Reflection on the CG1102 project meeting

Our CG1102 team has the first meeting on last Friday at COM1. The agenda for the meeting was sent to us few days ago so that we could be well-prepared for the meeting. There was no tutorial room without any students at that time because we were afraid of disturbing other people. Therefore, we could only choose a place that as less people as posible although we cannot sit face to face with each other.

This is the video of our meeting: http://vimeo.com/9430351

As the person who began in the meeting, I think I did not explained well to my teammates because I did not speak fluently enough and my voice was not clear so that it made my teammates be a little bit confuse with my idea. Although all of us were still confused about what we were going to do, every member in the team had already prepared for the meeting so that the ideas were come up with very fast. In addition, we also discussed with each other about the topic so that it become more clear. Generally, we agree with other ideas. However, there were some points that I did not agree with them so that I usually spent time to think the way to persuade them or ask for clarification which slowed the process. Moreover, everyone was always trying to protect their own idea at first. Fortunately, at the end of the meeting we were clear about the topic and equally divide the tasks for each member in team. However, we also asked our tutor for some clarification about the topic and to be sure that we we were going on the right way.

In general, this is a successful meeting because we could finish all the tasks listed in the agenda, be more clear about the project and discuss a good way to do. However, there are some points that we need to improve for the next meeting so that we can work effectively and efficiently with each other.

Was I right or wrong?

When people come together to work in a team, conflict is one of the biggest problems that they have to avoid. The differences in the background, character or the way to do the tasks are some main sources of conflicts. Team leader and members who face such problems have to find the way to resolve it as soon as possible. I used to work in a team before and be one of the members involved in a conflict. I am still wondering whether I was right or wrong when I resolved the conflict like that

That was a large history project two years ago. We had to present about the most terrible war of humankind. There was one more day to prepare for the presentation but Chau, who was in charge of finding the war map for my presentation, did not send the map to Son, the team leader, to put to the powerpoint file. Unfortunately, there was also an exam on the presentation day and our team leader did not prepare well for this. At the night before the presentation, although Chau and I struggled finding the map but Son did not appear to receive it. Therefore, my presentation was not as good as I suppose because I could not demonstrate the battle more lively and clearly.

At that time I hated him so much and I just wanted to scold him for being lazy and irresponsible. However, the presentation would continued the following week so I chose to be quiet to avoid a fight within the team. My choice was not as easy as I think, I was angry so much that cannot refrain from complaining with other friends about his fault behind his back. Other people in my team especially Chau agree with me about Son and they also angry with him about that. However, I knew I acted badly but I thought it was the best way to avoid conflicting.

That is a small story I would like to share and hear your advice. We are going to work together for the whole semester so that it is very good to share experience with each other about resolving conflict that may happen.

Observation of team behaviour: Intercultural and Interpersonal Communication

As a result of globalization and development of technology especially in communication, we have chances to work with people from different countries and different cultures. Communicating effectively with them is a big challenge that we have to deal with.

If you want to communicate with people from different country, you have to learn about their culture: greeting, having meal, nonverbal action, etc. It does not mean you have to act like them, but you need to understand what is appreciated and what should not do. For example, it is considered to be impolite making noise when you have dinner in a western family but it is the way Chinese people express the deliciousness. Another example is that when you should not make beef steak for the Indian or pork stew for the Muslim. Learning a new culture could be difficult but it is very important to have make a good impression on other people.

Studying in Singapore - a multicultural country - offer me chances to be friend with many people especially Indian, Chinese and Malay but it also a big challenge. The difficulty not only come from languages - we are not speaking our mother tongue but English - but also from the diversity of culture. Luckily, everyone in Singapore respect other cultures that make me feel more comfortable. My team, C04C is a combination of three people from three different culture: Vietnamese, Chinese and Indian. To work harmoniously with them, I have to learn about their culture especially their way of thinking, gesture or the use of time. By understanding each other, we can be good friends and achieve in this semester.

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person, you might be the world.
Kindness is the golden chain by which our world is bound together."
Johanne von Goethe

Communication and teamwork: why are they important for me?

Communication is undoubtedly one of the most essential activities in life of all species. Humankind, through ages, has overcome many changes since the first picture was carved on the wall of the cave to nowadays when people can communicate with each other no matter how far they are.

For some animals, communication is the basic instinct which help them find the food or protect themselves from danger. For human, communication is at a higher level. It makes people know about each other, solve a problem together or express the emotion. Beside languages and gesture, the basic means of communication, modern people have mobile phone, fax or internet to contact to each other. The development of technology not only makes the communication become easier but also more complicated. It is no longer a basic instinct that people were born to have. It is what we have to learn. Good communication can help us make friend with others, solve the problem faster and save time.

Teamwork is a high level communication. There are many problems that can only be solved by many people working together. Therefore, teamwork plays an important role in the effectiveness of a team. Good teamwork means there are an understanding among the members and between the leader and the members. If a team has a good leader, each member solves a part of a problem without any conflicts, the problem can be solved very fast and effective. Bad teamwork can cost time and cause disagreement among the team.

Communication and teamwork are very important in studying and working. They can get the job done fast and effective. A good communication and teamwork skill can be a key to the success.