ENG20001: Reflective Writing Task on Engineering Practice, T3 2019

This reflective writing assignment, submitted by a student, details their experiences and insights gained during an internship in a software company, where they led a sports management team. The student, an engineering student specializing in design and instrumentation, reflects on the importance of collaboration, communication, and the development of essential skills like observation and listening. The assignment addresses the challenges of managing a diverse team, including intercultural differences and physical fitness issues. Furthermore, it explores self-assessment, time management, and career planning, highlighting the need for improved time management skills and the desire to work in companies offering multicultural exposure and project leadership opportunities. The student also identifies areas for improvement, such as anger management and enhanced listening skills, and outlines a plan for skill development through enrolling in courses and seeking feedback from colleagues and superiors.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Nam of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Topic 6
 What
I have been doing my internship in one of the well known software companies where I was
given the work on leading a sports management team. As I am into design and instrumentation
engineering, I was allotted with the task of analyzing the games and also in designing then
different suits and the tools that the participants would be requiring in order to take part in the
game. As an engineer I knew that I will have to use all my skills in order to make sure that the
team is able to work properly and also bring in the best possible results. As per the opinion of
Trevelyan (2014) engineering is something very productive and the end result of engineering
have to be something very productive and also something very useful.
In what new ways do you now see collaboration?
I have been able to influence my thoughts after going through the text book and also after
being involved in the project work. As per the opinion of Khairullina et al (2016), the
engineering enterprises are able to work properly and in an organized manner only because of
the fact that they are able to work in a united and in a collaborative manner. Communication is
one of the most essential parts of the profession of engineering. This is mainly because of the
fact that I had to communicate with all the employees that were about to take part in the sports
team. This is because I had to know about their preferences and the different issues that they
were actually facing (Ferrari et al. 2017).

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Write briefly about a situation where you have had to instruct someone.
I had to instruct the players to be punctual and also to develop a helpful and compatible
approach among one another. I was in a hurry to finish the work so; I did not conduct any group
meeting. As a result of this was unaware of the health issues of the players. For a sports team
leader it is always useful to check if the employees are physically fit (Bagiati and Evangelou
2018). If not the some other additional arrangements like developing any prosthetic tools or
some back up players may be recruited for any kinds of emergencies.
It was during the practice sessions that I realized there was the urgent need for keeping
some backups because some of the employees were suffering from some physical fitness issues.
I had only paid attention towards overcoming their intercultural difference but I missed out the
physical fitness issues.
What skills are easy for you?
 So what
I realized that my helpful and empathetic nature is one of my strong skills. I have learned
from the text book that one of the major sources of getting constant motivation is to stay n close
connection with one’s friends and supporters. This will always help them to narrate about their
experiences and also in bringing out their frustrations in a proper manner.
Skills do you now realize you are still developing
A strong determined approach and decision making are the skills that in am still working
upon.

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How easy was that process?
The process was easy because I have an empathetic nature and I want to help people
when they are in any kids of problems. This has actually made the entire process easier as I was
able to understand the issues that were being faced by some of the players or some of the
participants.
What were the difficulties?
The major difficulty was my restless nature. I often become restless and unnecessarily
overburden myself during the times of heavy work. This is because I will have to take up more
work in the coming days and also make sure that I am being able to develop a string
accountability skill for my own work.
 What else
How important have you found collaboration in your team project? What's worked well
for you? What has been frustrating?
This is because realized that the players were from different socio cultural backgrounds
and so there were several issues taking place between the employees. One of the major aspects
was the racial differences and the linguistic differences as well. This was often bringing about
many quarrels and the overall practice sessions were being hampered. I had to instruct all of
them to give up their individual differences and then make sure that they are collaborating with
one another and helping each other as one single united team.

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As the pressure was huge, I was often getting frustrated. It is because of this reason that I will be
able to make the right strategies to overcome the same.
 What now
The skills of observation and listening are some of the most needed skills that in will have to
work upon. I will be working over my listening skills so that I am able to understand the issues
being faced by all the employees and then decide my course of action (Trevelyan 2016). This
will be done by undertaking the Group discussion and the personal interview sessions.
TOPIC 7
 What
Key changes to work behaviors to be a more effective engineer
I will be working upon my listening skills. This is because I often stay in a hurry in order
to finish the work in the given deadline. Listening, reading and seeing skills are some of the
qualities that are needed for the engineers.
So what
How effective do you believe you are at managing your time?
I am very punctual in nature and try to finish the given task within the assigned deadline.
However I often make mistakes in the attempt of meeting the deadline. This is because when one
is in a hurry they might miss out the further details and this will be creating some severe issues.
Therefore I will have to work on this aspect and divide my time into two parts. In the first half I

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will put a rough sketch noting all the details. I will pay due importance on each details and make
sure that none of the details are left out.
After making the rough draft I will start the final work. I will also take the opinion of my
employees or my co-workers to make sure that there is the proper exchange of all the new and
innovative ideas.
 What else
I have to identify the things that went well and also the things that were wring. This will enable
me to develop a plan to overcome the weaknesses.
My best behavior
My helpful nature has been my best behavior because I have been able to support my employees.
Worst behaviors in terms of time management
I have hurried a lot and in order to meet the deadline I have compromised with the
perfection or the details. This is not right because time allocation’s very useful for an ideal
engineer. An engineer must have proper visual skills. Visual skills are needed in order to notice
subtle features in artifacts (e.g. cracks, crazing, distortion, and slight defects). Similarly a sports
Team leader must take care of all the intricate issues through his skills of observation (Trevelyan
2014).

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Career Plan
Abilities to be
developed
Resources
needed
Desired output Feedback
system
time
Observation skill I will have to
enroll myself in
the anger
management
classes and yoga
classes which
will help in
increasing my
concentration
level
This will be
helpful for
increasing my
stress managing
skills and I will
be able to take up
more stress and
manage it with a
cool and
organized mind
I will be keeping
a track by taking
feedbacks from
my coaches, co
workers and
others
3months
Work over level
of confidence
A proper
coaching system,
small breaks in
order to refresh
myself
This will help me
to boot my
decision making
skills and I will
be able to speed
up the rate of my
work and also
carry it on in a
I will take the
feedback by
circulating
surveys among
my co workers
and also among
my superiors.
3months

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proper way.
What kinds of companies do you want to work for?
I would like to work for the companies like Jacobs Engineering; KBM projects Pty Ltd,
Hatch and other such organizations that have a good scope in Australia (Singh 2019). I will be
able to get a good exposure and apply for the companies that are located in the other foreign
citations. I would like to work in companies where I will get a gold exposure to a multi cultural
platform. This will help me to meet and interact with many people and thus be able to learn
many things and also be able to overcome my shortcomings (Sysova, 2017).
 What now
Now I have realized that there are some misconceptions that engineers are logical by nature.
However the other skills like listening, reading and observing are avoided. I have now realized
that these are equally important skills that are needed by the engineers.
What kinds of work do you want to do?
I want to work in a position of a project leader and also a manager. This is because I
always want to take up new and challenging roles and be able to help people who are in actual
need for it. As a leader; I will be interacting with all the employees and try to know what are the
issues being faced by them. I will always try to maintain an open ended communication systems
so that all the employees are able to reach out to the upper management or to me in particular
whenever they feel. I will always make sure that as a manage I am being able to

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What skills will you need?
I need to make sure that I am working over my anger management skills. This is because
of the fact that I often become very restless and take the decisions. I suffer from the feeling of
palpitation and also nervousness.
Developing future skills that I don’t’ currently have
Skills needed Resources
needed
Desired output time
Listening skills Enrolling myself
is some TOEFL
courses so that I
am able to learn
the best listening
skills
This will enable
me to develop- a
proper patience
level and also the
intricate ways of
listening and
recording the
details so that
nothing is missed
out
3months

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References
Bagiati, A. and Evangelou, D., 2018. Identifying Engineering in a PreK classroom: An
observation protocol to support guided project-based instruction. In Early engineering
learning (pp. 83-111). Springer, Singapore.
Ferrari-Bridgers, F., Stroumbakis, K., Drini, M., Lynch, B. and Vogel, R., 2017. Assessing
critical-analytical listening skills in math and engineering students: An exploratory
inquiry of how analytical listening skills can positively impact learning. International
Journal of Listening, 31(3), pp.121-141.
Khairullina, E.R., Makhotkina, L.Y., Kiryakova, A.V., Baranov, V.V., Maksimova, O.G.,
Khrisanova, E.G., Piralova, O.F. and Masalimova, A.R., 2016. The real and the ideal
engineer-technologist in the view of employers and educators. International Review of
Management and Marketing, 6(1S), pp.134-138.
Lenard, D.B. and Pintarić, L., 2018. Communication skills as a prerequisite for the 21st century
engineer. ELT Vibes: International E-Journal for Research in ELT, 4(2), p.11.
Singh, R., 2019. Influence of metacognitive awareness on engineering students’ performance: a
study of listening skills. Procedia Manufacturing, 31, pp.136-141.
Sysova, N.V., 2017. The importance of intercultural communication skills for future engineers.
Trevelyan, J., 2014. The making of an expert engineer. Crc Press.
Trevelyan, J., 2016. Extending Engineering Practice Research with Shared Qualitative Data.
Advances in Engineering Education, 5(2), p.n2.