Having gone through this module, it has made me realize many imperfections in my communication skills. It has made me realize that there was more to presentation than just having the confidence. I do admit i took this module lightly in the beginning.
However, overtime i realized the importance my group had placed in the module and i could not let them down. I really got to thank my group mates for making me stay in the game. I always believe it was never about the end point, its about the journey towards it. I really had a blast working with them. Having just thought of some random topic to do a survey on became a passion to prove it's hypothesis. I was really happy with the comments given after our presentation.
To the rest of my course mates, communication is an essential tool. However, just like what i had written in my first blog its about being genuine thats more important. Be yourself!! Cause only then can one realise the beauty in you.
All the best for your exams. I do hope to keep in touch with you guys.
take care
cheerz,
Jay
Monday, April 13, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Post 6: Biodata
Currently I am studying a B.Sc. in Life Sciences (Biomedical Science) at the National University of Singapore, graduating in August 2009. In NUS, I have held several leadership posts such as the Chairman and Producer for the Tamil Language Society. While leading and organizing the Society activities, I have improved my ability to lead and supervise subordinates effectively, improved my communication skills and also learnt to appreciate team dynamics.I have also taken several courses not related to my field of study to improve my skills in other fields. For example, the elective on human resource managment and professional communication have greatly enhanced my communicational skills and interpersonal skills which I believe would come in handy when I am interacting with people from various backgrounds.
I also set my own business, a event planning company 3 years ago as I enjoy planning events for my friends. The satisfaction i receive after seeing the contented looks of my clients gives me the urge to pursue my business further. Through my working experience, I have learnt business management and marketing skills to promote my company's offers to the mass. I also received a opportunity to work with various coporate companies, enhancing my knowledge on the structure of their businesses.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Post 5: Open Topic
Non-verbal cues speak louder than words most of the time. Using the right words alone is not sufficient to convey our message across. There are several aspects of non-verbal communication such as the eye contact, facial expression, posture, tone of the voice and etc. Even if we make a mistake in any one of the aspect, the message will not be delivered in the way we intended it to be.
For example, I had a classmate, Siti who was very reserved. So, whenever she speaks to guys, she either tends to look around at the surroundings or look at the floor, avoiding eye contact with the person she is communicating with. People who knew her character accepted her behavior. However, those who did not know her would easily get agitated. Once, we had a male relief teacher for our class. He asked Siti regarding her homework which she forgot to bring. And she jus looked past him and answered, “ I don’t know where I placed it.” Though she was sincere in her reply, it seemed as though she was not bothered about her homework when she did not look at the teacher, let alone make eye contact with him. The teacher became angry and made her stand for an entire period as her punishment for her ‘heck-care’ attitude.
How would you react to a person who speaks without maintaining eye contact?
For example, I had a classmate, Siti who was very reserved. So, whenever she speaks to guys, she either tends to look around at the surroundings or look at the floor, avoiding eye contact with the person she is communicating with. People who knew her character accepted her behavior. However, those who did not know her would easily get agitated. Once, we had a male relief teacher for our class. He asked Siti regarding her homework which she forgot to bring. And she jus looked past him and answered, “ I don’t know where I placed it.” Though she was sincere in her reply, it seemed as though she was not bothered about her homework when she did not look at the teacher, let alone make eye contact with him. The teacher became angry and made her stand for an entire period as her punishment for her ‘heck-care’ attitude.
How would you react to a person who speaks without maintaining eye contact?
Saturday, February 28, 2009
French Connection
In the years that I have been travelling, I am a host of stories and experiences. Some are better than others, some worse than others, and some like mine, which is a rather unique one. When we travel, we interact with the people of other countries, gaining intercultural competence as well as a new experience. It is this gaining of intercultural competence, regardless of whether the incident that brought about it was a good or bad one that ends up leaving a lasting impact of the nation on us.
A couple of years ago, I happened to visit the capital of love, Paris. As much I was taking in the sights and appreciating the beauty of the nation, I was eager to gain intercultural competence hoping to interact with some of locals which would give me a better chance to appreciate the country. Having just arrived from Britain via train, I was looking forward to hospitality and a country that would be able to accommodate an Asian from an English speaking region.
However, my first brush with a Frenchman made me realize the importance of communication in a foreign country and how language is closely linked to the pride of a country. Being the typical tourist I was lost around the Arc de Triomphe, trying to find my way back to my hotel. Having a serious language barrier especially in a country where the signs were all in French I approached two men who were conversing in English assuming that they would be able to solve my problem. However, the moment I started spouting English, their initial friendliness disappeared and it was a look of mild hostility. They started saying something that I could not comprehend, but sounded like some angry remarks and walked away. I later caught on when I told a fellow tourist, lamenting about my sad situation who informed me that the French and English were not exactly the best of friends and that the Frenchmen were very proud of their language. He said that they might be well versed in English language but they would rather converse In their mother tongue, especially to tourists to demonstrate their fierce national pride and identity.
Thus it was then I realized that interaction and communication in countries abroad also depended on the people and whether they take to you and their reacceptance of foreigners. The notion of superiority still existed in certain countries especially national pride as the Frenchmen displayed to me. Being a Singaporean I take pride in my multi cultural identity, the same way they take pride in their French culture and language. As much as I feel I encountered a rare but lasting experience, it is something that I would take in my stride and not deter me from being proud of my multi culturalism especially, my knowledge of English as my first language and Tamil as my mother tongue. How would I expect the French to be accepting of a person coming from the South east Asian region, a region known for its variety of cultures and languages
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Critique
LETTER
Dear Students,
The ISPE is organising the Singapore Student BioPharmaceutical Symposium. To be held on 17th October 2008 from 2pm to 5pm at Biopolis Matrix Auditorium.
The purpose of the event is to introduce students to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in Singapore. Many well-known companies in the industry will also be in attendance, including GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Schering-Plough Ltd, Genentech, Pfizer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth, Lonza Bilogics and Abbott Laboratories.
The special keynote speaker is Dr Fatimah Lateef, director of Undergraduate Training and Education at National University of Singapore, Senior Clinical Lecturer, and a member of Parliament.
All Polytechnic and University students in chemical, biological, engineering and pharmaceutical tracks are encouraged to attend as there will be special networking sessions, HR department participation, and roundtables after the symposium.
Speakers will focus on Process Development, Automation, Developmental Sciences, Validation, Process Engineering, Quality and Manufacturing. The Affiliate welcomes all students to join them at this event to find out the wonderful opportunities that await them in Singapore and find out more about these companies.
** Registration deadline is 15 October 2008. If you would like to participate in the Symposium, please confirm your attendance by replying to this email. With the subject title: CONFIRMED ATTENDANCE.
Together with the following information:
Name:
University / Polytechnic / College:
Designation:
Address:
Postal Code:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Please forward this email to your students who are interested in attending the Symposium.
-----------------------------------------------------
About the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering [ISPE]
ISPE is the world’s largest not-for-profit society serving pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals. As a member of ISPE you join experts around the globe in sharpening your skills, building a career, defining best practices and interacting with regulators.
------------------------------------------------------
Best regards
Ange Teo
ISPE Asia Pacific Office 73 Bukit Timah Road #04-01, Rex House Singapore 229832
Email: sgstudent.symposium@yahoo.com.sg
ISPE - Engineering Pharmaceutical Innovation
Dear Students,
The ISPE is organising the Singapore Student BioPharmaceutical Symposium. To be held on 17th October 2008 from 2pm to 5pm at Biopolis Matrix Auditorium.
The purpose of the event is to introduce students to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in Singapore. Many well-known companies in the industry will also be in attendance, including GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Schering-Plough Ltd, Genentech, Pfizer, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth, Lonza Bilogics and Abbott Laboratories.
The special keynote speaker is Dr Fatimah Lateef, director of Undergraduate Training and Education at National University of Singapore, Senior Clinical Lecturer, and a member of Parliament.
All Polytechnic and University students in chemical, biological, engineering and pharmaceutical tracks are encouraged to attend as there will be special networking sessions, HR department participation, and roundtables after the symposium.
Speakers will focus on Process Development, Automation, Developmental Sciences, Validation, Process Engineering, Quality and Manufacturing. The Affiliate welcomes all students to join them at this event to find out the wonderful opportunities that await them in Singapore and find out more about these companies.
** Registration deadline is 15 October 2008. If you would like to participate in the Symposium, please confirm your attendance by replying to this email. With the subject title: CONFIRMED ATTENDANCE.
Together with the following information:
Name:
University / Polytechnic / College:
Designation:
Address:
Postal Code:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Please forward this email to your students who are interested in attending the Symposium.
-----------------------------------------------------
About the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering [ISPE]
ISPE is the world’s largest not-for-profit society serving pharmaceutical manufacturing professionals. As a member of ISPE you join experts around the globe in sharpening your skills, building a career, defining best practices and interacting with regulators.
------------------------------------------------------
Best regards
Ange Teo
ISPE Asia Pacific Office 73 Bukit Timah Road #04-01, Rex House Singapore 229832
Email: sgstudent.symposium@yahoo.com.sg
ISPE - Engineering Pharmaceutical Innovation
CRITIQUE
This letter was written to invite students for a symposium. The letter has several flaws, which I would like to highlight under the 7Cs.
In terms of courtesy, I feel that the writer could have been more polite by addressing the students instead of jumping into the details of the symposium. The tone could have been more convincing to capture the attention of the readers. Relevant information was given to substantiate the event. Though the words used could be easily understood, relational pattern of development was not established. The letter was also not concise as the sentences were very long and wordy. The letter was however complete as all the relevant details needed for the readers was conveyed (date, time and venue of the event, details of the talk and administrative matters, etc). The structure and organization of the paragraphs was not good. For example, the writer addressed the topic on speakers in two different paragraphs. Moreover, the information of the company could be been addressed at the beginning of the letter. Though the letter had no errors on spelling, there were errors in the sentence structure. For example, in the 1st paragraph, the sentence starts off with “ To be held…”. The closing was incorrect as it lacked the comma and the position of the writer was not given.
The letter could have been more effectively written if she had only applied the 7Cs. :)
Cheers,
Jay
This letter was written to invite students for a symposium. The letter has several flaws, which I would like to highlight under the 7Cs.
In terms of courtesy, I feel that the writer could have been more polite by addressing the students instead of jumping into the details of the symposium. The tone could have been more convincing to capture the attention of the readers. Relevant information was given to substantiate the event. Though the words used could be easily understood, relational pattern of development was not established. The letter was also not concise as the sentences were very long and wordy. The letter was however complete as all the relevant details needed for the readers was conveyed (date, time and venue of the event, details of the talk and administrative matters, etc). The structure and organization of the paragraphs was not good. For example, the writer addressed the topic on speakers in two different paragraphs. Moreover, the information of the company could be been addressed at the beginning of the letter. Though the letter had no errors on spelling, there were errors in the sentence structure. For example, in the 1st paragraph, the sentence starts off with “ To be held…”. The closing was incorrect as it lacked the comma and the position of the writer was not given.
The letter could have been more effectively written if she had only applied the 7Cs. :)
Cheers,
Jay
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Post 2: What to tell? You have the guts?
A is the head of a drama group that is taking part in a national drama competition. A is a good leader and has good management qualities. However, A is a person who is unable to accept criticism. During their many trainings many of the group members felt that A was not grasping his lead role well. They felt that he was not bringing out the character in the right way.
Then there is B, a new member to the team and also taking part with them in the competition doing a main role as well. Having worked with A for sometime, he understood that it was difficult to approach A and tell him that his acting was not good due to several reasons. Firstly, due to A's personality. Secondly, due to the fact that B is new to the team and does not have as much experience as A in acting.
Time is running out; someone needs to tell A. No one in the team has the guts to approach A and most of them are not bothered about the competition. However, B wants to win. How do you think B can approach and tell A?
Then there is B, a new member to the team and also taking part with them in the competition doing a main role as well. Having worked with A for sometime, he understood that it was difficult to approach A and tell him that his acting was not good due to several reasons. Firstly, due to A's personality. Secondly, due to the fact that B is new to the team and does not have as much experience as A in acting.
Time is running out; someone needs to tell A. No one in the team has the guts to approach A and most of them are not bothered about the competition. However, B wants to win. How do you think B can approach and tell A?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Having effective communication skills and developing these skills is very valuable to one.
Regardless of how fantastic and unique your idea might be, it will be totally disregarded unless you would be share it with others and talk about it to an audience.
Thus, having a good balance of effective communication skills along with the ability to capture your audience is crucial at every level of an organization.
Although the skill to communicate efficiently does not come easily to many, with patience one can develop it to perfection.
We have been trying to practice and perfect our communication skills ever since we started to crawl out of our cots. By interacting,communicating with many others and getting involved in organisations and events helps to develope our skills.
The art of effective communication is one which is much heralded and greatly valued in all facets of society. The ability to offer opinions and respond to them, facilitate multi-party discussions, hold an audience’s attention or perhaps even just to relate to someone’s problems are some aspects of effective communication. Communication skills are thus important in every aspect of one’s life, from school to the workplace and even in one’s relationship with people. It would strengthen your relationships, minimize the risk of misunderstandings and improve your self-confidence. Effective communication will thus effectively strengthen your existing relationships and help you to foster positive bonds in future interactions.
Regardless of how fantastic and unique your idea might be, it will be totally disregarded unless you would be share it with others and talk about it to an audience.
Thus, having a good balance of effective communication skills along with the ability to capture your audience is crucial at every level of an organization.
Although the skill to communicate efficiently does not come easily to many, with patience one can develop it to perfection.
We have been trying to practice and perfect our communication skills ever since we started to crawl out of our cots. By interacting,communicating with many others and getting involved in organisations and events helps to develope our skills.
The art of effective communication is one which is much heralded and greatly valued in all facets of society. The ability to offer opinions and respond to them, facilitate multi-party discussions, hold an audience’s attention or perhaps even just to relate to someone’s problems are some aspects of effective communication. Communication skills are thus important in every aspect of one’s life, from school to the workplace and even in one’s relationship with people. It would strengthen your relationships, minimize the risk of misunderstandings and improve your self-confidence. Effective communication will thus effectively strengthen your existing relationships and help you to foster positive bonds in future interactions.
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