Blog Post #6 Final Reflection on Learning

The end to a fulfilling journey!

As I deliberate what I want to write for this post, a lot of classroom experiences come to my mind. My entire post will refer to these experiences as part of my journey! Each one of them has contributed to my abilities and polished my professional communication skills. Time has passed rather quickly and this post officially marks the end of this insightful journey.

I believe something that kept me interested in the module was that it was very different from the conventional lecture style modules (you enter class and the first screen is Facebook). I interacted with different sets of people, made good friends and understood the depth of inter cultural differences. There was something other than numbers (that I usually see in my other modules) and this module sometimes served as a stress buster for me. Though it was a core module for my major and I had bid for it with the same intention (I have to do it), I guess ES2007S is one of the best modules I have done as part of my undergraduate studies in NUS. It has made me more aware, more confident and expanded my social network. I think the appreciation for the module stems from the fact that it was enjoyable and yet we learned a lot from it. I think Brad has played an important role in shaping the entire course of our journey and making it memorable. I remember when I was bidding for this module, one of my seniors told me, "do take ES2007S, but remember to take it under Brad". I think this is very true. Through this post I would like to thank Brad and all my classmates to have made this a memorable experience for me and helped me improve my professional communication and interpersonal skills.

My focus area for this post would be the research proposal. This was the first time I had engaged in writing a research proposal unlike presentations which I have done before. I think this is an essential workplace skill and I am glad I had an opportunity to enhance it through ES2007S. It involved a subtle sense of maturity and professional approach. I learned how important it is to design effective survey questions that are directed to get the right answers from your respondents. It is also very important to conduct interviews in a very dignified and courteous manner especially because it involves important personnel. Professional communication is indispensable to get your idea across. The various key requirements of writing a research proposal ranging from the letter of authorization to the cover letter, executive summary, problems and solutions, have made me appreciate the importance of formal writing. It feels great to have been successful in this endeavor and having the proposal sent to Ms Karen Wong. This was something novel from me and I have garnered a lot of useful feedback and experience from this which will help me writing effective proposals later in life.

I think ES2007S was not only a journey of learning and improving but also of self-discovery. I have learnt more about myself than anybody else. Being subject to different difficult situations, for example, the interview process, elevator pitch and oral presentation, I have realized how I act in different situations and identified the scope for improvement in each one. I have learnt to work in a team with very diverse and culturally different people. I have tried to be more courteous in my negotiations with others. I have also made myself more capable of handling both positive and negative feedback.

In my first post I had mentioned about my expectations from this module and my perspective of professional communication. This post serves to close the loop and highlight the useful life lessons I have learnt as part of this module. Apart from the usual skills of effective presentation, professional and semi-formal writing there are a lot of indirect experiences:

1) Inter cultural awareness is prime to effective communication and courtesy.

2) Friends can be great facilitators and teachers

3) Diversity contributes to individuality

4) Empathy can make communication effective by adding a personal touch

5) Fake it till you become it!

The last class had some honest confessions to make and a time to share useful life experiences. I am glad we got time outside the class and fostered stronger bonds. Since this is the last time I am writing as part of this module, I would like to thank each one of you for your timely and useful feedback and effortless comments on my posts. It was great to share the same class with you. You all directly and indirectly have taught me something that is valuable and will help me in future.

Here is wishing you, all the best for your future endeavors and let us keep in touch!

Blog Post #5 - Reflection on OP

Your heart speaks!! 

I believe expressing your ideas in front of a crowd is an art. An art that can be polished and developed by practice and determination. From sweaty palms to cracking voices, speaking publicly can really be terrifying, but it is an essential skill in today's competitive world.

ES2007s oral presentation was an excellent platform for me to polish my presentation skills and learn valuable lessons on public speaking. It was overwhelming to receive good response from classmates and satisfying to know that they liked our group's presentation. I would like to thank my group mates for their commendable work and effortless feedback. I believe their feedback helped shape my presentation the way it did. The presence of Ms Karen Wong added a sense of passion and seriousness to our delivery. I was really obliged that she made it to our presentation. I think every presenter and each presentation which was delivered involved weeks of discussion, meetings and efforts.  All of us really wanted to give it our best and we did.

Personally, I enjoy sharing and pitching my ideas to others. Being part of declamation and debate competitions I have developed my skills to make myself more competitive and less terrified on stage. However, presenting an idea or a proposal is very different from a debate and involves a subtle sense of maturity and intelligence. The only thing I wanted to do was to convince my listeners and make sure they have something to think about once they leave this (in that context) room. Since, I was beginning the presentation it was important to capture my audience's attention and convince them that a problem indeed exists. This was very important for the rest of the presentation to flow smoothly. Thanks to our group's multiple practices, I had good control over the content and the slides.  I am satisfied with my delivery and happy to have undergone this experience.

I have also learnt some great points about effective delivery. Though I made a conscious effort to keep my pace slow, I guess this is somewhere I can still work on. I should keep my tone and pace relative to the audience I am addressing. I also feel knowing and believing in your content is very important. If my group and I had done a bit more research about the how the scheme was implemented in the past, it would have strengthened our case. Nevertheless, this was an enriching experience and I learned a lot from it.

My mantra to successful delivery is to speak from your heart, to believe in what you say and convince others that there is worth to what you are saying.

Business in a Cultural Framework

I remember distinctly that on one sunday afternoon I found my dad really disturbed and tensed about something. It was about a joint venture he was planning with a few individuals from the United States. They were down in India and despite a round of discussions and negotiations nothing concrete seemed to have been decided upon yet. My dad, frustrated and upset wanted to call off the negotiations altogether. He had been looking forward to this project for five years and such a closure would have deeply impacted his professional and personal life.

Although both the parties were doing what they thought was morally and professionally correct, there was some hitch somewhere that prevented things from materializing. The investors from the US had shown immense faith in the Indian economy which has been on the rise lately. They were excited about the entire idea and appeared very optimistic about the outcome of the project. My dad was apprehensive about certain conditions of the contract and thought it would be advisable to consult the other members of his firm first. My dad spent hours with the investors analyzing the good and bad consequences. These discussions had rambled on without any concrete decisions being made. My dad wanted some more time before he was completely ready for the merger. However, the American investors tried to speed up matters and it appeared to my dad that they only wanted to finalize and implement the deal. They did not seem to be debating the finer aspects of the deal. Their informal way of addressing my dad and his colleagues also made him feel uncomfortable and disrespected. This raised his apprehensions even more that there could be potentially something wrong with the deal and the American investors did not possess the etiquettes of business. Precisely, my dad had lost his trust in this firm and the deal he had looked forward to.

Trust was something both parties seemed to be losing in each other.  My dad no more trusted their capabilities in business and sense of analyzing the finer aspects of it. On the other hand, the American investors were unsure about my dad’s capability to get the task done on time and as a potential business partner. Both the parties had many questions left unanswered and this resulted in the final collapse of what seemed to be a budding friendship and merger initially.

I will try and analyse this situation from what I thought was not so much of a business problem but more of a cultural difference. Only if  both the parties had followed the basics of intercultural communication, things would have worked out. Only if the American investors had realized that Indians view time differently, they could have been more relaxed in their interactions. On my dad's side he should have known about their background and not thought of them as pushy or arrogant, considering their practical way of thinking and approach to problem solving.  If both the parties had realized how culture was a major factor in shaping successful business deals, they would have been more comfortable and adjusted with each other. If any one of them would had made the effort to effectively communicate their feelings keeping the other’s intentions in mind, there would have been a sense of trust between them. 

An interplay of different cultures and beliefs led to the final collapse of the deal. I will list down a few of them here.

In the United States of America, efficiency, adhering to deadlines and a number of other habits are considered normal and expected. But when it comes to India, Indians view time differently and deadlines might not be adhered to in light of other important considerations. As a result, what might be reasonable and expected in America would not work in India and vice-versa. 

Aggressiveness and urgency can be viewed as a sign of arrogance and disrespect amongst Indians. This may lead to complete lack of communication and effort on their part. One needs to get to know the individual in order to have successful negotiations. While Americans generally wish to separate their personal and professional lives, Indians try to be good hosts and invite potential business partners home for dinner and chat. They value family over work and this is an integral part of their culture. 

Americans are generally open minded and assertive in nature. They say what they think is right and everyone has a equal chance of pitching their ideas in the workplace. Indians are used to a system of hierarchy, seniors are supposed to be obeyed and respected. Hence,  Americans who are pro-active and assertive will be considered rude and disrespectful in India. Criticism should also be made keeping ones position and feelings in mind. 

These difference will help us analyze this situation better. Clearly, the lack of trust and a host of similar misunderstandings led to final collapse of this friendship. The American investors wanted to sign the deal as soon as possible because they were happy with its general structure. They would have looked into the further details later. On the other hand, my dad and his colleagues wanted to look into the finer details and consider all possible problems and solutions before going ahead with it. They would have not signed the deal before these expectations were met even if that meant passing over the deadline. My dad and the American investors had already had many negotiations and meetings but still appeared dissatisfied about certain aspects and wanted to work on them. The American investors considered this kind of behavior of overlooking deadlines for no so important details rather weird and impractical. They began questioning themselves about my dad's capability to finish tasks on time and thus as a potential business partner since this was just the beginning, they had to work with his pace for quite long. Similarly, my dad thought of them as pushy who just wanted to sign the deal.

Another difference was in terms of behavior. American investors had a casual attitude during business meetings and everyone on their panel, without any inhibitions, expressed his/her ideas and thoughts freely. Criticism about the deal and certain areas of the project was made clear to my dad's colleagues without respecting the system of hierarchy. Though this was the general demeanor of the Americans and they did not mean to disrespect or dishonor anybody's feelings my dad and his colleagues found this as arrogant. They thought it would not be possible to work with people who do not respect elders.

These differences led to problems that were beyond resolution and thus came the end of an potential deal, which could have affected both the parties positively. Though this scenario helps us in analyzing differences between two cultures, this may not be applicable to all situations and people. The differences highlighted are also not generalized and vary over time and space. For example, Westernized Indians would not have found anything unusual about the American investors. Precisely the differences are very specific to this case should not be over-generalized. 

Updated: Oct 14, 2012

Cover Letter

Aditi Agarwal

(HP)xxxxxxxxx
(E-mail) xxxxx

10th September, 2012

Human Resource Manager,
ExxonMobil Pvt Ltd,

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a second year student, graduating in May 2015 from National University of Singapore with Bachelors Degree in Computer Engineering. I would like to be considered for an internship position at ExxonMobil information technology division for the coming summer (May - August).  I came to know about the position through the NUS career center. Having a passion for various problem-solving activities together with strong interpersonal and analytical abilities, I find this program an excellent place to head start my career.

My comprehensive course training at NUS coupled with various co-curricular activities have helped me to come out from my comfort zone and made me more adaptive to my surroundings facilitating an all round growth of my personality. I believe my strong experience in Java, C++ and C will help me make an important contribution to ExxonMobil. Designing a software development project as part of the curriculum I have developed strong skills in software engineering and product specifications. I will also be working as a Undergraduate Student Researcher under Institute for Infocomm Research this December. My role will include development of software on Android platform for a desktop application.

Having keen interest in studies and application based learning, I was awarded the prestigious SIA-NOL (Singapore Airline - Neptune Orient Line) Undergraduate scholarship to pursue my graduation in NUS. I was also selected from about 500 students to be part of the Enhanced Learning in Information Technology (ELITe) programme under the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore(IDA), that aims to develop "industry-ready" infocomm graduates. Being part of this  program I was able to acquire practical exposure through industry attachments, mentorship, projects and skills development through certifications. I feel these skills are beyond classroom learning and have not only garnered my interest in this field but also made me more capable to make a significant contribution to ExxonMobil.

I have always believed in developing skills beyond academics. Being the Sales and Development Director for ECE (Electrical and Computer Engineering) and Community and Public Relations Director for IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers) , I believe I have honed my skills and these experiences have taught me invaluable lessons on leadership and team work.

My classes in Computer Engineering have prepared me well to make significant contribution to your organization. I hope that after reviewing my skills and experience; as elucidated in my resume; you would consider me to become a member of the ExxonMobil family and widen my horizons.

Thank you for your time.

Yours Sincerely,

Aditi Agarwal

Because its between you and your dreams...

Sometimes people have to face tough situations and painful dilemmas that are difficult to resolve. All paths of life seem attractive and unattractive simultaneously and leaves one in a trance. Morals, ethics and intelligence play an important role in making good decisions during these not so pleasant times.

My senior and friend, Sam, had to fight a battle between his dreams and his moral obligations.
Since his childhood, Sam had been a diligent student and everyone had great hopes from him. He saw himself doing something radically different and substantial in his life. He always dreamt of making it big and bringing a difference to the society.

In his family, generations had been carrying on their ancestral business and it had become a custom for the son to follow the same.  His parents also wanted him to join the business upon graduation. However, Sam wanted to do something unconventional. After completing his graduation in Aeronautical Engineering, Sam received an offer from the technical giant, NASA with an extraordinary project and exorbitant pay for staying in the US and working with them.For him it was like a dream come true.

Sam wanted his parents to accompany him. The turning point came when his parents refused to leave their ancestral house to live abroad with him. They felt an emotional attachment with the house and it was not feasible for them to leave it in the last years of their life.They argued that if they had been able to have a good living with their successful business, so could Sam. Sam tried to explain to them about his dreams and how he wanted to make a difference. They warned him that life wouldn't be easy abroad and if he tried he could bring about a difference to the society with the ancestral business as well. They felt his decision was not pragmatic.

This sad reality dawned upon Sam.  On one hand were his own dreams and on the other were his parents desires. He questioned himself whether it was right to give up his parents' wishes just to realise his own dreams? Were his selfish interests larger than his obligation towards them? Sam was also doubtful that he would be able to make a significant contribution to the society. At the same time he felt that he had worked hard all his life to achieve this position and he wondered if it would be wise to give up his passion and dreams altogether.

Sam was in a difficult dilemma indeed. His decision would not only affect his own life, but the life of the people around him. What do you think should Sam choose in this battle of dreams and obligations?

Edited: September 16, 2012

Peer Teaching #1

Hello Everyone,

I have uploaded the link to the presentation me and my team ( Nirav and Shweta) gave for the first Peer Teaching Assignment. Sorry for the delay. Hope you all like it.

http://prezi.com/ef_aaquim3om/es2007s-professional-communication/

The Illusion of Communication

Oxford dictionary defines communication as the ability to impart or exchange information by speaking, writing or using any other medium. The flow of ideas is key to a conversation.

 But The greatest illusion associated with communication is that it has taken place.  So When exactly does communication take place ?

When thoughts are meaningfully conveyed, ' its effective communication'.  The funny irony associated with communication is that though we use it in some form almost all the time, we tend to lack the basic characteristics of making it efficient and meaningful.  The most interesting aspect is the various forms it can take. It is surprising to know that communication mediums range from the words we speak, to the clothes we wear, to our body language, the eye gaze and even the font we use to write the blogs communicates about us. Consciously or unconsciously these say a lot about our personality.

ES2007s will deal with an integral part of communication, focussing on professional communication, its practices and features. The course will start with the fundamentals of effective communication introducing its various forms. 

For a person in a similar domain like me, communication can largely be categorized into two spheres, the social circle and the professional wheel! In the social arena, it focusses on my ability to forge new relationships and friendships with people from different parts of the world, having different languages and most importantly different ways of communication. I have communicated with people who don't even share a common language, like the cleaners in my hostel or simply the local vendors. I have managed to get my message across and fortunately the conversation has always ended in a smile. These instances make me realize how communication has crossed borders and semantics. I think the way we communicate also depends a lot on the listener. For example, for some friends, asking a mere 'How are you' always inspires a 'I'm fine thank you'; while for some others, it results in a full account of everything that went wrong in that day! 

Professional Communication also plays an important role in one's life and I find it more challenging than the usual communication. It has to be formal, concise, accurate and the correct references need to be made. Perhaps I need to hone my skills and develop my personality in this area. While I cannot stop myself from speaking, having been part of debates and declamation competitions, sometimes I feel there is a need to regulate and filter certain things I say. I hope through this module I will learn the art of professional communication, which might not necessarily be verbal. 

As I mentioned above, communication forms an integral part of human life, and also happens as we interact with nature and animals.

Communication is inevitable but it can also get complex when it takes unexpected forms; mis-communication results in conflicts. Well, researching about it, I have found that a simple thing like communication is quite intense.

Edited : September 1, 2012