They say time flies after you hit 21, I think the same could be said with regards to this module. The past 12 weeks have gone by in a flash, and we have now come to the end of the semester. Although it was only a short 12 weeks (how I wish this would have been longer), the wealth of knowledge and experiences I have obtained is surprisingly immense.
The main reason why I had initially decided to take this module was the fact that it fitted nicely in my timetable, allowing me to function on a 3 day study week (For those of you who do not realise, know I get my Wednesdays and Thursday off something quite rare for a Science Major). However, I soon came to realise that this module actually had a plethora of knowledge to impart. I have yet to come across a module which imparts the skills taught in this module! These skills range from writing skills to presentation skills and even skills on non-verbal communication.
Besides the skills taught in this module, another great take away was the amount of feedback I received. Yet again I have never come across a module which had this much feedback. I got feedback on every single assignment I submitted. Feedback on every presentation I had. This module had a whole new definition of learning. For once in my university education, I could truly say I have learnt from the mistakes I made based on the feedback I received.
Finally, there were the hands on “practical” sessions we had. Yes, I am referring to the mock job interviews and oral presentation. I found that those were extremely helpful, as it allowed us to truly practise what we have learnt. On a side note, I would like to apologise to anybody whom I may have offended during the mock interviews or oral presentations. I was not trying to be mean or difficult.
I guess this is farewell for now. Thank you for the past 12 weeks, this has truly been the best module I have ever read in NUS.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thinking upon Thinking
Finally, the oral presentation is over. What a great relief, although it does signal the last week of the semester and the start of reading week. Before I begin writing my reflections, I would first wish to thank my team members Emily and Kian Leong. It has been a fruitful journey with you guys the past few weeks! I have learnt a great deal about how to prepare better oral presentations thanks to the information you guys have shared with me.
Conception of Ideas
The initially conception of the whole presentation style got off to a slow start, however we soon gained momentum and the ideas kept flowing in. The idea to use ourselves as examples on how science undergraduates were not having enough practice on communications skills was rather unique. (Yes, the case study I mentioned during my part of the presentation was actually a real life case base on the members of my team.) On hindsight, I felt that it was a rather risky move which could have easily backfired. Glad to say, the gamble did pay off at the end of the day.
Presentation Style
I initially had fears about the pace at which I spoke. Having been a debater in the past, I have developed a rather bad habit of trying to “spew” out as much information as I could in 5 minutes. During my peer teaching session, I had received feedback that the rate at which I spoke was too fast. With that in mind, I had actively tried to keep my bad habit in check by forcing myself to slow down during the oral presentation. I can only hope that the pace at which I went was slow enough.
A second bad habit of mine which I had actively tried to keep in check was the fidgeting of my hands. During my peer teaching session, I received comments on the amount of fidgeting I did; the “playing” with my shirt, as well as the bouncing of my body. Taking this into account, I had actively forced myself to remind still during the oral presentation. On top of that, I kept my left hand in front of my body in an effort to stop myself from fidgeting with my shirt.
I had decided on the use of a “script” instead of cue cards for the oral presentation. The “script” provided me with the appropriate cues on the transition of my slides, as well as various key points regarding my presentation. This was something I had never done before, and only recently came to know about while reading up on how to be a good presenter. I am not too sure if I should continue this practise, as I felt it was rather distracting having a sheet of paper in front of me as it broke my eye contact with the audience.
Overall I had really enjoyed the oral presentation especially the Q&A section. I felt that it was the only time when I was able to judge if I had presented the information clearly to the audience base on the questions they asked.
Please feel free to comment on any of my mistakes which I made during the oral presentation as by learning from them, I would be able to become a better presenter!
Conception of Ideas
The initially conception of the whole presentation style got off to a slow start, however we soon gained momentum and the ideas kept flowing in. The idea to use ourselves as examples on how science undergraduates were not having enough practice on communications skills was rather unique. (Yes, the case study I mentioned during my part of the presentation was actually a real life case base on the members of my team.) On hindsight, I felt that it was a rather risky move which could have easily backfired. Glad to say, the gamble did pay off at the end of the day.
Presentation Style
I initially had fears about the pace at which I spoke. Having been a debater in the past, I have developed a rather bad habit of trying to “spew” out as much information as I could in 5 minutes. During my peer teaching session, I had received feedback that the rate at which I spoke was too fast. With that in mind, I had actively tried to keep my bad habit in check by forcing myself to slow down during the oral presentation. I can only hope that the pace at which I went was slow enough.
A second bad habit of mine which I had actively tried to keep in check was the fidgeting of my hands. During my peer teaching session, I received comments on the amount of fidgeting I did; the “playing” with my shirt, as well as the bouncing of my body. Taking this into account, I had actively forced myself to remind still during the oral presentation. On top of that, I kept my left hand in front of my body in an effort to stop myself from fidgeting with my shirt.
I had decided on the use of a “script” instead of cue cards for the oral presentation. The “script” provided me with the appropriate cues on the transition of my slides, as well as various key points regarding my presentation. This was something I had never done before, and only recently came to know about while reading up on how to be a good presenter. I am not too sure if I should continue this practise, as I felt it was rather distracting having a sheet of paper in front of me as it broke my eye contact with the audience.
Overall I had really enjoyed the oral presentation especially the Q&A section. I felt that it was the only time when I was able to judge if I had presented the information clearly to the audience base on the questions they asked.
Please feel free to comment on any of my mistakes which I made during the oral presentation as by learning from them, I would be able to become a better presenter!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Background;Description & Problem statement for proposal
2 Background
Effective communication skills are important in today’s extensive interconnected world. By being able to communicate effectively, employees would have a clear understanding of what is demanded of them while managers are able to clearly express their thoughts and ideas.
A few of the other benefits of being able to communicate effectively in any industry include increased productivity, ease of securing funding, better problem solving, fewer grievances between a company and its client as well as better working relationships between employees and the company.
It is thus vital for every individual entering any industry to posses an adequate level of communication skills.
2.1 Description of the Scientific Community
While effective communication skills have been deemed to be an important general skill, there appears to be an apparent lack of the skill in most individuals. This is apparently so for individuals who are present in the scientific community. The individuals affected within the scientific community include both students and researchers.
Academics within the scientific community would deem that science is the study of logic. Great emphasis is placed on the technical details of the subjects being taught, and very little emphasis is placed on the use of language. During examinations, students are generally graded based on their logic and thought-process. The bulk of the marks awarded would be to providing accurate and correct scientific details. Marks would still be awarded even though the sentence structure or language used may be wrong, so long as the correct scientific terminology was used. With such a heavy emphasis on the technical details, it is no wonder that many observers would feel that undergraduates pursing their studies in the science industry generally have poor communication skills.
An interview conducted with Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee from the Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore revealed that science undergraduates are generally unable to express themselves in writing. They are able to provide accurate scientific details for a given subject, but fair poorly when tasked to formulate and defend an argument. Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee has been interacting with students for the past 20 years. The modules he teaches generally require students to give an oral presentation on their findings, as well as the submission of a written report. His comments are highly significant as they reveal that science undergraduates are in fact poor communicators. They possess great technical knowledge on their field of study, but are unable to communicate their ideas effectively in writing.
A needs analysis conducted by three lecturers from the NUS Centre for English Language Communication (CELC) in 2003 revealed that most of the academics in the NUS Faculty of Science feel a need for science undergraduates to be taught general communication skills like listening, reading, speaking and writing. A good grounding in grammar and vocabulary was also recommended in contrast to training in subject specific skills. The findings highlight the need for science undergraduates to be trained in basic communication skills, arising from the apparent lack of such skills.
With so much focus on the communication skills of the science undergraduate, one may question the relevancy of it. Why the focus on science undergraduates when the focus should be on the scientific community. To answer that, we would first have to understand that science undergraduates could be one of the principle causes for the poor communication skills observed within the scientific community. Science undergraduates with a poor set of communication skills are entering the science industry. While they bring along with them great technical knowledge, they are unable to communicate effectively. This would hamper the progress of the scientific industry, leading to potential losses as highlighted in the following study.
In 2006, a study entitled Factors Affecting Science Communication was conducted by The Royal Society, Research Councils UK and The Wellcome Trust. The study found that researchers in the scientific community were generally poor communicators and often require an intermediary to convey their message across to the publics. The study also found that of late, many of the funders for scientific research require researchers to communicate their findings properly to the public. Researchers no longer have the luxury of being poor communicators. Failing to communicate effectively could cost them their jobs and research opportunities, overall hindering the progress of the scientific industry.
2.2 Problem Statement
Base on the interview conducted with Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee as well as various other literature sources, the team has identified a potential problem in the scientific community. Individuals within the scientific community appear to be poor communicators. Undergraduates within the scientific community appear to have poor writing skills, while researchers appear to be unable to communicate effectively to the masses.
The aim of the study is to assess the level and proficiency of communication skills within the scientific community. Following this evaluation, proper changes to the NUS science curriculum could be made order to address the situation.
Effective communication skills are important in today’s extensive interconnected world. By being able to communicate effectively, employees would have a clear understanding of what is demanded of them while managers are able to clearly express their thoughts and ideas.
A few of the other benefits of being able to communicate effectively in any industry include increased productivity, ease of securing funding, better problem solving, fewer grievances between a company and its client as well as better working relationships between employees and the company.
It is thus vital for every individual entering any industry to posses an adequate level of communication skills.
2.1 Description of the Scientific Community
While effective communication skills have been deemed to be an important general skill, there appears to be an apparent lack of the skill in most individuals. This is apparently so for individuals who are present in the scientific community. The individuals affected within the scientific community include both students and researchers.
Academics within the scientific community would deem that science is the study of logic. Great emphasis is placed on the technical details of the subjects being taught, and very little emphasis is placed on the use of language. During examinations, students are generally graded based on their logic and thought-process. The bulk of the marks awarded would be to providing accurate and correct scientific details. Marks would still be awarded even though the sentence structure or language used may be wrong, so long as the correct scientific terminology was used. With such a heavy emphasis on the technical details, it is no wonder that many observers would feel that undergraduates pursing their studies in the science industry generally have poor communication skills.
An interview conducted with Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee from the Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore revealed that science undergraduates are generally unable to express themselves in writing. They are able to provide accurate scientific details for a given subject, but fair poorly when tasked to formulate and defend an argument. Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee has been interacting with students for the past 20 years. The modules he teaches generally require students to give an oral presentation on their findings, as well as the submission of a written report. His comments are highly significant as they reveal that science undergraduates are in fact poor communicators. They possess great technical knowledge on their field of study, but are unable to communicate their ideas effectively in writing.
A needs analysis conducted by three lecturers from the NUS Centre for English Language Communication (CELC) in 2003 revealed that most of the academics in the NUS Faculty of Science feel a need for science undergraduates to be taught general communication skills like listening, reading, speaking and writing. A good grounding in grammar and vocabulary was also recommended in contrast to training in subject specific skills. The findings highlight the need for science undergraduates to be trained in basic communication skills, arising from the apparent lack of such skills.
With so much focus on the communication skills of the science undergraduate, one may question the relevancy of it. Why the focus on science undergraduates when the focus should be on the scientific community. To answer that, we would first have to understand that science undergraduates could be one of the principle causes for the poor communication skills observed within the scientific community. Science undergraduates with a poor set of communication skills are entering the science industry. While they bring along with them great technical knowledge, they are unable to communicate effectively. This would hamper the progress of the scientific industry, leading to potential losses as highlighted in the following study.
In 2006, a study entitled Factors Affecting Science Communication was conducted by The Royal Society, Research Councils UK and The Wellcome Trust. The study found that researchers in the scientific community were generally poor communicators and often require an intermediary to convey their message across to the publics. The study also found that of late, many of the funders for scientific research require researchers to communicate their findings properly to the public. Researchers no longer have the luxury of being poor communicators. Failing to communicate effectively could cost them their jobs and research opportunities, overall hindering the progress of the scientific industry.
2.2 Problem Statement
Base on the interview conducted with Associate Professor Tan Tin Wee as well as various other literature sources, the team has identified a potential problem in the scientific community. Individuals within the scientific community appear to be poor communicators. Undergraduates within the scientific community appear to have poor writing skills, while researchers appear to be unable to communicate effectively to the masses.
The aim of the study is to assess the level and proficiency of communication skills within the scientific community. Following this evaluation, proper changes to the NUS science curriculum could be made order to address the situation.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Drinking the same everywhere??
About 3 years ago, I went on a tour to Korea with my girlfriend’s family. While in Korea, we were hosted by her father’s close business partner Mr Park Seunglee. Nearing the end of our stay, Mr Park invited us over to his house for dinner and drinks. The following is a recollection of my night at Mr Park’s house.
The dinner was highly enjoyable, as I got a taste of authentic home cooked Korean food. However, the interesting part was the events that followed when the drinking began. Korea has a reputation for being a place of hard drinking, as a result I was mentally prepared for the trial which was about to unfold.
The drinking session began with Mr Park pouring out Baek Se Ju* In a chorus of “Kon Bae!**” the glasses were emptied and promptly refilled. As with all other cultures in Asia, it was considered rude to refill one’s own glass. As such, it was expected of me to refill the empty glasses of the people seated around me.
However, a major difference in culture was the way in which I had to refill the empty glass. When I had to refill the glass of a person who was my senior, I had to do so with both hands (i.e hold the bottle with both hands, or place my free hand lightly under my pouring hand). This was compared to refilling the glass of a person who was considered to be of the same status, where I could just use one hand to hold the bottle.
Halfway though the drinking session, Mr Park suddenly emptied his glass, before refilling it and offering the same glass back to me! I was shock at this sudden gesture and was unsure of what to make of it. I was horrified at the idea of drinking from the glass of a stranger and was totally unprepared for it. I hurriedly glanced at my girlfriend’s dad, who motioned for me to accept the cup and turn to the side to drink. Having no choice, I accepted the glass from Mr Park with both hands, and turned away from him to drink. I later learned that what Mr Park did was considered normal in Korea. To show trust and respect, a Korean who is of a higher status would often empty his cup, before refilling it and offering it to someone of a lower status. In order not to disrespect Mr Park, I had to accept the glass he offered. On top of that, as Mr Park is my senior, it was considered rude of me to drink facing him. Hence, after accepting his glass, I had to turn to my side to consume my drink.
As the night wore on, the drinking got heavier and the group became rowdier. There was loud laughter and boisterous singing. What surprised me the most was that the neighbours did not call the police to report such disturbances. We were drinking into the wee hours of the morning and yet the neighbours just tolerated it. Had we been doing the same in Singapore, I am certain that the police would have been called in! This difference in behaviour was due to the drinking culture of Korea. Most Koreans adopt an “All is forgiven” stance when it comes to drinking. All that is said and done under the influence of alcohol is often forgotten if not forgiven the next day.
From my experience that night, I have come to realise that different culture groups have different practices. Even during an informal social gathering, the Korean culture is very much different that what I experience in Singapore.
*A type of filtered rice wine infused with ginseng with an alcohol content of 14%.
**Korean for Cheers
The dinner was highly enjoyable, as I got a taste of authentic home cooked Korean food. However, the interesting part was the events that followed when the drinking began. Korea has a reputation for being a place of hard drinking, as a result I was mentally prepared for the trial which was about to unfold.
The drinking session began with Mr Park pouring out Baek Se Ju* In a chorus of “Kon Bae!**” the glasses were emptied and promptly refilled. As with all other cultures in Asia, it was considered rude to refill one’s own glass. As such, it was expected of me to refill the empty glasses of the people seated around me.
However, a major difference in culture was the way in which I had to refill the empty glass. When I had to refill the glass of a person who was my senior, I had to do so with both hands (i.e hold the bottle with both hands, or place my free hand lightly under my pouring hand). This was compared to refilling the glass of a person who was considered to be of the same status, where I could just use one hand to hold the bottle.
Halfway though the drinking session, Mr Park suddenly emptied his glass, before refilling it and offering the same glass back to me! I was shock at this sudden gesture and was unsure of what to make of it. I was horrified at the idea of drinking from the glass of a stranger and was totally unprepared for it. I hurriedly glanced at my girlfriend’s dad, who motioned for me to accept the cup and turn to the side to drink. Having no choice, I accepted the glass from Mr Park with both hands, and turned away from him to drink. I later learned that what Mr Park did was considered normal in Korea. To show trust and respect, a Korean who is of a higher status would often empty his cup, before refilling it and offering it to someone of a lower status. In order not to disrespect Mr Park, I had to accept the glass he offered. On top of that, as Mr Park is my senior, it was considered rude of me to drink facing him. Hence, after accepting his glass, I had to turn to my side to consume my drink.
As the night wore on, the drinking got heavier and the group became rowdier. There was loud laughter and boisterous singing. What surprised me the most was that the neighbours did not call the police to report such disturbances. We were drinking into the wee hours of the morning and yet the neighbours just tolerated it. Had we been doing the same in Singapore, I am certain that the police would have been called in! This difference in behaviour was due to the drinking culture of Korea. Most Koreans adopt an “All is forgiven” stance when it comes to drinking. All that is said and done under the influence of alcohol is often forgotten if not forgiven the next day.
From my experience that night, I have come to realise that different culture groups have different practices. Even during an informal social gathering, the Korean culture is very much different that what I experience in Singapore.
*A type of filtered rice wine infused with ginseng with an alcohol content of 14%.
**Korean for Cheers
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Reflections and solutions to my conflict
Firstly I would wish to thank everyone who commented. As the conflict had already occurred, I am able to with you guys the outcome.
At the end of the day, the team managed to persuade Crystale not to send out the “poison pen” email. However, Crystale felt that the final act of blame shifting by Jana was the last straw. As a result, Crystale resigned from the company 2 weeks after receiving the warning letter. To add insult to injury, the company refused to issue Crystale with a letter of recommendation or testimonial.
On the bright side, Jana misdeeds did not go unnoticed. Management finally decided to act and Jana was asked to leave the company 1 month after the incident.
Personally, I felt that I had done all that I could. As Crystale was rather stubborn in nature, it was considered a miracle that the team even managed to persuade her into not sending the “poison pen” email. I believe this incident has really opened my eyes to the true nature of the workplace.
At the end of the day, the team managed to persuade Crystale not to send out the “poison pen” email. However, Crystale felt that the final act of blame shifting by Jana was the last straw. As a result, Crystale resigned from the company 2 weeks after receiving the warning letter. To add insult to injury, the company refused to issue Crystale with a letter of recommendation or testimonial.
On the bright side, Jana misdeeds did not go unnoticed. Management finally decided to act and Jana was asked to leave the company 1 month after the incident.
Personally, I felt that I had done all that I could. As Crystale was rather stubborn in nature, it was considered a miracle that the team even managed to persuade her into not sending the “poison pen” email. I believe this incident has really opened my eyes to the true nature of the workplace.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Application Letter (2nd Draft)
The following application letter was written in a response to a job advert from Leo Pharma. The job which I am applying for is a Medical Representative (similar to a sales job).
Dear Sir / Madam
POST of MEDICAL REPRESENTATIVE
I am writing in response to your advertisement on JobsDB.com for the position of Medical Representative.
I am a 3rd year undergraduate from the National University of Singapore with a Degree in Life Sciences, specialising in Biomedical Science. As a result of my specialisation in Biomedical Science, I am familiar with the recent developments in the pharmaceutical drug industry, with a clear understanding of the function of most drugs.
Having worked for half a year at the local office for the L’Oreal Group as a customer service officer, in charge of the Guardian Pharmacy account, I have a holistic view of customer service and supply chain logistics. I believe the experience I gained would allow me to excel as a Medical Representative.
I am dedicated self motivated team player, who is also able to work independently if needed. During my time in National Service, I received training as a team leader for the Work Improvements Team. I believe this training would bring value to the company as I am able to design and implement schemes which would enhance work productivity. I can work under intense pressure, and have always met or exceeded the expectations of my superiors.
Enclosed is my resume for your reference and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me, at 97892968 (mobile) or at joshua.kwang87@gmail.com.
Best Regards
Dear Sir / Madam
POST of MEDICAL REPRESENTATIVE
I am writing in response to your advertisement on JobsDB.com for the position of Medical Representative.
I am a 3rd year undergraduate from the National University of Singapore with a Degree in Life Sciences, specialising in Biomedical Science. As a result of my specialisation in Biomedical Science, I am familiar with the recent developments in the pharmaceutical drug industry, with a clear understanding of the function of most drugs.
Having worked for half a year at the local office for the L’Oreal Group as a customer service officer, in charge of the Guardian Pharmacy account, I have a holistic view of customer service and supply chain logistics. I believe the experience I gained would allow me to excel as a Medical Representative.
I am dedicated self motivated team player, who is also able to work independently if needed. During my time in National Service, I received training as a team leader for the Work Improvements Team. I believe this training would bring value to the company as I am able to design and implement schemes which would enhance work productivity. I can work under intense pressure, and have always met or exceeded the expectations of my superiors.
Enclosed is my resume for your reference and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please feel free to contact me, at 97892968 (mobile) or at joshua.kwang87@gmail.com.
Best Regards
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Conflict! Conflict! Conflict! (edited)
The following events were experienced while I was working at the local office of a famous Multinational corporation (MNC).
Crystale is a member of the customer service department in the local office of the MNC. Her team comprises of 4 other members and a team leader. She is well liked by her team members and is very efficient in her work. Crystale is viewed as being very friendly, loud and outspoken, often speaking whatever is on her mind even if it may comprise her working relationship. As a result, she is often viewed by her superiors as a very antagonistic person, who clashes frequently with her team leader Jana.
Jana is the team leader of the customer service team. Jana is known to be lazy and inefficient in her work, and is disliked by her own team members. She is known to be a very soft spoken person and often carries a sad docile face. She relies heavily on Crystale to help her finish her own work. However, Jana never checks the work that Crystale completes. She often takes credit for the work done by her own team members. Whenever a major mistake occurs, Jana would push the blame to her team members especially Crystale, often making her look like a villain in the team.
During a particular busy month, Jana made a serious error, which resulted in the company suffering losses. Jana had forgotten to transmit the orders processed to the warehouse, which would deliver the goods to the customers. To make matters worse, it was in the middle of the Great Singapore Sales, and many of the MNC’s customers were running low on stocks. In order to save herself, Jana pushed the blame to Crystale, accusing her of not transmitting the orders to the warehouse. As a result, Crystale received a warning letter from the MNC. Crystale was furious and wanted to confront Jana in a sort of “final showdown”. Her proposed method included sending out a mass “poison pen” email to all the staff of the local office, accusing Jana of all her wrong doings. Crystale planned to tender her resignation after sending out her email.
As a close friend of Crystale, I was at a loss. I supported her decision to fight for justice; however her methods were highly unorthodox and would only "burn more bridges" in her life. What could I have done to salvage the situation?
P.S
Just to clarify, Crystale’s intended course of action was to confront Jana in a final “show down”. Her proposed course of action was to send out a mass “poison pen” email detailing all of Jana’s misdeeds before resigning from the company. Crystale confided in me her proposed course of action and was seeking my advice on what was the best way to proceed.
Crystale is a member of the customer service department in the local office of the MNC. Her team comprises of 4 other members and a team leader. She is well liked by her team members and is very efficient in her work. Crystale is viewed as being very friendly, loud and outspoken, often speaking whatever is on her mind even if it may comprise her working relationship. As a result, she is often viewed by her superiors as a very antagonistic person, who clashes frequently with her team leader Jana.
Jana is the team leader of the customer service team. Jana is known to be lazy and inefficient in her work, and is disliked by her own team members. She is known to be a very soft spoken person and often carries a sad docile face. She relies heavily on Crystale to help her finish her own work. However, Jana never checks the work that Crystale completes. She often takes credit for the work done by her own team members. Whenever a major mistake occurs, Jana would push the blame to her team members especially Crystale, often making her look like a villain in the team.
During a particular busy month, Jana made a serious error, which resulted in the company suffering losses. Jana had forgotten to transmit the orders processed to the warehouse, which would deliver the goods to the customers. To make matters worse, it was in the middle of the Great Singapore Sales, and many of the MNC’s customers were running low on stocks. In order to save herself, Jana pushed the blame to Crystale, accusing her of not transmitting the orders to the warehouse. As a result, Crystale received a warning letter from the MNC. Crystale was furious and wanted to confront Jana in a sort of “final showdown”. Her proposed method included sending out a mass “poison pen” email to all the staff of the local office, accusing Jana of all her wrong doings. Crystale planned to tender her resignation after sending out her email.
As a close friend of Crystale, I was at a loss. I supported her decision to fight for justice; however her methods were highly unorthodox and would only "burn more bridges" in her life. What could I have done to salvage the situation?
P.S
Just to clarify, Crystale’s intended course of action was to confront Jana in a final “show down”. Her proposed course of action was to send out a mass “poison pen” email detailing all of Jana’s misdeeds before resigning from the company. Crystale confided in me her proposed course of action and was seeking my advice on what was the best way to proceed.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Chemisty, Biology or Art??
This post has nothing to do with ES2007s. Rather this is just a small experiment I am conducting at the moment.
I am sure many of you have seen the picture at the top of my blog. My question is what do you see? Do you see a molecule or an animal.
I am sure many of you have seen the picture at the top of my blog. My question is what do you see? Do you see a molecule or an animal.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Why effective communication skills? (edited)
Looking back, I have realised that many of the arguments I encountered at home or messes I encountered at the workplace were the result of me either being an ineffective communicator or an ineffective listener. This brings me to why am I interested in learning effective communication skills.
Well, for one I would like to minimise the number of arguments I encounter. Having effective communication skills not only encompass being an effective listener or speaker, it also involves the building of interpersonal communication skills. In short, not only would I learn how to communicate properly so that people would not get the wrong message, I would also learn how to try and avoid getting myself into conversations which might antagonise a person leading to less hostile confrontations.
Secondly, effective communication skills also include skills which are useful in one’s working life. These range from the art of effective business letter writing to how to perform during a job interview. These are skills which I find to be extremely valuable as they would give me an edge when I start hunting for my first permanent job after I graduate. Most modules in NUS tend to prepare one for the IQ problems one might encounter in their job, but not the EQ problems.
Finally effective communication skills is more of a “life skill” than a “job skill”. I have taken numerous modules which are meant to educate one in a specific field of study which would be of importance in their job later on. But I have never taken a module which teaches one a skill which is useful outside their career. I guess if I have to pay NUS $3000 per semester, I might as well make the most of it and take a module which would remain useful to me even after I retire. ES2007 is one such module which would allow me to learn a very useful life skill.
Well, for one I would like to minimise the number of arguments I encounter. Having effective communication skills not only encompass being an effective listener or speaker, it also involves the building of interpersonal communication skills. In short, not only would I learn how to communicate properly so that people would not get the wrong message, I would also learn how to try and avoid getting myself into conversations which might antagonise a person leading to less hostile confrontations.
Secondly, effective communication skills also include skills which are useful in one’s working life. These range from the art of effective business letter writing to how to perform during a job interview. These are skills which I find to be extremely valuable as they would give me an edge when I start hunting for my first permanent job after I graduate. Most modules in NUS tend to prepare one for the IQ problems one might encounter in their job, but not the EQ problems.
Finally effective communication skills is more of a “life skill” than a “job skill”. I have taken numerous modules which are meant to educate one in a specific field of study which would be of importance in their job later on. But I have never taken a module which teaches one a skill which is useful outside their career. I guess if I have to pay NUS $3000 per semester, I might as well make the most of it and take a module which would remain useful to me even after I retire. ES2007 is one such module which would allow me to learn a very useful life skill.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)