Reflective Journal on Improving Team Communication and Management Skills

This reflective journal discusses two workplace situations where the author had to improve team communication and management skills. The author reflects on their performance, successes, challenges, mistakes, and what they learned from each situation. The journal also highlights the importance of effective communication and team bonding in the workplace.

Reflective Journal
(AC 2.4.)
Following two ways can be used:
Discussion and reading- A people practice professional can upgrade his skills and
knowledge by engaging in discussion with other professional. This will widen his sphere of
knowledge as well as skills to tackle different situations. He can also upgrade knowledge
by reading books on people management.
Training- Various trainings can be attended which will assist in improving the knowledge
and skills.
Reflection 1
(AC 2.5.) WHAT
Overview of
performance
There was a situation in my previous work experience where I had
to complete an urgent project with the help of a team. The team
comprised of members of all age groups and various religion. The
elderly people were resistant to the strict deadline of the project
while the younger ones were energetic about it. I was in a situation
where I had to convince the elder team members thereby taking
care that I do not disrespect them and follow the ethics. I used my
communication skills and talked to these members patiently and
explained them the situation thereby requesting their cooperation. It
took some time, but they agreed and cooperated with the other team
members.
Successes
I was successful in not only convincing them to work but also to
motivate them to give their maximum participation. For example,
while working on the project they even took the initiative to help
others in their work.
Challenges /
Issues
It was a challenging task to convince senior and more experienced
members of the team to work on the urgent project. It was also

challenging because I had to ensure that I am respectful and polite
while communicating with them. Being elderly and experienced
members, they did not have trust in my approach and ways of
working. They were also not positive about the success of the
project due to their past experiences with projects with an urgent
deadline. Hence, they were stubborn and not ready to listen to my
requests. These were the challenges that I faced in the situation.
(A.C. 2.5.) SO WHAT
Reflections on
your performance
response
I understood that the situation was more due to their past
experiences rather than their disinterest towards work.
The situation tells about my effective communication skills and
convincing power.
Though I was in a dilemma during the situation as I thought none of
my efforts could convince them owing to their age and seniority.
However, I was confident about my verbal and non- verbal
communication skills. I was also confident about following my
practice of working in an ethical manner.
I could have involved other team members to make it better.
The situation indicates some broader issues that the elder members
of the team are not heard. Also, they are not encouraged to share
their experience and knowledge while working on projects.
Positive or
Negative Impact
This situation had positive impact on my colleagues as they learnt
the value of effective communication and team ethics.
(A.C 2.3.) MISTAKES
It was my mistake that earlier I did not hear the opinion and experience of the elder
members of the team who felt discriminated. I misunderstood the situation and assumed
that their resistance is due to their disinterest. I recognized the mistakes of the others in
the team who did not take initiative to listen to the more experienced members of the
team.
(A.C. 2.5.) NOW WHAT

I feel that I should take care to communicate with the members of the team when are on-
cooperative in a task. Communication is essential to determine the actual reason behind a
particular behaviour of the employees.
I need to learn the skills of assessing a situation completely by gathering all the
information associated with it and then reach to conclusions rather than forming
assumptions about a person.
Yes, I would like to change the process of working in a team by giving an opportunity to all
the members to share their views and experience so that tasks can be undertaken in a
better way.
In order to make things better, I need to improve the communication and the dynamics of
the team.
Yes, others also need training regarding team communication and team work.
Reflection 2
(AC 2.5.) WHAT
Overview of
performance
During my past work experience, I was working in a team. However,
there was lack of team work among the members. The members did
not communicate to each other which made the team face problems
many time. In one such situation, the team was allotted a project
which had a number of parts which were interlinked and connected.
This required effective and timely communication between the
members. However, due to lack of communication, an important
task of the project was duplicated by three members which led to
conflicts and waste of time. When I talked to the team members and
noted down their tasks, I could identify the reason for duplication
and subsequent conflict. None of the members had discussed the
tasks with each other. I sorted the confusion and allotted separate
tasks to the members and asked them to communicate and update
the team about the status of completion of their task.
Successes
With proper planning and organization skills, I could not only sort the
confusion but also ensure that such situation does not occur again
in the team.
Challenges /
Issues
The challenges during this situation were tat the member were not
communicating to each other initially even after sorting out the
confusions and separating the tasks. Hence, I had to play the role of
a communication bridge.

(A.C. 2.5.) SO WHAT
Reflections on
your performance
response
Though I performed well in clearing the confusion and resolving the
conflict, but, I was not efficient at forming a communication channel
between the team members, I could not teach them to communicate
with one another. It would have been appreciable had I been able to
make them recognize and realize the importance of team working
and effective communication within the team.
Positive or
Negative Impact
There was positive impact on the colleagues as they could learn the
ways to deal with a similar situation in future. They could also earn
that effective communication is the key to teamwork and resolution
of confusion and conflict.
(A.C 2.3.) MISTAKES
I recognized my mistake as instead of teaching them to communicate among themselves,
I started acting as a communication bridge. I recognized other mistakes and talked to
them about the skills which they needed to improve. I did this by being empathetic as I
had faced similar situation in the past and told them about it. When they learnt that I too
had made the same mistake of not communicating with the team members, they did not
feel bad and were motivated to work upon it.
(A.C. 2.5.) NOW WHAT
As a result of the reflection, I will take steps to raise awareness of importance of effective
communication within the team. It would take actions to develop the communication skills
of the team members.
While reflecting upon the situation, I feel that team building exercises would be undertaken
so that the team members learn to communicate with one another. This would also help in
enabling the team members to get to know each other and become bonded. All this is
essential for fostering effective communication within the team.
Yes, I need to learn the ways of improving team bonding and their communication so that
similar situations are not faced in future. Also, if similar situation arises, it is dealt in a
better manner.
Yes I would like to change the procedure in which the team communication takes place. I
would like to keep in place a better procedure which ensures that the members of a team
communicate with each other.

Yes others need more training on effective communication.
(A.C. 2.5) Reflection on the Journal
This reflective journals approach has been highly effective in my professional develop as
help me to reflect and learn about self and others from different workplace situations.