"None of us is as smart as all of us" - Ken Blanchard
During our Personal Development lecture, we were introduced to the term ‘Assessment center’ and also discussed the different kinds of tests/ interviews which we will be assessed to determine whether we are the right individual for the team to perform a particular role. In class, we were put into a group to solve an activity that asked to determine the survival of people in a sinking ship; this activity helped in realizing my strengths and weaknesses as I was given positive and negative criticism by members of the group. This test was created to put our communication, critical thinking, and teamwork skills to the test at a high level.
At the start, I felt quite nervous because I was the only guy in the whole group and I haven't had the chance to work with them in the past. As we began with the exercise, everyone sat there looking at each other with confusion on their faces but we gradually started communicating and socializing with one another. I found myself giving out reasonings and solutions to the whole situation as we discussed the scenario which portrayed my leadership skills as I was the first one to initiate a discussion amongst ourselves. Midway through the activity, I noticed myself talking a lot with everyone since I knew everyone was open to hear out and consider others’ opinions as well. Yet, by the end of the assessment center exercise, I felt delighted to have been part of the team; I was glad since we gave out reasonings that made so much sense which even got the instructor surprised.
Once we were done with the exercise, we got ourselves evaluated and provided feedback by our group. Looking at the advantageous side, this activity helped me identify my strengths and my weaknesses in being in a team. It also showed me what role I will most likely be playing in a group activity. I was told that my strongest skills were 'Leadership' and 'Teamwork'. I made sure that everyone in the group was given a chance to voice out their opinion by asking them questions and asking them about what they felt about the situation. My weakness was 'Initiative' as I wasn't able to find the ability in me to step up and be the first one doing it. The feedback that my group gave me is the same as what I noted about myself in my evaluation. This only proves that I enjoy working in a group as long as I know everything is going and operating as planned, with the final goal being achieved.
I believe I was proven to be a leader is because I allowed people to talk, as Adam Toren (2015) mentions "Real leadership requires more listening than talking" and this is a quality that most leaders lack but is needed within a group of people to make them valued and heard. According to the 'Lencioni Model', there are several reasons why a team can be dysfunctional and one of those reasons were 'fear of conflict', which relates to me as I was afraid of saying or posing a question against what was being said by other members, hence, I was not able to put in individual efforts into the group work; if this reason was eliminated, I would've felt a sense of belonging (Riter, 2018). Aside from that, I assume the reason why I was not able to take initiative was due to the fear of not meeting the expectations of others or upsetting them as I was completely new to the group, thus, I wanted to be a people pleaser. This stopped me from showcasing my skills and impressing people right from the start (Parker and Wang, 2019)
In conclusion, I enjoy working in teams as long as the work is being divided as I tend to get confused when to take initiative. When the work is being assigned to me, I complete it with passion knowing that the work is being expected to be completed by me, thus, feeling more responsible and involved. Communicating with others has never been a problem for me but I will need to break down the barrier when it comes to voicing out my opinions and ideas to help the team be more efficient.
For me to be better at teamwork, I will have to work on my confidence skills especially when it comes to providing reasoning for my choices. I can do this by watching TedxTalks videos like 'The Skill of Self Confidence' by Dr. Ivan Joseph who talks about being confident while not being arrogant which is a skill I need to work on to ensure harmony within a group. Watching such videos help me as I tend to remember how people tackled certain situations and use them in my daily life.
References:
Riter, 2018. 8 Models of Team Effectiveness.[Online] Available at: https://medium.com/@RiterApp/8-models-of-team-effectiveness-3a3b84efb3ae
[Accessed 10 February 2022].
Toren, A., 2015. 5 Things Real Leaders Do Every Day, According to Henry Ford.[Online] Available at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245532
[Accessed 9 February 2022].
Wang, S. K. P. a. Y., 2019. When to Take Initiative at Work, and When Not To.[Online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2019/08/when-to-take-initiative-at-work-and-when-not-to
[Accessed 9 February 2022].
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