Business School

PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC SKILLS (PASS) BSB 20129-M

REFLECTION
ON BUXTON RESIDENTIAL

Submitted to: Dr.

Carol William

Submitted by Student No. hr905192

Reflection

Staffordshire University

1 By Buxton Residential Tour, I have got an opportunity to train my self in professional cohesive teamwork environment. Every activity in Buxton gave me chance to test my management and interpersonal skills. My personal observations proved that management and interpersonal skills are always acquired through practice and implementation of learning. Everyone learn from his or her experience or failure. Failure is a word which has an unfortunate negative meaning associated with it. But I strongly believe failure always brings with it the opportunity to learn. So every opportunity took me to the next step of learning cycle.

Stage 1 Having an experience

Stage 4 Planning the next Step

Stage 2 Reviewing the experience

Stage 3 Concluding from the experience

The Kolb Learning Cycle (1984)

Communication
Interpersonal communication includes much more than just exchanging words (Hunsaker P.L. and Robbins S.P., 2005, p.74). I was lucky that I worked with diverse cultural background and nationalities people, which helped me to develop a new understanding of the importance of communication. While during my experience in storming stage (Tuckman Model, 1977) of WTO (World Trade Organization) business idea generation and in activities of Buxton, I felt that inadequate communication skills and lack of listening ability are big barriers in understanding any idea or opinion in the group. After deep analysis of basic
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2 communication models like Aristotales Model of communication, Berlos Model of communication 1960 and Schramms Model of communication 1954. I discovered that effective communication skills could break the barriers of culture and language. I overcame these barriers by knowing, when and how to communicate? Defining the purpose of communication, when I have to give my opinion or idea in the group discussion? and how relevant that is for solving a problem?

Berlos Communication Model (1960) I observed that understanding the receiver is the single most important rule for effective communication and prime importance is the purpose of message. In one of the outdoor activity Stepping Stones my group leader ordered a team member to pass the stone to next member but he/she was not sure about the rules of activity but my team leader couldnt understood that so at the end, he/she couldnt perform to the expectations of team leader. So I

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3 observed that without understanding receivers problem, if he/she were sending message or orders, they would not evaluate effectively. Organizations, groups cannot function without open and effective communication (Murphy H.A, Hildebrandt H. W and Thomas J.P., 2000, p.4). As I was representing finance department in my WTO presentation, I have followed All Channel/Comcon (Williams C., 2009) communication network with other departments, which helped me to understand their needs and requirements regarding finance of project. As my group members were from different cultures and nationalities. Whenever I gave team members any message, I utilized the principle of KISS (Williams C., 2009). And I paid careful attention to feedback as well. My whole experience in Buxton led me to believe that effective communication always play important part in forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning of Tuckman Model, 1977. I was acting as observer in one outdoor activity called Gutter. My group scored less marks in this activity because there was lack of communication and coordination between performing members and everyone was shouting and screaming with ideas, but no one communicated thoroughly with team leader of activity. Communication is lifeblood of every organization or group (Murphy H.A, Hildebrandt H. W and Thomas J.P., 2000, p.4).

Time Management
By William Shakespeare, make use of time, let not advantage slip. In Buxton Residential outdoor activities time management factor was very important. In every activity we had to perform in specific time frame for achieving goals. In a given time frame, we had to plan, analyze, practice and perform the activities. In Team Ski activity, team leader planed to give first five minutes for coordination between members and to do little practice before going to perform. But some of my team members ignored him/her and went straight in to performing stage and during performing stage they faced some questions and hurdles, so at the end activity took too much time to perform and we scored less.
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4 While preparing for the WTO presentation, the most important thing my group had to keep in mind was working within a fixed time frame. We were allotted 20 minutes to present our business plan and we were 11 members in the group. So I organized and managed my presentation part very smartly with lot of practice and effective presentation skills. It helped my group and we also convinced the WTO panel in sanctioning the project. So I learnt there that, time management was very important aspect to accomplish any specific task, project or goal.

Teamwork
The best teams tend to be small. When teams have more than about 10 members, it becomes difficult for them to get much done. (Robibins S.P and Hunsaker P.L., 2005 p.268). For WTO business plan Presentation, team got into shape by following Tuckmans team building stages. Belbian team roles had been used for formation of group. Storming stage was crucial, when every team member was coming up with an idea/business plan. It was very hard to get consensus of all team members on one idea/business plan. We passed our storming and norming stage with support of each other. As said by Henry Ford (1863-1947), Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. Here I learned that every member of team is like brick and all bricks together make wall. According to Belbin team-role description I was very good as organizer, team worker and as finisher, but by constant interaction with other team members during preparation of business idea gave me good confidence to improve my secondary Belbin team roles as well. In Buxton, first activity was Town Trail, wherein each group had to answer questionnaires about Buxton Town. I suggested to my team, if we split our team into sub teams we could answer all questions in allocated time. So in Town Trail task my team was in performing stage according to Dr. Bruce Tuckmans (1965) Model of team development.

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Bruce Tuckamns Model of Team Development (1977) I was team leader in one outdoor activity called Mountain Rescue. In that task I tried to implement Tuckmans Team Development Model. I wanted to pick best team according to the strengths and weaknesses. So then that team could bring best solution how to do task effectively. But some members of my team said my plan would take too much time and their self-motivation and enthusiasm took them straight into performing stage. Moreover there was not enough communication between group members and individual goals seemed to reign high over team objectives and at the end team scored less. So it proved to me that you could get good results by good teamwork. And good teamwork always needs good developed team.

Leadership
In Buxton residential, our team performed very well in all indoors and outdoors activities. Our team leader was very effective and he/she was sound with his/her abilities. His/her confidence and motivation to keep up the morale of whole team was impressive. All these leadership factors led myself to perform in productive way to score maximum for my group. And by this derived motivation, we performed very well in few activities. I learnt that when we didnt score well
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6 enough in activity, he/she always said to all team members that, do not worry about your failure, learn from it and move to next and activity and try not to do that mistake again. My group leader showed full confidence in each member of group during preparation of WTO presentation. Which helped all members to perform up to the expectations of team leader and for WTO panel members. I learnt that, team leader defines the limit within which the group has total freedom to workout the solution of problem. Each team member got opportunity to work as team leader. I exercised my leadership skills and worked out my strengths and weaknesses in this managerial section.

Self-Awareness
In Buxton residential, my self-assessment helped me to evaluate that what I have learned? And what are my strengths and weaknesses? I have got a plan to develop new interpersonal skills and to improve in team management areas. I have realistically appraised my core abilities as well as my limitations. Our group was large in numbers, but now I am comfortable to work in large groups and I noticed that, I work well in team situations. During storming stage (Tuckmans Model, 1977) there were many ideas/business plans, we shared. And I observed that if one member doesnt like other members idea they discouraged him/her. But I found out I am open to accept their ideas and I always displayed a positive attitude towards them. Initially I was not in support of residential organized so early in term. But after going through week in Buxton, I had to accept that, it gave me opportunity to test my interpersonal and management skills practically in team. And it gave me chance to improve my business-oriented skills as well. And as I mentioned above in introduction that the learning cycle (The Kolb Learning Cycle, 1984) is a critical concept for people who wish to continue to make progress in their managerial development.

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Conclusion
For conclusion I would say, Buxton Residential has developed my communication skills, team management skills, time management skills and presentation skills. I managed to test my primary and secondary team roles (Belbin Team Roles, 1993) in stress free teamwork environment. I have worked before in professional team environment but this practical experience has boosted my confidence to work more effectively and efficiently in teams.

Number of words used: 1567

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References
Murdock, A., Scutt, C.N. (1997). Personal Effectiveness Second Edition. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Murdock, A., Scutt, C.N (2003). Personal Effectiveness Third Edition. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Hunsaker, P.L., Robbins, S.P (2005,). Training in Interpersonal Skills, Tips for Managing People at Work Fifth Edition. London: Prentice Hall. Douglas, T (1995). Survival in Groups, The Basics of Group Membership. Buckingham: Open University Press. Bion, W.R (1968). Experiences in Groups. London: Redwood Press of Trowbridge. Hartley, P (1997). Group Communication. London: Routledge. Hunsaker, P.L (2001). Training in Management Skills. London: Prentice Hall.

Bibliography
Communication Models. Avaiable: http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Handouts/Communication%20Models.htm Last accessed 2nd March 2009. Tuckmans Team Development Model. Avaiable: http://www.catalystonline.com/experiential_learning/team_edge.shtml Last accessed 4th March 2009.

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9 Belbin M. (1993). Definition of Team Roles. Available: http://www.belbin.com/content/page/3028/Belbin%20sample%20Self-Perception %20report.pdf Last accessed 5th March 2009. Kolb, D (1984). Kolbs Learning Styles. Avaiable: http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm Last accessed 9th March 2009. Presentation Helper. Available: http://www.presentationhelper.co.uk/Essential_Presentation_skills.htm Last accessed on 10th February 2009. Cross Cultural Communication. Avaiable: http://www.impactfactory.com/p/cross_cultural_culture_skills_training_developme nt/friends_934-9106-73125.html Last accessed 11th March 2009.

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