University Reflective Report on MG408 Graduate Challenge Skills

This reflective report analyzes a student's experience in the MG408 Graduate Challenge module. The report details the skills acquired through participation in four key challenges: the T-shirt challenge, presentation challenge, hotel challenge, and debate challenge. The student reflects on the development of business skills, including presentation skills, time management, emotional intelligence, and meeting skills. The report includes an analysis of the challenges, the skills developed, and an action plan for continuous improvement, highlighting the application of these skills in professional settings. The report concludes with a summary of the key takeaways and the importance of these skills for future academic and professional success. The report includes appendices detailing the challenges.

Reflective Report
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Main body:.......................................................................................................................................3
Action plan:......................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
Appendix 1: T shirt challenge:.......................................................................................................9
Appendix 2: Presentation challenge:.............................................................................................10
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Introduction
Achieving success at university is very important part of academic success in life of every
student. There are some of the key skills and knowledge base that are developed which time and
help in developing the required knowledge base of students at universities. Present report is
based on analysing the four key challenges that have been gone through by individual it includes
debate challenge, t-shirt challenge presentation challenge and hotel challenge (Cleland Donnelly
and Mueller, 2018). Each challenges associated with the development of certain key skills that
have demonstrated and helped in effective learning process. Present report is based on analysis
of the key skills that have been acquired by individual in all these challenges and further there is
preparation of action plan on the way these skills can be further developed over time period of
next three years in the university.
Main body:
T shirt challenge: In this challenge Olivia has been selected as a start up brand that will be
having t-shirts and sweatshirts based on fundamental scale of business. While working on this
challenge I analysed and developed critical skills of competencies and business skills that are
very important in life of an individual. The presentation skills were part of this challenge where I
had to present my start-up Idea and all the other different aspects that included the target market
information the process of segmentation, positioning and the financial modelling statement of
my start-up. This T shirt challenge helped me in gaining lot of confidence and assisted me in
improving my present researching skills (Gardiner, 2019). While working on the t-shirt challenge
I had to analyse the role of innovation in order to get a competitive advantage in the business.
This challenge also played a very important role in understanding the different aspects of
finance. The overall financial data also enabled in identification of future cost, corporate scale
goes and analysing the way overall benchmark performance can be achieved. So, this t-shirt
challenge has been very helpful in enhancing my presentation and other types of business this
that is going to assess me in future professional development.
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Presentation challenge: presentation skills are very important in our organisation to further
work towards development of effective verbal and written communication skills. While I was
working on the presentation challenge I was understood the importance of having effective
verbal communication skills. In order to grab the attention of audiences it is very crucial to have
effective level communication skills that can hold the audiences for longer time duration. This
technique is required to have influential tone, formation of message and effective ways in which
audiences are able to connect with the speaker.
In the Presentation challenge I was working on the different trends that are taking place in
supermarket industry. Super market or Retail industry is changing very fast and it is extremely
crucial to identify the factors that are affecting the way these industries function. Initially in the
beginning stages of the presentation I was really nervous about the way I will be able to
communicate and present my overall presentation in front of audiences (Satria. and Hajani,
2020). There was lot of anxiety and issues at this stage because I lack self confidence, but with
time I realised that the key information is part of my presentation can be very helpful in
conveying the audience. So I was sure that my presentation includes all the relevant information
that can help audiences in understanding my main point. I analysed in detail all the retail trends
that can affect the global markets of Tesco that was my selected retail chain.
SWOT analysis was a tool that I used in order to understand the internal factors that can help
Tesco in achieving a long term competitive advantage. After compiling all the information in
appropriate and systematic manner I completed the whole presentation as per specific deadline of
my lecturer. After that when I got the opportunity to present in front of my colleagues I was
facing some difficulties but soon I started having a sense of self confidence.
I started the whole presentation by properly introducing myself and the topic by having a direct
connection build up with my audience. After that I was able to create higher engagement of
audiences by ensuring that I am able to clearly and properly communicate the key points of my
whole presentation. This presentation challenge has been very helpful in understanding and
developing the required key communication skills that is going to help me in future professional
meetings and conferences as a professional.
Hotel challenge: while working in the process of hotel management I analysed that there are
some of the skills that are extremely crucial both in the life of an individual and as a
professional. It includes the time management and meetings skills that can completely transform
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the functioning of an individual in hotel management function. Different associated activities
that have to be performed in hotel management includes creating a list, knowing the daily
schedule, performing similar tasks at similar time and being a part of automate repetitive process.
Automatic repetitive and manual task helped in saving a lot of time period while working in
hotel management process (Nishizawa and Kimura, 2017). For instance, while I was assigned a
work of recording payments and property management system time management process helped
me in implementing a solution that can integrate the two systems together. So it is very essential
to have a proper time management process that can help in preventing the application of task in
case of hotel management industry. Meeting skills are also very important for development of
ideal situations and various business sales. In hotel industry having effective communication
skills is one of the key tools of having successful meetings.
Debate challenge: In this challenge I worked on individual debate preparation on the topic CSR.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage the emotions in a way that can
help in relieving stress communicating, effectively overcoming challenges and further
empathizing with others. While I was working in this challenge I learnt the skill of emotional
intelligence that assisted me in managing my overall mind set and emotions to develop more
positive outcomes.
The debate involved going in favour or against of a specific topic that can lead to success or
failure towards a particular conclusion (Nusbaum and et.al., 2018). Corporate social
responsibility is a concept that has been emphasized by many organisations with the changing
requirement of external environment. I was completely in favour of corporate social
responsibility to be a aspect of achieving success in organisations.
While working on the topic I had to analyse lot of existing viewpoints of researches and authors.
It helped me in reaching towards relevant conclusions by having credible and reliable form of
information. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand the emotions and then make
people understand the logic behind a particular view point. While working on the presentation I
understood the overall relevance of the concept of corporate social responsibility. I used my
thought process to frame certain concepts and then implement it in way of connecting with my
listeners (Mirdamadi and Block, 2020). It was very important to build stronger relationships and
achievement of success in course of presenting my viewpoints. Emotional intelligence also
facilitated in having more self management, social awareness and self awareness skills.
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Action plan:
Challenge Skills Learning Ways Impact on
functioning
T shirt challenge Presentation skills Asking questions,
taking part on group
and class assignments.
Learning sills of self
confidence and
effective verbal & non
verbal communication
skills.
Delivery of quality
presentations by
engaging audiences.
Communicating
effectively overall
message and theme of
presentations.
Presentation
challenge
Communication
skills
Learning writing
skills and forming
effective verbal tone
while communicating
with audiences.
Learning skills of
effective body
language, self
confidence by
attending webinars
and skills from
lecturers.
Developed effective
formal and informal
tone of referring to
audiences.
Hotel management
challenge
Time management
and meeting skills
Preparation of time
table for each activity
by assigning specific
time period to every
task based on priority.
Doing of similar tasks
at a particular time
period is very
important to have
higher efficiency in
the overall business
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Learning skills of
conducting effective
meetings.
process.
Automation of
business process. This
learning process is
going to lead towards
preventing of
repetition in the tasks.
There can be
implementing of
solution based on
integrating two
systems.
Debate challenge Emotional
Intelligence
Attending webinars
and learning the way
it can help in
achievement of
personal and career
goals.
There is more self
management aspect
development of
control towards
behaviours and
impulsive feelings
that can help in
managing emotions in
a healthy way.
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Conclusion
From the above discussed aspects it is concluded that there are different types of skill sets that
are developed in course of academic challenges and academic learning. These skills are very
important for forming a future base of an individual and helping in achievement of required
professional goals.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journal
Mirdamadi, J.L. and Block, H.J., 2020. Somatosensory changes associated with motor skill
learning. Journal of neurophysiology, 123(3), pp.1052-1062.
Nusbaum and et.al., 2018. Consolidating skill learning through sleep. Current opinion in
behavioral sciences, 20, pp.174-182.
Nishizawa, H. and Kimura, T., 2017. Enhancement of motor skill learning by a combination of
ideal model-observation and self-observation. Journal of physical therapy science, 29(9),
pp.1555-1560.
Satria, T.G. and Hajani, T.J., 2020. Development of Thematic Skill Learning Based on the 21st
Century Skill Model for Fourth Graders. JOURNAL OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (JTLEE), 3(1), pp.47-57.
Gardiner, M.F., 2019. Academic Skill Learning and the Problem of Complexity I: Creational
Purposeful Integrated Capability at Skill (CPICS). Northeast Journal of Complex Systems
(NEJCS), 1(1), p.7.
Cleland Donnelly, F.E. and Mueller, S.S., 2018. The learning connection: the role of movement-
skill learning in teaching developmental games. Journal of Physical Education,
Recreation & Dance, 89(5), pp.30-36.
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Appendix 1: T shirt challenge:
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Appendix 2: Presentation challenge:
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