Reflections

Looking back, the past few months had been very fruitful. From the first few lessons of understanding the principles of effective communication to writing the research report and the resume, and lastly the upcoming oral presentation, I have indeed absorbed a lot of knowledge. My understanding of the value of effective communication has not changed but is strengthened through the few academic exercises mentioned. Effective communication does reduce chances of conflicts and misunderstandings. It impresses your potential employer. It accelerates the process of completing the work.

During the first few lessons on effective communication, we were encouraged us to share our thoughts and ideas during the discussion. This had broadened my thoughts and gave me new insights on the issue. I realised that the interaction with peers could be enhanced by good oral communication skills.

Doing the research project and writing the minutes allowed me to convert the effective communication skills taught into actions. It was then I realized that some of the written communication skills were easier said than done. Writing the minutes made me realized that very minute mistakes like wrong numbering of items could have cause great confusion in the reader. Writing in a clear and concise manner, free of grammatical mistakes for the report was not easy, considering the number of amendments we had to make on our drafts.

Overall, this module has taught me the different aspects of communication skills. However, there is still a long way to go, for Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are effective communication skills. It is through the consistent practice that may one day we will truly become an effective communicator.

Xue Xin's Biodata

I am currently an undergraduate majoring in chemistry in the Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore. Doing laboratory work has improved my analytical and observing skills which are valuable tools useful in the future.

I was in the Audio & Visual Club and Science society in my secondary and JC days respectively. This has built up on my ability to troubleshoot problems and be more sensitive towards other people’s feelings. I strive to strike a balance between studies and pursuing my interests by taking up recreational archery, which has trained me on my ability to be more focused and less distracted.

Reflecting on the Research Project Experience

Jaymie, Mindy and I had been working on the research project for the past few weeks and in a few days’ time the research project will be completed. We started the project by brainstorming on the topic, then went on to gather data and ended by writing a survey report.

There are a few learning points learnt during the course of doing the project. Firstly, effective communication plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth flowing of the project. It facilitates the transmittance of the messages, ensuring that the information gets across to the other project members clearly and not misunderstood. Secondly, team work helps to increase the efficiency of the research project. Dividing the work among us and completing the allocated work and adhering to the agreed deadline will aid in making the project more smooth flowing. Thirdly, I have learnt how to build on interpersonal relationships. As we did not know each other prior to this project, we took some time to get to know each other better. We have to be able to understand and accept one another’s differences, be it in personality or viewpoint. We should show respect to others by allowing them to present their viewpoints, no matter how unfeasible it may be. Lastly, the writing of the final formal report has allowed me to hone my writing skills, which I must admit that it is getting a little rusty.

Active listening and effective oral communication are some of the skills which I can continue to practice in the upcoming oral presentation. These areas of communication will definitely come in handy during the preparation of the oral presentation. One weakness which I think I need to improve on is written communication. I will need to improve on how to write clear, concise reports, and free of grammatical mistakes.

Overall, the research project was an enriching experience.

Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour

I was doing a project with 3 other project mates, one of whom was Malay (let’s call her Siti) and the other two were Chinese. We got along quite well and overall the project was smooth-sailing and everything turned out fine. However, there were some situations when I thought my friends and I, who were Chinese, were not being sensitive towards our Malay project mate.

Due to the presence of a Malay project member, English would be our main conversational language during meetings. However, my friends and I were quite accustomed to communicating in mandarin when speaking among ourselves. Hence, we had the tendency of communicating with Siti in English when discussing about the project and switching to mandarin unknowingly when speaking to each other. There was no conflict observed in this scenario but this had resulted in some awkward moments for Siti. Sometimes, she would smile sheepishly at us to hide the awkwardness of not knowing what to say and would wait for us to finish our conversation. At times, she would look down on her paper, appearing to be engrossed in her own work since she could not be part of the conversation. After realizing her awkwardness, we tried to refrain from speaking mandarin during our project meetings.

This was an intercultural barrier where there was a difference in the language spoken. Despite getting along well, Siti would still feel left out in the group as she was the only Malay and the only one who did not understand the Chinese language. We were being insensitive towards Siti’s uneasiness and did not put ourselves in her shoes. Speaking in a “foreign” language when she was present and excluding her from the conversation was increasing the intercultural barrier instead of breaking it. Through this incident, I learnt to be more empathetic and sensitive towards friends of other races.

Potential Research Topic

Be green. This is one of the hottest topics in discussion now. News and research on the depleting ozone layer and melting polar caps were reported by the media more frequently than before. The adverse effects of global warming are becoming more and more prominent, and have made many realized how “sick” our mother Earth is. Recently, Singapore had launched campaigns to raise awareness of the people in reducing the usage of plastic bags. We had the ‘Bring You Own Bag’ (BYOB) campaign on the first Wednesday of every month, where one is required to bring his own bag when buying goods. The major supermarkets and some other participating stores will not be providing plastic bags for free. If one needs a carrier, he will need to make a donation which will be used to fund environmental activities. NUS has also participated actively in caring for the environment, as seen from its recent measure not to provide plastic bags for free in bookstores, drink and fruit stalls.

Our research topic will be on the awareness and opinion of NUS students on the implementation of this measure in school campus. We will also examine the attitude of NUS students towards the campaign in reducing the use of plastic bags in school and in Singapore. The effectiveness of such campaigns and possible improvements shall also be researched. The general research question will be: Are NUS students aware and supportive of the BYOB campaign launched both in campus and in Singapore?

An attitudinal survey is necessary to investigate the opinion of the targeted population (NUS students) on the issue as there may be no prior studies been conducted on the topic. As this is a campaign implemented not too long ago, the small pool of secondary sources may not be able to fulfill the purpose and demand of the research topic. A survey allows one to obtain primary, untreated data on the issue, which can then be used for further analysis. It may be more useful than relying on secondary sources which have been analysed and hence subjected to inaccuracy and biasness.

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

This is a hypothetical situation with bits and pieces of real life encounter:

A, B and C are university project group mates for a module. They are not very close friends though they have been acquainted for one year. Initially, everyone is getting along fine. However, after a few weeks, A notices that B seems to detest C. Whenever C starts to make a comment, B will interrupt and stop her from talking. B will also avoid having eye contact with C.

Possible causes: A thinks that B is behaving this way because he gets irritated by the way C keeps babbling about things unrelated to the project. C always has the tendency to sidetrack or suggest unrealistic ideas. Another possible reason is that B and C have very different personalities. B is more serious, prefers to keep things on track, and likes to get things done as soon as possible. C is more outspoken and has a wilder imagination, thus the tendency to sidetrack during discussions.

B feels: “If I do not interrupt C, she will make those unconstructive comments again and we will not be able to keep to our agenda. What I do is all for the good of the project or else we may not be able to meet the datelines.”

C feels: “I don’t know why B is treating me this way. She practically ignores my presence and all the suggestions I have made. I am hurt by her actions.”

A feels: “I am at a loss of what to do. What can I do to resolve the conflict between B and C without hurting the feelings of both?”

Effective Communication Skills

The science of communication has always been an art which many find difficult to master. We often find ourselves get caught in undesired situations due to poor communication skills. Conflicts, misunderstandings and straining relationships are just a few consequences we have to deal with when we fail to place sufficient emphasis on the communication process.

Effective communication is one of the most important building blocks in healthy relationships, be it the relationship with parents, friends or colleagues. With a multi-cultural setting in Singapore, one will face problems in overcoming cultural and language differences to get the message conveyed. As an effective communicator, misunderstandings arising because of inappropriate nonverbal cues will be avoided. Conflicts can be resolved timely or even be avoided. Clear and concise messages will mean that no clarifications are needed.

Effective communication plays an integral role in increasing efficient functioning in the corporate world. Upon graduation, job searching will become the foremost concern of graduates. The ability to write an impressive resume and to articulate well in the interview will allow one to leave a deeper impression on your potential employers than your competitors. When there are many competent candidates with qualifications equal or higher than yours out there, academic credentials is no longer the primary deciding factor that will give one an edge over the others. The right candidate is one who can write, speak, and listen effectively, and who can ultimately gain the respect of her colleagues and subordinates in the workplace.

Effective communication is a vital life-long skill. It’s a skill for life!