Reflective Report

Learning Outcomes

b) Deconstruct the nature of group behaviour and cultural differences.
c) Integrate strategies to effectively interact with others in a professional context.
d) Understand own strengths and their application in the business context.
e) Reflect on feedback to identify opportunities for self-improvement.

Context:

In the dynamic 21st Century economy where mobility is often not only possible but integral to a successful career, being able to work in an intercultural and diverse environment is essential. Organisations frequently need their people to develop their capacity to work effectively in diverse teams and resolve or diffuse conflicts and miscommunication quickly and efficiently.

The keys to your ability to work effectively in intercultural and diverse teams are the development of emotional intelligence and awareness of cultural differences. Emotional intelligence enables the ability to consciously examine group and team dynamics in real time in order to facilitate effective individual and team performance. This assessment aims to develop your understanding of how intercultural and diverse teams function and how you can use this knowledge to help develop intercultural and diverse teams into high performing teams.

Instructions:

The assessment requires the completion of an individual reflective report. You will analyse the expected strengths and weaknesses of your group, then as a group will choose, conduct and document a team-building activity. Each member of the group will then reflect on their own contribution to the group, and how this may be improved. Finally, each student will prepare an Individual reflective report based on the experience.

Steps:

Part A: Selecting your team

1. Your Learning Facilitator will advise whether your class will take approach 1.1 or 1.2

Self-Chosen Groups
Analyse the information regarding the LPA results, Emotional Intelligence, and top 5 StrengthsQuest Talents of your classmates. Use this information to assist you in choosing a group of 3-5 members with whom to undertake this project.

OR

Facilitator-Chosen Groups
Your Learning Facilitator will assign you to a group based on your LPA, Emotional Intelligence and StrengthsQuest Talents.

2. Using information about team members' LPA, EI and StrengthsQuest to support your views, discuss why you think this group of students has the potential to form an effective work group.

3. Using information about team members' LPA, EI and StrengthsQuest to support your views, anticipate possible areas of weakness or conflict within the group.

Part B: Team-Building (Group)

4. As a group, design or choose a team building activity and explain why you believe it will increase the effectiveness of the team.
5. Conduct the team-building activity as a group, documenting the experience using video/moving screen-capture technology.

Part C: Analysis and Reflection (Individual)

6. Analyse the dynamics and roles you have observed within the team, discussing how it is influenced by team members' LPA's, StrengthsQuest Talents, emotionaI intelligence and cultural backgrounds.
7. Reflect on what have you learnt about your capacity to contribute effectively to a team.
8. Provide recommendations regarding how you could further improve your contribution to the team.
9. Include records of team communication in the appendices of the report, as evidence of team-member contribution.

Instructions

It is expected that your report will:
- be written individually, but include some common elements with your team mates,
- be presented in a formal business report format,
- show evidence of research and application of concepts and theories,
- demonstrate effective referencing skills (APA style).