a progressive leader in the food manufacturing business, a trusted brand by consumers and an efficient food distribution partner. Please find my enclosed resume. I look forward to hearing your favourable response.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,


Ms. Stephanie Kho

Interpersonal conflict. Well, that's life isn't it?

Reflection:
I would like to share an important skill learnt during the mini presentation in class on Monday. It was good that Brad pointed out my mistake when I forgot to define the topic of our presentation which was EQ and went on straight to discuss the answers. I felt that it was really useful, especially for the audience to be mentally prepared on the subject matter within the context intended by the speaker.

Therefore, in this blog post, allow me to define what ‘interpersonal conflict’ is. The word ‘conflict’ itself is almost like a taboo; many people avoid conflicts because they hold the common misconception that conflicts are negative. In fact, conflict can take on a totally different point of view if given a positive spin. It expands limitations and opens up possibilities. Conflict is a disagreement between people with opposing opinions or principles, as quoted from the Cambridge Advance Learner’s Dictionary. To me, interpersonal conflict refers to a disagreement that happens in a relationship.

In my 21 years of life, I am relieved to say that I experienced only very few and brief interpersonal conflicts. However, that does not qualify me as an effective communicator simply because I am one of those people who tend to shy away from interpersonal conflicts. Perhaps this is due to the environment I was brought up in. My family value courtesy, kindness and respect. I am also the eldest in my family. Most of the time, I would rather give in and hardly let any conflict arise. As I grow up, I realised this may not be a wise move - after all there are times that I should stand up for myself!

Here’s my hypothetical interpersonal conflict, crafted and modified based on my personal experience. I am the head of the Publications Committee and Jo*, a good friend of mine is a member. Her idiosyncrasy is something I can tolerate outside the committee. With her knowing me on a personal level, she is complacent, does not report well and has been frequently extending deadlines for her articles. She thinks that by tolerating her character outside as a friend gives her the privilege to act nonchalantly in the committee.

I feel a sense of resentment and anguish at the thought of being used as an absorber to cushion all her irresponsible acts. It hurts to know my friend is manipulating her association with me. If this continues, it can also reflect a bad impression on me. The problem here is to find the best way to tell Jo the problem without letting it have any adverse effects on our friendship. She is a very sensitive person. How should I go about saying it? Or should I? She may be accusing me of pinning her down due to some ridiculous or random reasons.

Ironically for me, working together with someone I am close to is much harder than with a person whom I associate with purely on the working basis. (Anyone out there who shares my sentiment?) This is because I tend to be apprehensive about the repercussions if something nasty turns out. Of course, a win-win situation is preferred, but how do I achieve that? How is it possible to separate work from personal life?

In my opinion, the above is an interpersonal conflict because how I deal with this matter will affect my relationship with Jo, either for the better or worse. I see this as a conflict because it is a hindrance in working effectively in my committee.

*Jo is a fictitious character. :)

Effective Communication Skills and ME!

Communication is inevitable in our lives and I believe almost everyone will agree to this. It is the very fundamental human survival skill that even a baby has grasp since birth. We all communicate, but how many of us are communicating effectively? It is the latter that takes a whole new dimension. Firstly, effective communication not only encompasses the ability to accurately exchange messages between the speaker and listener. In my opinion, it includes the capability to influence others and create a comfortable environment for sharing.

Let’s just face it. Effective communication skills are important for me to succeed in life. These are the skills I need to get what I want. For example, I will be doing my internship next year as part of the requirement for my major. Being effective in communication is the stepping stone – an impressive application letter and an outstanding interview are where it all starts. Those are how the first impression of me will be created in the eyes of the prospective employer.

I think that effective communication skills promote better understanding in the social arena. Knowing how and when to speak up can motivate others and avoid many unnecessary conflicts. Citing real life examples put things in perspective. I join several CCAs in my hall of residence, KEVII Hall. Therefore when I lead, communicating effectively helps me to actively engage team members in activities and give clear instructions.

I sometimes experience a fine line between doing someone a favour and rejecting it, especially when the person is my friend. I do hope that the courage to pen it here will spur me to be more assertive when the need arises. Way to go! Finally, I also need to learn how to be precise and concise. So, I shall stop here and not broach the subject further to prove this point. :)

How it started..

I can only partially say that this is the first time I blog because I started sometime ago but failed to maintain it after one post! Haha, I know this sounds ridiculous. It was perhaps due to lack of enthusiasm and there was nothing much to share about my life with the rest of the world.

Nevertheless, I dare proclaim now that this blog will stay active for at least a semester. The reason is obvious – blogging is part of meeting the requirements for the module I am currently taking as an elective, which is ES2007S – Professional Communication. Now, my blog address does make sense right? Being a newbie in blogging, I hope to pick up skills along the way and most importantly benefit from this module. Who knows, this may be the first step to change my conservative view about blogging.

It is only Week 2 and I foresee a busy semester ahead of me (is this even surprising? =P). Despite that, I look forward to the remaining of my Year 2 in NUS being enjoyable, fun and fulfilling! Discover and learn more each day!