Things Learned from Working in a Multidisciplinary Team - Coursework Example

MBA Personal learning report Name: Course Professor’s name University name City, State Date of submission Contents Introduction 3 Things learned from working in a multidisciplinary team 4 Strengths and weaknesses as professionals 5 Strengths 5 Weaknesses 6 Issues and Dilemmas and resolutions 6 Lessons learnt from dilemmas 8 Personal, professional challenges 8 Own capacity 8 Skills needed by managers and professionals 9 New Learning Goals 10 Short term goals 11 Long term goals 11 Conclusion 11 Appendix 13 References 17 MBA Personal learning report Introduction Pursuing an MBA course at the Australian National University has been quite an interesting journey for me. I have always been passionate about business courses that open doors to one becoming a great manager or entrepreneur in the future. A lot is learned in schools, but what really matters is one’s ability to integrate the knowledge acquired through the school course work in a practical environment. Consequently, I have learnt to appreciate management courses, particularly MBA. Management field has evolved over time and has become more accommodating and efficient. From a report by the health knowledge organization, present management is characterized by characteristics such as trust, proper planning, innovation, creativity, inclusive empowerment and semi-autonomous units of workstations (Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST), 2011, para. 3). The definition of management is entirely not sufficient to understand what happens in the sector field. A critical insight into practical issues that individuals in management positions are faced with is a necessity. The following reflective learning report seeks to highlight significant aspects of my journey towards successful project development. Evidence in the paper is based on the personal education journal where I was recording my experiences prior to and even after starting my MBA in the various project’s and school assignments. In addition, it critically reviews what I have learned, my own perception towards the course unit, the dilemmas and challenges encountered as well as the future goals derived. The first set of project that I got involved in is the business plan project work assigned to us during the first month into the course. An outline of the five team members’ feedback has been highlighted in order to understand our overall gradual development in the management field. The second piece of feedback evidence is based on a team role report analysis, including the various activities that I got involved in over time in school. Things learned from working in a multidisciplinary team From the various projects undertaken in school with colleagues, I have learnt to appreciate different fields of study taught in school. At one point, I teamed up with two friends; one was pursuing pharmacy while the other was pursuing an Economics and statistics course. We would meet after school hours to develop a business plan that would see us build an empire. I was particularly intrigued by the enthusiasm of my friend in the pharmacy field to learn the world of business. Both members of the team were very cooperative which enabled us to realize that team spirit is what matters most when tackling a task. In addition, we frequently visited our lecturer for insights and ideas that would help us develop the best business plan. Our business plan revolved around developing a chain store that would be established in different locations near the University. Every group member significantly got involved in the discussions of drawing up a business plan. None of us failed to attend a meeting unless in an emergency situation. I learnt the characteristics of an ideal participant which include the fact that, my team members would identify themselves with our project goals, we all got time to participate in discussion, everybody was passionate about contributing to its success, and we all were knowledgeable in our respective fields which was an added advantage. Further, I learnt that appreciating and treating each team member contribution as equally significant really motivates team members (Ghosh, 2014). We all gained experience in working with different fields friends in a transparent way which enabled us to realize that we chose the right team members for the tasks we conclusively discussed ideas and decisions pertaining to our business plan model development. We had initially et clear and precise rules and objectives of our project task which helped us a great deal in saving time in the decision making process. Planning also became easier and are efficient with the unanimous contribution. Communication was done through phone calls or text messages and sometimes via emails on meetings. Clear prior communication is also a great vital element of any project success. Since the project was business related, we would comprehensively explain business logic and terminologies that we learnt in school to our friend in pharmacy discipline. We all had similar future goals and aspirations outside of our course pursued, and promised each other that our business plan development must be made reality once we are one with school. We also tried to learn the world of pharmacy as well to gain complementary experience with a view that someday, we would need to run a multibillion pharmacy corporation. Finally, I learnt that we should always endeavor to seek and accept diverse experiences. Strengths and weaknesses as professionals Strengths It was evident that my team members were cooperative, time conscious, respectful, and embraced the project development process with passion and diligence. We all had proper presentation techniques, which our immediate professor in charge of the Business projects development unit always showered us with positive remarks on our presentation. There was a strong attitude of commitment from all the team members. We were all open minded to any new idea from any colleague and the professor in case any adjustment needed to be made to the original plan. My colleagues and I colleagues, management skills as learnt from the respective course units were also sharpened. They include, planning, organizing and controlling for future strategic goals and objectives. Weaknesses I am an international student, so my English proficiency is still work in progress on my part. Nevertheless, all the team members I have worked with have understood and very helpful in helping me polish my English. We noted that we were empathetic leaders who would let easily forgive individuals found in a mistake, which sometimes may be interpreted as too soft in future letting people under our leadership take advantage. Issues and Dilemmas and resolutions (Below is a discussion of issues and dilemma situation we encountered throughout our project and others in different case scenarios. Some were resolved, others remained unsolved). In most instances, when a project involves more people than oneself, there are issues that are bound to happen with the assignment. This is because of the differences people have in approaching a project and their respective personalities also play a big role. Nevertheless, the same case happens when one is tackling a project alone. There are situations in which I have been paired with classmates to finish different assignments. In other circumstances, I have had to work on my own. Both cases are characterized with practical problems while in the process of accomplishing the sole goals of the project or an assignment. Team formations are usually the easiest and at the same time the hardest part of completing a project. Usually, the team members one ends up with will determine the success of the assignment awarded to the particular group. Personally, I have worked with team members in several occasions of my school assignments that require group work. In one particular project, we were randomly assigned our team members and present the deliverable after two weeks. Due to our different backgrounds and personalities, it was difficult to get started on the assignment. Nevertheless, we had to share a standard shared comprehension, of the whole assignment where each team member got to introduce themselves, and exchange contact information. Another issue that we were faced was that my group members and I came from different religious backgrounds. This necessitated us to create a flexible meeting schedule which allowed every individual to integrate religion and school without compromising any segment. As part of our project, we required to establish the spending habits of people residing or working in areas we planned to establish our business plan project. Sometimes we would meet unfriendly responses. In other cases it was hard to evaluate whether the data given by the respondent as accurate. My pharmacist friend narrated to us how he was faced with an ethical dilemma while undertaking an internship at the school clinic. The friend was trying to protect colleague who had taken medicine off the store without notifying the drug store manager. He had a choice of talking to the colleague or go straight to the manager and report the issue. After deliberating with his mentor, he decided to talk to the colleague and point out the consequences of such an action. I myself am no exception to ethical dilemmas. Early in the semester, we had been given an assignment in which we were to submit answers after working on it individually. However, my roommate had not been in school due to an emergency situation at home. Failure to submit the assignment would result in a fail in the unit. I had to weigh the options with my team members on the most logical thing to do. The challenge was that doing the assignment for my roommate was against my moral values. Lessons learnt from dilemmas Sharing a standard comprehension of the project when working with different personalities greatly helps in smooth coordination of the objective. This I deduced from working in various class projects with different students. I also was able to understand that sometimes you have to compromise in situations such as religion matters in order to accommodate different religious backgrounds of the team members on your group. After much thought on whether to hand in an assignment for my roommate, I realized that I had not explored all my options on the issue. I went and talked to our professor on the situation and luckily my roommate was allowed to do take the assignment when back in school. In addition, I my decision making skill has also been enhanced with the knowledge that not in all situations that require strict actions. There are case scenarios that one needs to be very objective and flexible suing one’s judgement. Personal, professional challenges Own capacity While studying the MBA course, I learnt that I have blind spots in my personalities that I was completely unaware of. The major blind spot shortfall is the fact that I tend to be inflexible when it comes to changing my mind on a certain technique already decided on. This may have been interpreted as being slow to respond to changes by colleagues. On the contrary, it was in my subconscious self that was not open to me, but got open to the public. During the unsolicited project discussion, my team members were very helpful and supportive. Through this I learnt that sometimes one should focus on strategic goals of a business and not always think on operational implementation (Recklies, 2013). I also noted that I am shy, which may be interpreted as lacking the social personality trait of resource investigation; refer to the Appendix A2 in the appendices section. I only interact fully with new environments after gaining enough familiarity. My team members noted this when we had to merge ideas with another group. They observed that I would first take time to acquaint myself with the new environment after which I gained enough confidence to effectively interact with other team members. In spite of all the above problems, I observed that I am a good communicator and mediator whenever a conflict arose. In addition, I am an excellent team player in any group work and effectively handled domineering personalities without raising any point of conflict. There were times when I wasn’t directly involved in a team leadership position, which has significantly improved my understanding of how a business environment works with co-workers, and gave me more time to be keen to details on how effectively to enhance our deliverables. For instance, in some assignment, we were to analyze a project using the net present value, IRR, and payback period technique. While nobody gave particular attention to other qualitative factors to consider in the selection process of the best project, I had done my research ad found out that besides the quantitative methods; qualitative methods are also a significant factor to keep in mind. Skills needed by managers and professionals The most important aspects about my MBA course, is that I can confidently say that in future I will be a good manager with the necessary skills. For instance, I have learnt that there are seven stages of growth of any organization. They stem from the inception stage of the business to maturity. First one has to start the entity, expand it, and then proceed to professionalization, consolidation, diversification, integration and revitalization (Nailer, 2012, p. 5). Successful managers and entrepreneurs are open minded and accommodating to the possibilities of a business environment. The main aims of any business entity are usually to maximize shareholders wealth, grow the revenues, and ensure both the employees and the customer satisfaction. This result in the business staying ahead of competition and is able to turn around in case of any advice situation that may face it. In order to achieve all these, one must be innovative, pro-active, and a risk taker for any business development venture to succeed to maturity stage. The following are additional skills and comprehension concerns needed by a profession to solve group dilemmas that may result from employment: • The business plan is useful in clarifying, evaluating and communicating the intended purpose of a business. • Putting into considerations what matters to investors while planning is vital. • Aim for a clear, concise, logically coherent, persuasive plan, based on Solid, factual data • Building a deeper understanding of the real potential customers New Learning Goals The following is a specific list of my short term and long term goals which I intend to fulfill in a given time span, based on the challenges I and my team members experienced throughout our project. I have split them into short term and long term in order to capitalize on each effectively. Short term goals Setting precedents before a project kicks off-This concept will be very helpful in helping me manage my time keeping skills. It will also ensure that I do not spend too much time in one stage of a project and neglect other parts Completing my MBA degree program by the year 2015 Look for an English tutor to help polish my English language fluency Read a wide range of books written in English Attend various workshops and seminars in business related fields held in school and outside school to keep abreast with changes in the business world. Ensure that I always surround myself with key professionals and a learning community and a mentor who will hold me accountable to all my learning goals. For instance, by undertaking voluntary works in business corporations that are not for profit, and internships. Overcome my shyness through attending social gatherings and interacting with different personalities Long term goals To integrate my acquired knowledge in class in big corporations, preferably in a management capacity, to enable me acquire the right experience for the job market to remain competitive. Ensuring that our project business plan project becomes a reality by end 2015 After I have acquired the necessary experience in working with big corporations for about 3 years, I will start building on my own personal business plan. I also envision employing skilled employees in my company, and ensure that the human resource caters for their personal development to ensure optimal reduction from which one of them. Conclusion (Refer to Appendix A1 and A2 attached in the appendices section) Throughout my journey in the MBA course, I have learnt to appreciate new business development ideas. It is through them that I have gained knowledge on how best to add value to a business entity through efficient management of people’s behavior and the resources. The process of developing a new business plan is not an easy task, especially when partnered with group members who are uncooperative. Nevertheless, with proper communication and involvement in each stage of a project, the process becomes successful and is completed under less time, since time saving is one of the requirements of better management skills. In addition, working in a multi-disciplinary team has given me a good in-depth insight into team spirit effectiveness. People have different personalities and perceptions towards life. Working with different personalities in my school projects and assignment revealed that effectively coordinating activities in an environment that everyone feels included in the decision making process improves productivity. It’s no doubt that the MBA class is one of the best courses I would recommend a graduate looking to broaden their business related skills and improve their management and business development skills. I have learnt to appreciate the value of team work, team cohesion, and planning and allocation skills, also learnt from the unit course. Other skills that I have directly acquainted myself with include project evaluations, quantitative techniques, how to best fund a business, overall business concept and characteristics of a successful entrepreneur and that business environments are dynamic, (refer to Appendix B1 attached in the appendices section) and in most instances unpredictable, therefore, one should be ready to take risks while investing in business (Williams, 2014). Appendix Appendix A1 Table Showing Three Categories of Personalities and Their Development Team role category Existing personality Personality gained (MBA) Missing personality trait Action team roles Keen to details Social team roles Open minded Coordinator Team worker Mediator Outgoing Thinking team roles Plant Implementer Coordinator Open-mindedness Time management Source: Beblin Associate, 2011 Appendix A2 Table Showing Team Role Summary Descriptions (Beblin Associates, Belbin Team Roles, 2011-2014) Source: Beblin Associate, 2011 Appendix B1 Graph Showing patterns of corporate growth References Beblin Associates, 2011. Belbin Team Roles: Method, Reliability and Validity, Statistics and Research:A comprehensive review of Belbin team roles. [Online] Available at: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=8 Ghosh, G., 2014. Agile, Multidisciplinary Teamwork. [Online] Available at: http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/archive.php?id=17 [Accessed 23 10 2014]. Nailer, C., 2012. Building the Business Plan. In: Entrepreneurship. Australia: Australian National University, pp. 1-8.Print. Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST), 2011. Personal management skills (e.g. Managing: time, stress, difficult people, meetings): Understanding Individuals: Personal Management Skills. [Online]. Print. Available at: http://www.healthknowledge.org.uk/public-health-textbook/organisation-management/5a-understanding-itd/personal-management-skills [Accessed 16 October 2014]. Print. Recklies, D., 2013. What makes a good change agent?. [Online] Available at: http://www.themanager.org/Strategy/change_agent.html. Print. Townsley, C., 2011. Resolving conflict in work teams, s.l.: RV Armstrong and Associates. Williams, J., 2014. The Project Manager's Ethical Dilemma. [Online] Available at: http://www.bia.ca/articles/pj-project-managers-ethical-dilemma.htm. Print. Read More