Time flies and it is time for some reflections before this semester comes to an end. Looking back, I have gained much invaluable knowledge on effective communication in this course and the opportunities given to apply these skills during project work and blogging have enhanced my understanding.
Through this module, I am exposed to varied aspects of communication, other than the significance of non-verbal cues and establishing of good impression which I have highlighted in my first post. While I still believe that good dressing and favourable non-verbal cues would help to establish a good impression, I have learnt that it takes more than observing social etiquette to achieve effective communication.
The interesting stories shared on intercultural conflict have dawned on me the significance of understanding cultural differences. While working on the group project, it had occurred to me that it is crucial to communicate well to prevent potential pitfalls and the importance of understanding issues from others’ perspective. In the process of preparing and giving a formal presentation, I have learnt of ways to convey my message in a persuasive and succinct manner. In addition, I have learnt to write effective resumes and the suitable writing approaches for application letters and formal report. I believe valuable skills would definitely come in handy in future.
On reflection, there is definitely a lot of room for improvement in my language and presentation skills. Hence, I relish this opportunity for me to practise them and note my weaknesses so as to make improvements.
Lastly, I would like to thank Ms Happy Goh for her guidance and all fellow classmates for your encouragements, blog comments and company in this learning journey.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Biodata (Post #6)
I am a third year undergraduate majoring in Applied Mathematics in Faculty of Science at the National University of Singapore. I aspire to work in the financial sector or field of statistics.
During my internship stint at the Technology Department of Singapore Civil Defence Force Headquarters under the Civil Service Internship Programme 2008, I had gained invaluable experiences of communicating with targeted users to understand their needs and working as a team with my fellow colleagues. It is a great challenge to work on an IT project, which is not my area of expertise, but I had learnt a lot through overcoming obstacles along the way. I had also picked up useful IT skills such as Dreamweaver and Java programming.
In addition, I had worked in the debit card operations department of OCBC Bank as an administrative officer during the vacation in 2007. As the position demands careful processing of applications, it has trained me to be a meticulous person and take responsibility for the work assigned.
I enjoy doing community service and had participated in some visits to the elderly living in Jalan Bukit Merah organized by NUS Lion Befrienders Club. Other than chatting with the elderly and be fascinated with their stories, we also celebrated festivals such as Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival with them through the activities organized. It is really a meaningful experience and I had won the star blogger award for one of my blog entry (http://lbontheblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/0708-lb-star-blogger-is.html ). I had also given tuition to needy primary school students at Serangoon Moral Family Centre when I was in junior college.
After working with the less privileged, I have learnt to appreciate what I have and work harder to improve my skills so as to contribute to the society in future.
During my internship stint at the Technology Department of Singapore Civil Defence Force Headquarters under the Civil Service Internship Programme 2008, I had gained invaluable experiences of communicating with targeted users to understand their needs and working as a team with my fellow colleagues. It is a great challenge to work on an IT project, which is not my area of expertise, but I had learnt a lot through overcoming obstacles along the way. I had also picked up useful IT skills such as Dreamweaver and Java programming.
In addition, I had worked in the debit card operations department of OCBC Bank as an administrative officer during the vacation in 2007. As the position demands careful processing of applications, it has trained me to be a meticulous person and take responsibility for the work assigned.
I enjoy doing community service and had participated in some visits to the elderly living in Jalan Bukit Merah organized by NUS Lion Befrienders Club. Other than chatting with the elderly and be fascinated with their stories, we also celebrated festivals such as Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival with them through the activities organized. It is really a meaningful experience and I had won the star blogger award for one of my blog entry (http://lbontheblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/0708-lb-star-blogger-is.html ). I had also given tuition to needy primary school students at Serangoon Moral Family Centre when I was in junior college.
After working with the less privileged, I have learnt to appreciate what I have and work harder to improve my skills so as to contribute to the society in future.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Open Topic: Business Card Etiquette (Post #5)
Business card might be just a small card for exchange of contact details, but the art of handling it speaks volumes of one’s knowledge of the culture and may even determine the chances of the next meeting.
Starting with the design, one side of the card should be translated into the business language of the country and may be tailored to fit into the culture of the country. For example, gold coloured lettering is favoured in China as it is considered as auspicious. In the case of India, it is good to include university qualifications or any kind of honour received in the cards as business in India places more emphasis on academic achievement.
Upon receiving the business card, one should look at the card for a few seconds as it is deemed as disrespectful to put the card straight into the pocket after receiving it. In fact, it would be good to make some comments about the card, even if it is only to acknowledge the address. In high context culture like Japan, business cards are exchanged with great ceremony and should be kept in pristine condition. During the meeting, the cards should be placed on the table and they should be kept in a business card case or a portfolio when the meeting is over. Interestingly, you should treat the business card you received as you would the person, which highlights the emphasis they placed on business cards. Just imagine what would a Japanese businessman think if you accidentally drop his card and step on it!
On the other hand, card etiquette is relaxed in UK and little ceremony is involved. It is acceptable to keep the cards in pocket and it need not be given to everyone you meet.
Handling of the small card may do wonders or spell trouble. Hence, business card etiquette is an important aspect which should not be overlooked in business setting.
Starting with the design, one side of the card should be translated into the business language of the country and may be tailored to fit into the culture of the country. For example, gold coloured lettering is favoured in China as it is considered as auspicious. In the case of India, it is good to include university qualifications or any kind of honour received in the cards as business in India places more emphasis on academic achievement.
Upon receiving the business card, one should look at the card for a few seconds as it is deemed as disrespectful to put the card straight into the pocket after receiving it. In fact, it would be good to make some comments about the card, even if it is only to acknowledge the address. In high context culture like Japan, business cards are exchanged with great ceremony and should be kept in pristine condition. During the meeting, the cards should be placed on the table and they should be kept in a business card case or a portfolio when the meeting is over. Interestingly, you should treat the business card you received as you would the person, which highlights the emphasis they placed on business cards. Just imagine what would a Japanese businessman think if you accidentally drop his card and step on it!
On the other hand, card etiquette is relaxed in UK and little ceremony is involved. It is acceptable to keep the cards in pocket and it need not be given to everyone you meet.
Handling of the small card may do wonders or spell trouble. Hence, business card etiquette is an important aspect which should not be overlooked in business setting.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Evaluating Intercultural Behavior(Post #4)
This incident happened a few years ago when I was having lunch with my friends Siti and Wendy. Both Siti and Wendy bought nasi lemak while I decided to order minced pork noodles. As there was a long queue for the noodles, both Siti and Wendy had started eating by the time I came back. Just then, Wendy commented that the noodles looked delicious and used her fork to taste some of the minced pork.
Upon seeing what Wendy had done, Siti was furious and reprimanded Wendy for being disrespectful of her culture. Siti pointed out that Wendy had contaminated the utensil from the Malay stall with pork which is strictly forbidden under the Islamic law. Realising her mistake, Wendy apologized and promised to be more sensitive in future.
Food is a tangible aspect of culture. In the case for Muslims, they have to abstain from food like pork. Many a times, we overlooked some cultural differences because we fail to put ourselves in others’ shoes. If Wendy had understood the importance of Islamic dietary law to the Muslims, such conflict would not have occurred. Hence, it dawned on me the need to be sensitive to other cultures even if we do not travel abroad as the differences exist in everyday life. Through empathy and understanding of cultural differences, we would be able to communicate better with people of different cultures, thereby creating a vibrant cosmopolitan society.
Upon seeing what Wendy had done, Siti was furious and reprimanded Wendy for being disrespectful of her culture. Siti pointed out that Wendy had contaminated the utensil from the Malay stall with pork which is strictly forbidden under the Islamic law. Realising her mistake, Wendy apologized and promised to be more sensitive in future.
Food is a tangible aspect of culture. In the case for Muslims, they have to abstain from food like pork. Many a times, we overlooked some cultural differences because we fail to put ourselves in others’ shoes. If Wendy had understood the importance of Islamic dietary law to the Muslims, such conflict would not have occurred. Hence, it dawned on me the need to be sensitive to other cultures even if we do not travel abroad as the differences exist in everyday life. Through empathy and understanding of cultural differences, we would be able to communicate better with people of different cultures, thereby creating a vibrant cosmopolitan society.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Business Correspondence Critique (Post #3)
Here is a letter that I had received from an insurance company which aimed at promoting a new package.
Lee Jia Hao
BLK550 #12-345
Ang Mo Kio Ave 6
Singapore 123456
Dear Valued Customer
Thank you for your strong support over the years. As Singapore’s largest local insurer, we at XXX Company truly care and understand your needs.
1.In view of the recent spate of dengue cases, house break-ins and residential fire incidents, we are pleased to extend an irresistible offer specially for you and your loved ones, the Smart Saver Package.
2.Our Smart Saver Package consists of 3 innovative plans:
a) Personal Accident + Infectious Diseases (PA+ID) Plan
b) Enhanced Home Insurance Plan
3. The PA+ID plan is specially designed to cover all forms of accident with the added advantage of protection against infectious diseases such as Dengue fever, Bird flu, Hand, foot & mouth disease, etc.
4.Our Enhanced Home Insurance offers the most comprehensive range of benefits in the market to ensure that your precious home, valuables and contents are fully covered against common perils.
5. Sign up for any 2 or more policies (any combination of insurance plan is allowed) now to enjoy great savings in addition to 15% discount when you take up our 3-year plans. On top of that, stand a chance to win a trip to California, Greece or Japan when you sign up now!
Don’t miss this Super Offer…
Find out how Smart Saver can help you enjoy these benefits and save on your insurance premiums at the same time! Simply call 6123 3456 or email us at xyz@smartsaver.com for a quote today!
Be a Smart Saver Now!
Yours Faithfully
Erika Ho
Head, Property & Casualty Department
In my opinion, this is a well-written business letter, which had met almost all of the 7Cs in writing.
1. Courtesy
By starting off the letter with ‘Valued Customer’, the letter is set in an appropriate tone and courteous way. Thanking and assuring the customer that his needs are cared for exemplifies the You-Attitude, which makes the customer feel valued and important.
2. Correctness
Formal English language and good grammar is used.
3. Conciseness
The letter is quite concise with a main point in each paragraph.
4. Clarity
It is easy to understand the letter as the ideas are expressed clearly. The first paragraph highlighted the need for this new package, then the 3 plans are introduced followed by a brief description of each plan. Finally, the last part entices the customer to sign up by emphasizing on attractive rewards and using short phrases like ‘Don’t miss this Super Offer…’ and ‘Be a Smart Saver Now!’.
5. Coherence and Cohesion
Enumeration is used which helps the reader gather the messages easily. Otherwise, conjunctions can be added to signify a new idea.
6. Concreteness
Under point 5, destinations of the holiday trips are stated which makes the prizes to be won more credible.
7. Completeness
Some contact details are given for customers to make enquiries. Then the letter ends off well with a reminder for the customer to sign up for the offer.
Feel free to share your ideas on this letter or my comments. Thank you =)
Lee Jia Hao
BLK550 #12-345
Ang Mo Kio Ave 6
Singapore 123456
Dear Valued Customer
Thank you for your strong support over the years. As Singapore’s largest local insurer, we at XXX Company truly care and understand your needs.
1.In view of the recent spate of dengue cases, house break-ins and residential fire incidents, we are pleased to extend an irresistible offer specially for you and your loved ones, the Smart Saver Package.
2.Our Smart Saver Package consists of 3 innovative plans:
a) Personal Accident + Infectious Diseases (PA+ID) Plan
b) Enhanced Home Insurance Plan
3. The PA+ID plan is specially designed to cover all forms of accident with the added advantage of protection against infectious diseases such as Dengue fever, Bird flu, Hand, foot & mouth disease, etc.
4.Our Enhanced Home Insurance offers the most comprehensive range of benefits in the market to ensure that your precious home, valuables and contents are fully covered against common perils.
5. Sign up for any 2 or more policies (any combination of insurance plan is allowed) now to enjoy great savings in addition to 15% discount when you take up our 3-year plans. On top of that, stand a chance to win a trip to California, Greece or Japan when you sign up now!
Don’t miss this Super Offer…
Find out how Smart Saver can help you enjoy these benefits and save on your insurance premiums at the same time! Simply call 6123 3456 or email us at xyz@smartsaver.com for a quote today!
Be a Smart Saver Now!
Yours Faithfully
Erika Ho
Head, Property & Casualty Department
In my opinion, this is a well-written business letter, which had met almost all of the 7Cs in writing.
1. Courtesy
By starting off the letter with ‘Valued Customer’, the letter is set in an appropriate tone and courteous way. Thanking and assuring the customer that his needs are cared for exemplifies the You-Attitude, which makes the customer feel valued and important.
2. Correctness
Formal English language and good grammar is used.
3. Conciseness
The letter is quite concise with a main point in each paragraph.
4. Clarity
It is easy to understand the letter as the ideas are expressed clearly. The first paragraph highlighted the need for this new package, then the 3 plans are introduced followed by a brief description of each plan. Finally, the last part entices the customer to sign up by emphasizing on attractive rewards and using short phrases like ‘Don’t miss this Super Offer…’ and ‘Be a Smart Saver Now!’.
5. Coherence and Cohesion
Enumeration is used which helps the reader gather the messages easily. Otherwise, conjunctions can be added to signify a new idea.
6. Concreteness
Under point 5, destinations of the holiday trips are stated which makes the prizes to be won more credible.
7. Completeness
Some contact details are given for customers to make enquiries. Then the letter ends off well with a reminder for the customer to sign up for the offer.
Feel free to share your ideas on this letter or my comments. Thank you =)
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Post #2 Resolving Interpersonal Conflict
During the vacation, I worked as an administrative officer in a bank and one of my duties was to type letters meant to request the relevant documents from customers. Due to the accumulating workload, my supervisor appointed my colleague T to help me with the job. Initially, I was quite glad that there was someone to share the heavy workload with me. However, it turned out that things were not as smooth sailing as I thought.
After a few days, there was a large number of errors in the letters handed in and to my dismay, the supervisor placed the blame on me. However, I realized that most of those letters were typed by T as can be seen from the capitalization of addresses which he always did. Moreover, I knew that T was attending night classes and had trouble concentrating at work. As such, he might have overlooked his work.
Even though I would like to inform my supervisor about the matter, I was afraid that he would not believe me and might think that I was trying to shift the blame. On the other hand, I was on friendly terms with T and had to work closely with him at times. If I were to tell him directly or if he discovered that I tell on him, it would hurt our relationship. I was at a loss as the problem of multiple typos would not be solved if no action was taken.
What should I do to solve the problem but at the same time maintain my friendly ties with T?
After a few days, there was a large number of errors in the letters handed in and to my dismay, the supervisor placed the blame on me. However, I realized that most of those letters were typed by T as can be seen from the capitalization of addresses which he always did. Moreover, I knew that T was attending night classes and had trouble concentrating at work. As such, he might have overlooked his work.
Even though I would like to inform my supervisor about the matter, I was afraid that he would not believe me and might think that I was trying to shift the blame. On the other hand, I was on friendly terms with T and had to work closely with him at times. If I were to tell him directly or if he discovered that I tell on him, it would hurt our relationship. I was at a loss as the problem of multiple typos would not be solved if no action was taken.
What should I do to solve the problem but at the same time maintain my friendly ties with T?
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Importance of developing effective communication skills
" You never get a second chance to make a first impression"– Will Rogers
Strangers, who may be our new classmates, interviewers or colleagues, form a first impression of us from the way we speak, dress and carry ourselves. In fact, we also judge others in the same way. Hence, the ability to communicate well is critical as we do not have a time machine to travel back in time to redo a bad impression we had given. By acquiring good communication skills, we would be able to able to express our thoughts and feelings accurately, thereby projecting a better image of ourselves. This would help us to establish good interpersonal relationships and open our doors to more opportunities as we can gain the respect and win the hearts of others.
In addition, nonverbal communication cues such as eye contact and body gestures are of paramount importance to establish effective communication. I had this experience with inappropriate nonverbal communication during one of the CCA meetings back in my secondary school days. While a senior was reprimanding me over some matters, I did not maintain much eye contact with her. This was mainly due to the fact that I was intimidated by her as she was glaring at me angrily while she spoke. However, she misinterpreted it as a form of disrespect for her which was not my intended message.
Therefore, the importance of good communication cannot be more emphasized. This is especially important in a complex setting like the workplace where we have to communicate differently depending on the rank of the person and the matter we are dealing with.
Strangers, who may be our new classmates, interviewers or colleagues, form a first impression of us from the way we speak, dress and carry ourselves. In fact, we also judge others in the same way. Hence, the ability to communicate well is critical as we do not have a time machine to travel back in time to redo a bad impression we had given. By acquiring good communication skills, we would be able to able to express our thoughts and feelings accurately, thereby projecting a better image of ourselves. This would help us to establish good interpersonal relationships and open our doors to more opportunities as we can gain the respect and win the hearts of others.
In addition, nonverbal communication cues such as eye contact and body gestures are of paramount importance to establish effective communication. I had this experience with inappropriate nonverbal communication during one of the CCA meetings back in my secondary school days. While a senior was reprimanding me over some matters, I did not maintain much eye contact with her. This was mainly due to the fact that I was intimidated by her as she was glaring at me angrily while she spoke. However, she misinterpreted it as a form of disrespect for her which was not my intended message.
Therefore, the importance of good communication cannot be more emphasized. This is especially important in a complex setting like the workplace where we have to communicate differently depending on the rank of the person and the matter we are dealing with.
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