Community Engagement Report: Reflective Practice at Nando's

This report is a comprehensive analysis of community engagement, focusing on the reflective practices of a manager within Nando's. It begins with an introduction to community engagement and its importance in achieving organizational objectives, followed by an exploration of the nature and purpose of reflective practices, using Kolb's reflective model as a framework for understanding the learning process. The report delves into a personal reflection on experiences related to outcome 1, detailing the application of learned skills in managing and motivating employees, understanding customer needs, and developing effective strategies. It also examines the relationship between Kolb's learning theory and practical experiences, highlighting how different learning styles (diverging, assimilating, converging, and accommodating) were utilized. Finally, the report identifies key issues encountered during role-play activities, such as communication challenges, coordination problems, and the impact of team member performance, and concludes with strategies to improve these areas. The report underscores the significance of reflective practice in enhancing managerial capabilities and achieving business goals.

COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART B ...........................................................................................................................................1
Nature and purpose of reflective practices with appropriate model............................................1
Reflection on personal experience with reference to outcome 1................................................1
Relationship between relevant theory and experience. ..............................................................3
Examples of key issues encountered during the role play activities. .........................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Community engagement is the process which is performed by managers for developing
effective communication, interaction and involvement for performing effective business
operations in organisation (Saltmarsh and Johnson, 2018). This present report is the continuation
of community engagement part A. Thus, here an assessment is provided on the work of manager
in Nando for achieving effective organisational objectives. Therefore, reflection practices are
provided on personal experience in context of outcome 1 assessment for performing the job role
of manager.
PART B
Nature and purpose of reflective practices with appropriate model
Reflective practice is the process of developing continuous learning by analysing own
mistakes and to increase ability for performing job role in organisation. It is the process of deep
learning so that effective managerial practices will be developed in organisation. Being the
manager of Nando, I have to develop skills which are needeed to be in manager for developing
effective strategies in achieving organisational objectives (Beggs, 2018). Therefore, with the help
of reflective practices, I assessed my own thoughts and actions which helped me to learn with
my own mistakes and to develop strategies which provide a smooth functioning of operations in
marketplace.
There are different theories of reflective practices by which overall performance get
improved. Theory which is adopted by me for improving my skills for performing task is Kolb's
reflective model (Reflective model according to Kolb, 2017). This is the model which improves
skills in four stages which is concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract
conceptualisation and active experimentation. Concrete experience is the first stage by which
new experience or situation is encountered. Reflective observation is the second stage in which
particular importance are in consistence between experience and understanding. Abstract
conceptualisation is method by which new ideas will rise in creating effective work. With the
help of these stages, I became able to improve my ability in performing managerial tasks in
organisation so that organisational objectives can get fulfilled effectually.
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Reflection on personal experience with reference to outcome 1
With reference to outcome 1, I have learnt about size, sector and structure in which
Nando will operate. With this analysis, I will be able to understand the sector in which company
operates so that decision will develop accordingly. I also came to know that entity follows a flat
organisational structure where there are few or no individuals between top level manager and
sub-ordinates. Further, with this report, I also got to know about goals which company focus on
for expanding their growth in business market. I also get to learn the skills that are needed to
improve for performing the job role in organisation. With that learning, I am able to become
capable to motivate employees in organisation which overall helps in improving the profitability
of company.
Its mission and objectives are important for me to understand so that I will be able to
develop effective strategies which help in improving the performance of organisation. In context
with outcome 1, I am able to identify customers of organisation so that by effective strategies, I
will be able to fulfil their demand which they expect from organisation (Hollebeek, Juric and
Tang, 2017). This helps me in managing my work in accordance with the policy of entity. To
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Illustration 1: The Experiential learning cycle
(Source: Kolb's Learning styles and Experiential Learning cycle,
2017)

deal with customers, manager must have effective communication skills and therefore, I analysed
the range of customers which mainly come for getting services of organisation. This overall
helps me in developing the communication skill.
To provide high quality of services with better food, I have developed strategies so that
proper availability of raw material and food will be there in organisation. In ensuring this
availability, I have developed effective leadership skills by which I will be able to properly
communicate with employees to have better productivity in organisation. Nando has policy of
providing effective training and development to candidates which are employed newly for
operating functions (Bergsteiner and Avery, 2014). This training and development program helps
me in developing inter-personal skills for managing the overall work of organisation.
By considering the swot analysis with context of outcome 1, I will be able to analyse
weaknesses of company which are overall affecting its operations and performance. To convert
that weaknesses into strengths, I have analysed opportunities which are needed to be captured for
improving the functions of organisation. To manage my work, I have developed various skills
which help me to improving my work. With effective communication skills, I get know about
customers’ needs from restaurant which overall help me to develop strategies which satisfy their
needs.
To overcome with weaknesses, I also developed strategies where every employee
contribute in achieving business goals. To achieve goals, strategies are developed in accordance
with quality maintenance and to improve customer’s experience. These strategies helped me to
build effective team work in organisation (Beech, McGill and Brockbank, 2017).
With context of outcome 1, I also analysed the role of managers in performing their tasks
in these types of businesses. Role which is needed to be performed by the manager is to organise
and implement policies which help in improving performance and profitability of organisation in
business market. Other role that is required to be performed by manager is provided with proper
directions to subordinates regarding improvement of food facilities and changes to have
development in organisational menu. Manager also have to perform inter-personal skills where
they have to work as a leader in providing effective guidance and to take legal responsibilities for
operating organisational functions in the business market.
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Relationship between relevant theory and experience
Kolb's learning is one of the well-known theories which involves acquisition of concepts
so that in some work situations' flexibility can be applied. Learning will be effective with this
model because it concentrates mainly on four stages such as experience, reflection,
conceptualisation and test. But learning will become effective when it is preceded by own way.
This theory also helps to treat the reflection as integral part of learning about the things. Each
stage of this model was mutually supportive to develop knowledge for particular thing which
helps in improving work of individual. In this term, it can be said that the effective learning can
only be occurred if the learner can make the proper execution with the help of four stages of
model.
 Diverging- With the help of this relevant theory, I have experienced that people are able
to look at the things from varied perspectives. Thus, there are some team members who
were diverging in terms to tend to gather information and use better imagination in order
to solve the problems between the members. With this stage of learning I will able to
observe things and will also gather information which helps me in solving particular
situations of organisation. Thus, I have taken this framework as it is helpful in terms to
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Illustration 2: Learning cycles
(Source: Kolb's Learning styles and Experiential Learning cycle, 2017)

concrete the situation from several viewpoints. As per my experience in role play and
being the manager of it, I must say that diverging style is much helpful in terms to
perform work in groups to listen with the open mind and to collect the personal feedback.
 Assimilating- This is also the theory that also helps to give the major preference over the
things as a concise and logical approach. This model is up to watching and thinking the
things in a greater aspect. Thus, assimilating learning preference will involve the process
as concise and logical approach (Buckley and Doyle, 2017). Under this, team workers
need to give the clear explanation rather than the particular opportunity. I have
experienced that people with the assimilating learning style will put less focus on people
and they are more interested in ideas and abstract concepts.
 Converging- I have also used converging learning style and with the help of it, problem
can be solved and finding solution is one of the most practical issues. Under this, team
members have right to solve problems and make decision so that they will be able to find
solutions to the problems and questions. I must say that people with the converging style
enables specialists and technological abilities. With this, I have experimented with many
new ideas to stimulate and to work with the practical application.
 Accommodating- It is a term that relies on intuition rather than logic. I have used it to
analyse and prefer to take experimental and practical approach. With this stage of
learning, mew challenges will easily get sorted and effective plan will get carried out in
solving particular problem of organisation. With the help of this stage, I have experienced
that people get attracted to new challenges and experience and plan will be carrying out
in efficient mode.
These are the stages of Kolb's model of learning which very many helps me in improving
my managerial work so that by developing effective strategies and policies I will able to achieve
the growth of organisation in business market. By this model of learning, I am able to analyse
situation effectively and by observing particular situation, effective solutions will be developed
by me which helps in generating smooth functions of business. Thus, this stages helps me to
carry out the combination of styles in solving particular problem of organisation. Throughout the
process of role play, there are number of factors that can influence the person’s preferred style of
learning. During the role play, this model has helped me a lot towards understanding and
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explaining behaviours of humans towards helping others (Hwang, Sung and Chang, 2017). Thus,
this kind of situation leads to perform things in an effective and efficient manner.
Examples of key issues encountered during the role play activities
I have faced the number of issues during the role play and it was based in terms to bring
development of effective self-management, team working, communication, leadership and
interpersonal skill. At the time of conducting role play, there were issues with regard to
interaction between the employees and it was affecting overall role of team members. Due to
this, there was issue in relation to manage things in an effective manner. Another issue I have
faced is that I assigned the particular task to team members but all activities were interlinked to
each other. So, there was also issue with respect to coordination among team members and due
to the same, they did not communicate with each other in a well manner. This kind of situation
leads to hamper the overall situation. Another issue being faced relates with the lethargic
performance of some of the team members and due to same, things were affecting and other
active managers were also not able to do their performance effectively.
Laziness in work affects the overall behaviour of person and this leads to hamper the
working in enterprise (Puspitasari, Sugiyo and Wibowo, 2018). The role playing exercise can be
hard and it must be managed in well manner with the help of better preparation and execution in
terms to the work. At that time, I have faced various issues that were also hampering the work.
Issues like effective communication with employees, time management of work in organisation
and to set clear goals and expectations of work from employees are needed to be improved by
me. Being the manager of role play, I analysed that all these issues are caused due to improper
training and instructions to team members. This all was affecting the work and due to same, I
have faced issues in terms of ineffective coordination, communication and inefficient team
working that led to affect the performance negatively.
Another area in which I got success is that I became successful to handle the tasks within
proper deadline. I have divided the tasks between team workers and assigned one particular
deadline to them. This led me to develop proper strategies in a better and efficient manner so that
effective productivity of work will be generated in organisation. By assigning each task of an
entity, I will able to set deadline, so that member could perform their work in the more efficient
manner. Some of the members within the team are active and with the help of them, I became
able to handle the task in the better manner. One of the best decision which developed by me is
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to divide the task accordingly among the team members and by assigning deadline for each task
so that effective productivity of organisation will get generated which overall helps me in
attaining growth of entity from business market. In terms to achieve the business goals, it is
essential to develop self-management, team work, leadership and better communication skill so
that it can be possible to conduct role play effectively (Balaman, Bolat and Baş, 2018).
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be summarised that managers have to play an effective role
for managing overall operations of business efficiently. In this report, role of managers for
performing effective managerial skills is explained with proper reflective practices. Further, with
Kolb's model of reflection, managerial role is identified which overall helped in understanding
performance which needs to perform for retaining employees in organisation. Therefore, it can
be concluded that for retaining employees and to achieve business objectives effectually,
managers have to develop self-management, team work and leadership as well as communication
skills.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Balaman, F., Bolat, Y. and Baş, M., 2018. A COMPARISON OF LİFE SKİLL LEVELS
BETWEEN STUDENTS OF EDUCATİON FACULTY AND STUDENTS OF
PEDAGOGİCAL FORMATİON: THE CASE OF MUSTAFA KEMAL UNİVERSİTY,
TURKEY. European Journal of Education Studies.
Beech, N., McGill, I. and Brockbank, A., 2017. Reflective learning in practice. In Reflective
learning in practice (pp. 30-40). Routledge.
Beggs, J.C., 2018. Applications: Disaster Communication and Community Engagement.
In Disaster Epidemiology (pp. 163-169).
Bergsteiner, H. and Avery, G.C., 2014. The twin-cycle experiential learning model:
reconceptualising Kolb's theory. Studies in Continuing Education. 36(3). pp.257-274.
Buckley, P. and Doyle, E., 2017. Individualising gamification: An investigation of the impact of
learning styles and personality traits on the efficacy of gamification using a prediction
market. Computers & Education. 106. pp.43-55.
Hollebeek, L.D., Juric, B. and Tang, W., 2017. Virtual Brand community engagement practices:
a refined typology and model. Journal of Services Marketing. 31(3). pp.204-217.
Hwang, G.J., Sung, H.Y. and Chang, H., 2017. Effects of concept-mapping-based interactive e-
books on active and reflective-style students’ learning performances in junior high school
law courses. Interactive Learning Environments. 25(7). pp.877-888.
Puspitasari, Y.S.D., Sugiyo, S. and Wibowo, M.E., 2018. The Effectiveness of Group
Counseling with Self-Management Techniques to Improve the Student Learning
Independence. Jurnal Bimbingan Konseling. 8(1). pp.1-5.
Saltmarsh, J. and Johnson, M.B. eds., 2018. The Elective Carnegie Community Engagement
Classification: Constructing a Successful Application for First-time and Re-classification
Applicants. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Online
McLeod, S., 2017. Kolb's learning styles and experiential learning cycle. [Online]. Available
through <https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html>.
Reflective model according to Kolb. 2017. [Online]. Available through <http://www.nicole-
brown.co.uk/reflective-model-according-to-kolb/>.
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