Australian Engineering Practice: Collaborative Teamwork and Self-Management

Australian Engineering Practice
Unit Code: ENEG20001
Term 1, 2018
Reflective Writing Task 3
School of engineering and technology
Central Queensland University
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Table of Contents
Lead or participate collaboratively in teams....................................................................................3
Demonstrate critical self-review, self-management and lifelong learning......................................6
References........................................................................................................................................9
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Lead or participate collaboratively in teams
What?
Collaboration plays a most significant role in creating a team-oriented working environment
within the workplace. Apart from this, collaboration in teams ensures high employee satisfaction.
Positive impact
The collaboration in teams is tough or challenging task which requires paradigm shift. Also, it
focuses on the team accomplishment instead of individual accomplishment. Collaboration is that
teachable skills which can be developed over time. As per my observation, business organisation
can achieve its desired goals as well as objectives only by increasing level of collaboration
within its employees (Boughzala and De Vreede, 2015). By dividing workers to teams,
organisation can operate its each and every business activity in most effective as well as in
systematic manner. I also prefer team collaboration for successful submission of college
assignments. As per my own experience, only those students get better marks when they study in
groups and enhance their knowledge about particular concepts and models. In other words,
collaborative teamwork always plays significant role in organisational success and it can be
apply in different business with different size. According to my perspectives, high skilled people
and experienced professional gives core importance to team collaboration and also value the
collaborative teams (Cropley, 2014). As per my point of view, the effective teams focus on four
components which are commitment, contribution, communication and collaboration. The term
collaboration is major concern of all team members because without cooperating with each other
they can never accomplish their desired results. As per my observation, the collaborative teams
influence various positive impacts. By working in a collaborative team, people can learn so many
things from each other which will help them in accomplishing their professional as well as
personal goals. When people work in collaborative teams then they bring varied talents together.
Also, they share their innovative ideas with each other which provide them better problem-
solving solutions. As per my consideration, collaborative teams can break down all the barriers
which create a problem in their work. With the help of team collaboration concept, I have
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improved my team building skills which are helpful for me in creating successful professional
career.
Negative impact
As per by point of view, the collaborative team produce better results as compare to individuals
but still, there are some negative impacts of collaborative teams. A team involves people with
different personalities which can create problems in achieving team goals and objectives (Eng,
et. al., 2013). Sometimes, competition increases within the teams which affect the overall team
performance. I consider competition among team members is biggest disadvantage of team
collaboration. Some team members show resistance to change but some like to adopt new
changes so differences in individuals’ behaviour also influence negative impact on collaborative
teams. As per my consideration, cultural mismatch between team members is most important
issues which take place in collaborative teams. The biggest problem which arises in team
working is when all team embers have to make one decision. As per my observation, different
people provide different perspective but it is not possible to follow perspectives of all people
organisation team leader follow suggestion of one person which increases chances of conflict
with team members and provide negative results (Halpern, 2013). By evaluating above
mentioned discussion, I can aid that team collaboration influence both positive as well as
negative impact on team performance of organisation and individuals.
What else?
As per my point of view, the personality difference which is biggest problem of team
collaboration can be solved by building good personal relationship with team members. This
solution also will help me in creating good bonding with my classmates and other people in my
future career (Holm and Severinsson, 2013). Competition among team members is biggest issue
which creates problem in team members but by increasing cooperation, among team members,
this problem can be solved out in effective manner. According to my perspective, I can solve
team collaboration problems by increasing my team building and team management skills. By
focusing more on communication as well as interpersonal skills, I can resolve the issues and
problems associated with team collaboration. I can attain many achievements only by focusing
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more on my team members. Apart from this, I can get good position within workplace only by
building positive relation with my team members and understanding their problems.
What now?
The knowledge which I have gained from collaborative teams or team collaboration can be used
in my future professional life. Also, I can use team management and team building skills in my
study groups. This will help me in creating good relation with my team members which can be
decided by lecturers. Apart from this, I can use team collaboration in completing my group
assignment which will help me in scoring good marks.
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Demonstrate critical self-review, self-management and lifelong learning
What?
A critical review is a most effective concept which helps in evaluating and summarising
information as well as ideas. Self-management is a process of managing, handling, controlling
and directing one’s behaviour and performance (Kazawa and Moriyama, 2013). Lifelong
learning is continuous procedure which is pursuit due to professional or personal reason.
Positive impact
As per my observation, critical thinking helps people in making most effective as well as
successful decisions. In business enterprise, most of the manager critically reviews the ideas and
information which they are going to use within workplace. This concept is helpful in analysing
pros and cons of a particular decision or initiative. According to me, critical thinking helps in
finding solutions for complex problems. Apart from this, I consider self-management as biggest
individual skill which can lead him towards success and growth. Moreover, by taking help of
self-management I can enjoy and control my life in appropriate manner. By managing my own-
self I can identify my own role in creating r contributing towards life problems. Also, it allows
individual to explore development opportunities which can lead them to higher positions in their
personal as well as professional life (Padgett, et. al., 2013). The concept of self-management
makes people aware of critical factors which can ruin their life. In professional life self-
management plan most crucial role because it allows individual to accomplish competitive
advantage within workplace. While managing own-self, individuals have to go through from
various tests which make them prepare for future risks or uncertainties. By taking help of self-
management I can easily improve my productivity which will help me in accomplishing my
predetermined personal as well as professional goals. Furthermore, during my graduation time, I
heard about lifelong learning which an essential concept is also (Silver, et. al., 2013). For
enhancing the level of personal as well as professional development, one can go for lifelong
learning. The concepts, models or things which are learned in lifelong learning stay forever with
individual and help him in all stages of his life. Being an engineering student I suggest that
people should opt lifelong learning instead of temporary learning.
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Negative impact
However, critical review, lifelong learning and self-management help people in developing their
personal and professional life but at the same time, it influences negative impact on the
individual’s life. As per my point of view, the biggest disadvantage of critical thinking is that it
forces individual to criticise things and other people. Apart from this, I consider self-
management as ineffective process because it influences negative impact on individual’s work
efficiency and creates tendency to become autocratic (Trappenburg, et. al., 2013). All people
need some sort of training for becoming specialist in a particular field and without guidance,
people cannot accomplish their desired goals. According to me, lifelong learning makes people
confuse about different concepts. No person can learn new things as well as concepts without
taking help of an initial framework. Sometimes, long-lasting learning results in inadequate
education which is highly dangerous. Apart from this, I found lifelong learning as time-
consuming process which requires huge time period. By taking help of professional persons,
people can continue their lifelong learning in appropriate manner.
What else?
In my college life, my lecturers encourage me to focus more in critical review so that I can
identify positive as well as negative impact of some particular concepts as well as models. Also,
it helps me in making most successful and effective decision regarding new initiatives. Being a
student I have to manage my personal life as well as studies which I can manage only by taking
help of self-management activities (Whitfield, et. al.., 2015). However, lifelong learning is a
time-consuming process but with the help of this, I can learn new things in all stages of my life.
What now?
I can use concept of critical thinking in my professional as well as personal life; there is various
situation which occurred in professional life which requires effective business decision. With the
help of critical thinking, I can make most effective decision. Apart from this, I can take help of
self-management skills for managing my daily studies and future plans. The self-management is
most essential concept which can develop decision-making skills in individuals. With the help of
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lifelong learning, I can continuously develop my skills, knowledge and abilities which will
provide huge benefits to me in my professional career.
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References
 Boughzala, I. and De Vreede, G.J., 2015. Evaluating team collaboration quality: The
development and field application of a collaboration maturity model. Journal of
Management Information Systems, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp.129-157. Cropley, A.J. ed., 2014. Towards a system of lifelong education: Some practical
considerations (Vol. 7). Elsevier.
 Eng, C., Dmytrichenko, E. and Myasushkin, E., 2013. System and method for virtual
team collaboration in a secure environment. U.S. Patent 8,499,148. Halpern, D.F., 2013. Thought and knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking.
Psychology Press.
 Holm, A.L. and Severinsson, E., 2013. Interdisciplinary team collaboration during
discharge of depressed older persons: a Norwegian qualitative implementation
study. Nursing Research and Practice, 2013.
 Kazawa, K. and Moriyama, M., 2013. Effects of a self-management skills-acquisition
program on pre-dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy. Nephrology Nursing
Journal, Vol. 40, No. 2, p.141.
 Padgett, R.D., Keup, J.R. and Pascarella, E.T., 2013. The impact of first-year seminars on
college students’ life-long learning orientations. Journal of Student Affairs Research and
Practice, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp.133-151.
 Silver, D.L., Yang, Q. and Li, L., 2013, March. Lifelong Machine Learning Systems:
Beyond Learning Algorithms. In AAAI Spring Symposium: Lifelong Machine
Learning (Vol. 13, p. 05).
 Trappenburg, J., Jonkman, N., Jaarsma, T., van Os-Medendorp, H., Kort, H., de Wit, N.,
Hoes, A. and Schuurmans, M., 2013. Self-management: one size does not fit all. Patient
education and counseling, Vol. 92, No. 1, pp.134-137.
 Whitfield, E.P., Fredericks, E.M., Eder, S.J., Shpeen, B.H. and Adler, J., 2015. Transition
readiness in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a patient survey of self-
management skills. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, Vol. 60, No. 1,
p.36.
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