402MAN Communications & Collaboration Skills: Reflective Blog

This assignment is a reflective blog written by a student, utilizing Gibbs' Reflective Cycle to analyze their learning experience in a Communications & Collaborative Working module. The blog consists of three entries, each reflecting on a week of the module, focusing on communication principles, internal and external communication methods, and professional presentation skills. The student discusses their feelings, evaluates their learning, and concludes with actions they will take to improve their skills, particularly in active listening, critical thinking, and time management. The reflection highlights the impact of the module on both their professional and personal development, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and collaboration in a banking sector context.

Communications &
Collaborative working

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Gibbs Reflective Cycle Model.....................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Reflection is a process which helps the individual in developing various skills in
themselves and review their effectiveness (Helwig and et.al., 2014). The purpose of this
reflection is that I want to express my three week learning which involve collaborative,
communication and presentation skills. Further, the report will use the Gibbs reflective model in
order to reflect my skills and learnings and how such helps me in my career.
Gibbs Reflective Cycle Model
This is a model provided by Professor Graham Gibbs in the year 1988. This model helps
the individual to understand and learn something from the situation that they experience on a
daily basis. Theses are of five stages which are as follows:

Description:
Entry 1: In the first week of module, I have learnt about the principles of communication theory
along with its fundamental principles. Further, I have also learnt about the Shannon and Weaver
model of communication with this I am able understand the process of communication. My
current skills level in communication is too low because I face difficulty in expressing my views
to others.
Entry 2: In the second week of the learning, I have learnt about the internal and external
communication. Further, in this week I have also learnt methods of communication such as oral,
written and visual along with the modern method. The factors which I need to considered while
selecting choices of communication is also helps me in understanding important of effective
communication. Before this week, I am unable to manage the team work at my workplace but
after the second week I am able to identify and help my collogues and other team members in
their work targets.
Entry 3: The third week is about the effective professional presentation skills development. In
this week, I have learnt about the characteristics of effective learning, techniques that I can use to
build the interest of the audience. I have also learnt the structure of effective presentation in
which I need to first introduce myself with a smiling face and use the right language. This
learning week plays very important role in my life because it helps me in improving my report
presentation to the manager at workplace. I have also learnt how to prepare and deliver short
presentation by using various tools (Sekarwinahyu, Rustaman and Widodo, 2019).
Feelings:

Entry 1: My current skills set in comparison to the communication is that I have strong
collaboration and problem solving skills in myself. In the first week, the learning of principle and
process of communication helps me in understanding that audience and people with whom I am
talking. The impact of this skill learning on myself is that I am able to use correct channel such
as 360 degree feedback strategy in order to understand the issues of my team member at my
workplace. I am feeling very confident about my learning because it has helped or will help me
in my professional development.
Entry 2: I am feeling very exited and happy after learning the communication skills which also
helps me in developing and improving collaboration skills. It is because this learning has helped
me in understanding that collaboration & communication together is essential for the success of
business. Previously, I was feel nervous while talking with the people in crowd because of lack
of interaction with people but now I am feeling much better. Now what I feel that, oral
communication is much better than the written communication because it is quick and I can get
instant feedback.
Entry 3: I am feeling good after this learning module because when I present my report to the
manager they really appreciated my hard-work and structure of presentation. The structure I have
used for my presentation at workplace is introduction, main body and conclusion. I have also
used various images and creative tools in my presentation in order to make it more attractive and
presentable. I am feeling that rather than using too many colours and fonts in the presentation, I
will need to keep it simpler and do not use more than 10 words in one line. I am feeling
confident after this skill development (Adeani, Febriani and Syafryadin, 2020).
Evaluation:
Entry 1: After the first week module learning, I have evaluated that the communication is
basically affected by our sense of identity. It is because whenever I feel depressed or nervous,
my mind understand it and the impact of which I talk badly with my colleagues. But as of now I
have understood this aspect, I will definitely control on my emotion and sense while
communicating with others.
Entry 2: From the second week learning, I have evaluated that both formal and informal
communication skills I need to develop in my self as I face difficulty in identifying the situation
which require formal or informal communication. I have also evaluated from this learning that it

will help me in driving the growth and innovation. It has helped me in improving my flexibility
and the impact of which I am now able to handle the tight deadlines and work load more
smoothly and calmly.
Entry 3: After this module learning and my first presentation at work, I have evaluated that this
learning has helped me in improving my value at workplace. It is because everyone is
appreciating and encouraging my work. Beside this, I have also evaluated that the presentation
skills also helped me in increasing my retention percentage in the company. I have also thought
that the best and effective presentation skill helps in reducing the miscommunication among the
parties and people. This learning has enhanced my communication and collaboration working
skills and helps me in becoming a better professional (Middleton, 2017).
Conclusion:
Entry 1: After understanding and analysing my learning from the first week, I can now conclude
that the correct language and strategy of communication will not only motivate me but also the
people surrounded by me. Beside this, these skills will also helps me in improving my
collaboration and team working skills which are basically main role of a team leader at the
workplace.
Entry 2: After the second week learning about the communication skills, I have concluded that
my communication and collaboration skills are developing. But on the same side, I have also
found out that my active listening and critical thinking skills are very poor which need to be
developed by me. It is because when I am communicating with my team members at workplace
and asking about their issues, I found out that I am unable to listen them properly and easily get
distracted. Along with that, I have also experienced that I am facing difficulty in providing them
proper solutions to their problem because of my poor critical thinking.
Entry 3: From this learning, I have concluded that it has put positive impact in my both personal
and professional life. This learning has helped me in expressing my thoughts and knowledge in
the best presentation way. But beside this, I have also concluded that while presentation I have
faced difficulty in flexibility and self-motivation. I have found out that while giving presentation
I started feel nervous and audience need to calm me. If I will not improve this area, then it might
cause into spoilage of whole production. I have also lacking in effective time management skills
which also I need to develop and improve (Wain, 2017).

Action:
Entry 1: I will implement the principle and process of communication skills learning at my
workplace while talking with my colleges and other team members. I will definitely motivate
them to work hard by sharing my own positive views and thoughts. I will also implement this
skill in my life where rather than expecting and understanding anything I will directly talk with
the people who have any issue with me.
Entry 2: The action I will take in order to develop and improve my active listening and critical
thinking skills is that viewing and analysing other actions. I will review the actions taken by
other team leaders and managers in the same situation. I will try to talk more with the people and
ask about their culture, beliefs and issues and the impact of which it will not only improve my
weak area skill but also motivate them towards their workplace.
Entry 3: The action I will take in order to motivate myself is meditation and exercise. Further, to
improve time management skills I will start setting targets and start completing the same work
within the specified time. Then, I will implement this skill in my personal life also along with the
professional life to build my understanding level (Tawanwongsri and Phenwan, 2019).
CONCLUSION
The report has concluded how the three-week learning has helped me in enhancing my
communication and collaboration skills along with the presentation skills. This report has also
concluded the importance, impact and evaluation of these skills along with the area which I need
to improve in myself. This report has also concluded the action I will take to improve my
weakest skills in order to become professionally better person.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Sekarwinahyu, M., Rustaman, N. Y. and Widodo, A., 2019, November. Problem-based learning
skills and reflection skills of biology education students through the problem-based
online tutorial. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1280, No. 3, p. 032004).
IOP Publishing.
Adeani, I. S., Febriani, R. B. and Syafryadin, S., 2020. USING GIBBS’REFLECTIVE CYCLE
IN MAKING REFLECTIONS OF LITERARY ANALYSIS. Indonesian EFL
Journal. 6(2). pp.139-148.
Middleton, R., 2017. Critical reflection: the struggle of a practice developer.
Wain, A., 2017. Learning through reflection. British Journal of Midwifery. 25(10). pp.662-666.
Tawanwongsri, W. and Phenwan, T., 2019. Reflective and feedback performances on Thai
medical students’ patient history-taking skills. BMC medical education. 19(1). pp.1-8.
Helwig, C. C. and et.al., 2014. Judgments and reasoning about parental discipline involving
induction and psychological control in China and Canada. Child Development. 85(3).
pp.1150-1167.
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