Learning through the Workplace - Example

Running Header: Reflective Report Name of the Student: Name of the Instructor: Name of the course: Code of the course: Submission date: Introduction Learning experiences provide managers with an opportunity to equip themselves with vital knowledge essential for the success of their organization. Grey (2006, p.239) notes that participating in group learning provides the best means through which managers can learn from each other and also assess themselves. In this connection, I participated in a residential weekend that was held between 2nd to 4th November. The activity was meant for MA student from the University. This event is a requirement in the organization and managers course that is mainly undertaken by all MA Management students. The objective of the activity was to assist us (students) in re-evaluating and reflecting ourselves by participating in some group activities. I hoped that the group activities that I was to participate in would assist me in changing my behavior. Additionally, I was sure that by working with new team members I would be able to analyze and reflect myself more accurately and at the same time I would enhance my group skills. Background to learning models Kolb (1984, p. 36) suggests that learning is composed of four–stage cycle of learning. The Kolb’s theory provides a way through which any person can understand their learning styles. It also gives a clear and wide elaboration regarding to development of learning cycle that that can be used to all learners. It is in this Kolb model that any given learner has a platform through which she/he can be in a position to attain their immediate reflection and analysis. Additionally, this model is known be comprised of based on two levels. The first on is that it is a four stage cycle which includes concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. The second level is a four type approach that elaborates learning styles. The four terminologies utilized in model of Kolb so as to clearly elaborate learning styles are; assimilating, diverging, converging and accommodating. With the aid of previous experience I was able to understand that I exude assimilating and diverging personality in performing activities involving groups. In most scenarios, I find myself deeply sunk in thoughts of how I should begin my task by gathering several possibilities so that I can be in a position to come up with as suitable option as possible. I am able to generate more ideas because I like doing research about any activity I embark on. This indicates that I have an inclination of examination instead of doing the actual activity. This offers me a great window to gather facts and use my creativity so as to provide solution to the tasks. Hence, I perform well in scenarios that require idea generation like brain storming which are common in solving group problems. My approach makes me to take long before I can put forward my contributions to my group members. Moreover, a prefer providing my inputs only after I have gained a deep understanding of the situation. I am able to evaluate and analysis my inputs very compressively because of my capability of doing a thorough research. In team activities, I tend to be more focused on abstract concepts and ideas rather than people. This makes me to intercept ideas that I feel are not appropriate or in situations where I do not understand their views in order to gain a deeper understanding of their outlook. We arrived at venue of our weekend activities safely and the weather of that day seemed to favor us. I was looking forward for this day because I believed that the activities that I was to participate in would assist me in reevaluating my approach and learn on how to improve my weak points. I believed that by undertaking these activities I would be able to correct my pitfalls with regard to learning style. According to Kolb (1985, p. 40), persons who reveals participatory style of learning rely on intuition as compared to logic. They mostly depend on other individuals’ analysis. They are also known to have preference on practical and experimental styles in order to confront the challenges that may obstruct them. French at el (2012, p. 146) cited that learning aids in altering the behavior of persons in everlasting basis and this is attained via experience. In connection to this, I had high hopes that the learning experience that I was to gain from the weekend activities would assist me to change my group behavior. Furthermore, my previous revaluation enabled me to understand that I depict an assimilating learning style. Kolb (1985, p. 41) reports that individuals with assimilating learning style are in some instances inclined towards theories that are logical rather than approaches which are formed on hands-on foundation. By possessing this learning approach, I have realized that I prefer theories and ignore their practicability. As a result, this can be pointed out or viewed as my weakness. To add on this, I also like to team with individuals who are creative and imaginative. Honey and Mumford (1986, p.4) identified four styles of learning which include activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatists. I believe that I am a reflector due to my preference for imaginative people who have a character of standing back in order to observe and analyze situations from different angles. Activity 1: Cave Rescue The first exercise that we were assigned required us to decide on a single person that we were to rescue. There were six different people who got struck in a cave and who were waiting to be rescued. I found this activity to be rather interesting given that we had brief information regarding the backgrounds of these people who were in need of our help. I was supposed to assist my colleagues in providing suggestions regarding the person who we were to rescue. Tuckman and Jenson theory (1965 cited in Gray, Cundell and Hay 2006, p. 186) presents me with the best way through which I can explain the development stages that my group passed through. Tuckman and Jenson identified four stages through which a group passes through and they include; forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. I think that we had already passed the forming stage because our purpose was clearly stated. Nevertheless, my group was engaged in serious discussions and arguments as we tried to identify the most suitable method that we would follow in order to determine the person that we would rescue. This explains the storming stage which is characterized by arguments among the team members. According to me, the best approach for us was to consider a variety of factors about those peoples including the positions that they held in the society and their goals in life. This made me to disagree strongly with my group members who held the opinion that the best criteria was to make our choice by placing a high priority on age followed by gender, family and finally their benefit to the society. I thought that my colleagues were sometimes engaging in discussions that were beyond the activity and thus unnecessary. However, I did not say this because I felt that I would disappoint and annoy them although they made us to waste a lot of time. Nevertheless, I began the exercise by engaging my thoughts deeply to the activity and determining the applicability of my potential suggestions. At the same time I questioned those who came up with other views so as to determine the applicability of their views. According to Honey and Mumford (1986, p. 6), people who display this kind of learning can be referred to as the theorist. I prefer certainty and I feel comfortable with information that is verifiable. All the same, I was able to move my group to the norming stage hence developing common values and beliefs within the group. I was able to engage my group members to actively participate in the activity through my deep enquiry regarding each suggestion that they provided. I also requested my team members to provide alternatives and further suggestions in regard to my opinion and this made the group to become a performing team. However, I think that I made my team mates uncomfortable by showing uncertainty regarding some of the suggestions that they provided. I found myself completely overlooking some of the opinions that they provided because I thought that those suggestions were based on subjective information. Problem Solving Skills Teams can use problem solving skills in order to identify the best solutions (Starkey, Tempest & McKinley 2009, p. 67). Problem solving skills require a group to start by identifying the problem, generating alternative solutions, evaluating the alternatives and finally agreeing on the best solution. Therefore, by using the problem solving skills I encouraged my team members to come up with various alternatives because of the fact that we had already identified the problem. Furthermore, I assisted my team members in analyzing and evaluating the various alternatives. To avoid disagreements in the group, I employed consensus so as to integrate various interests hence we were able to select and agree on the best solution. This marked the adjourning stage of the group. I believe that this activity progressed well because I was able to engage the group in constructive debate hence it provided me with an enjoyable learning experience. I believe the activity enabled me to improve my communication skills as well as to improve my participation and contributions in group activities. I believe that I played an important role in the group by questioning my colleagues regarding their suggestions hence this enabled us to come up with an effective solution in relation to the activity. Activity 1: Future Plans In future, I should make sure that I give a throughout consideration and assessment before making my decisions regarding the opinions provided by other people in my group. I should ensure that I analyze those opinions deeply and more extensively before judging them. Moreover, I should make sure that I encourage my group members to improve their opinions as well as to come up with more opinions rather than discrediting their views. Activity 2: Devise a Board Game The second activity required us to create a board game and at the same time to come up with rules which were to govern it. I found the activity to be rather challenging and this made me a little uncomfortable working with the group members. I had never participated in such an activity before but I felt obliged to contribute in order to be a resourceful member in our team. On the other hand, my group members seemed to have a lot of experience since they were exuding confidence during the activity. Majority of them had a wide range of ideas regarding how to develop the game including its instructions and rules. During the discussion, I had a feeling that I had a responsibility and this invoked me to think more critically so that I could emerge with unique ideas. As a result, I could find my colleagues putting forward their contribution before I could get mine. Consequentially, my contributions towards the activity were minimal. According to the Demining cycle of learning theory, I was keen on preparing and evaluating my contributions before I could contribute (Demining 1947, p. 34 cited in Starkey, Tempest & McKinley 2009, p. 31). The reason I behaved this way is because I was less familiar with the activity and I felt I needed more self-reevaluation before I could put forward my ideas. I was having my own suggestions and ideas but I was not sure about them and I needed to confirm them before I could put any forward. This was a clear manifestation of Demining cycle of learning theory as I was more concern on pondering and evaluating my ideas before I could say them. Therefore, I was more preoccupied on critical thinking process so that I could get substantive and smart ideas. As a result, I was not as fast in putting forward my contribution since my other members would put forward their ideas very fast. Therefore, my contribution towards the activity was not as high as other members in the group. The fact that I felt to have less experience about the task made me to do some quick information. I had to plan the suggestions that I had collected before sharing them with my team members. I can use Lewin learning model in order to analyze my participation in the activity (Lewin 1948, p. 30 cited in Starkey, Tempest & McKinley 2009, p. 31). I was identifying my suggestions and ideas however; I wanted to do critical thinking so that I could give well informed ideas similar to those of my group members. I was certain that by doing this I would not mislead them with my inexperience and lack of knowledge in relation to the activity. Moreover, I wanted to plan my ideas before I could state them so that they could correlate with the ones that were provided by my colleagues. My approach was to examine the ideas that I had carefully thought of so that they would match those of my colleagues before presenting them. Thus, I took a lot of time and this made me to end up offering very minimal contribution to the group. Although, I was able to generate more ideas about the activity in most stages I was unable to share most of my innovative ideas since in most case they were being overtaken by events of the group proceedings. In turn, this made me to have learnt more about the activity although I contributed less toward the activity in our group. I performed this activity with completely new group members and this enabled me to improve my communication skills as well as my roles in a group activity. Fortunately, we were able to complete the activity and I can attribute this to the ability of my group to work together with members who seemed to have had experience on the subject matter. I can explain my role in the team using Belbin team roles approach. Berblin (1981, p. 30 cited in Gray, Cundell and Hay 2006, p. 32) identified nine roles that different team members can assume in a group activity and they include implementer, shaper, co-coordinator, plant, resource investigator, monitor resource investigator, team worker, finisher and specialist. I consider myself as a plant. Although, in most case my ideas were over taken by events, I had the ability to gather ideas on my own in order to come up with solutions regarding different group task. In the scenario the member would have given wrong or misleading I would have been in a position to confront them with a will thought of ideas. Moreover, I am thorough and I possess a wide knowledge on research and this made me feel that I was a resourceful member of the group who acted as a point-checker in the group. However, I constantly found myself to be of the idea that with should be thorough. Unfortunately, we had a time frame for the activity and our member found my method of executing activity being unrealistic. Nevertheless these are the main weaknesses of a team plant (Starkey, Tempest & McKinley 2009, p. 31; Gray, Cundell and Hay 2006, p. 32). I was able to come up with well informed ideas and where I felt that they were not right I would put forward mine. During the activity I constantly displayed my theorist behavior but since we were working with a well versed team my enquiry was very minimal. Activity 2: Future Plans I realized that in future I should prepare well before the event in situations where I feel that I have inadequate information about the activity. This would enable me to offer my contributions with ease. I also realized that in future I should learn to present my suggestions as quick as possible to prevent scenario of being overtaken by events. This would ensure that I get more involved in the group hence it will assist me to improve my participation in situations where I have inadequate knowledge. Conclusion From the first activity, I was able to reflect on how the team progresses through various stages. I was also able to learn hands-on problem solving skills and how to reconcile disagreements as quick as possible. Additionally, I realized I was able to employ consensus so as to integrate various interests since we were able to select and agree on the best solution. The conclusion of second activity was also very successfully and it ended up to be of great importance to me since I was able to thoroughly re-evaluated and reflected my capability while working in a team. After the concluding these activities, I reflected back and observed that I like welled informed ideas because I had to do research before I could put forward my ideas. For me to be more fast I realized that I am suppose to prepare in advance in order to ensure that I provide my opinions appropriately and at the right time. Also, I should improve the speed of put forward ideas rather than spending a lot of time in reevaluating my thoughts and made me to contribute less below expectation. The whole exercise is very important, since the knowledge I gained from it will be of great help to me in my future career and also how to manage and deal with team members. References French, R, Rayner, C, Rees, G & Rumbles, S 2011, Organizational Behavior, 2nd edn, Chichester, John Wiley & Sons. Gray, D, Cundell, S & Hay, D 2006, Learning through the Workplace, Nelson Thornes, London. Honey, P & Mumford, A 1986, Using Your Learning Styles, Peter Honey Publications, Maidenhead. Kolb, D 1984, Experimental Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Experience, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Lewin, K 1948, Resolving social conflicts; selected papers on group dynamics, Harper & Row, New York. Starkey, K, Tempest, S & McKinlay, A 2009, How Organizations Learn. Managing the Search of Knowledge, Cengage learning, Mason. Read More