Journey of Self-Discovery

Introduction

A Reflective portfolio refers to summaries of insight and experience of an individual. This process is very critical to identifying, gathering, and interpreting information about an individual or learner. Studies suggest that the most common types of portfolios include process and working portfolios, which are aimed at showing the progress and change in learning over time. It also aims at identifying strengths and weaknesses (Mueller, 2018). The objective of this portfolio is to help me develop as an independent learner. Moreover, it assists me to reflect my skills and ability to think around subjects. Also, it helps me to self-develop and assists in assessing my progress as far as my skills are concerned. This paper will discuss self-development reflections, which will reflect my teamwork and employees' section abilities. Lastly, it will reflect my skills by noting my current skills and suggesting some necessary skill perfection. This paper has met the marking criteria via intensive research, which has resulted in a high level of skill reflection. Moreover, the portfolio has given specific self-development examples that critically demonstrate the reliability of the information provided. More importantly, skills have been matched with intensive research and theories, which demonstrates a mastery of the subject knowledge. The paper has also been developed via by high level of creativity and new ideas, which gives insight to the modern world.

Self-Development Reflections

Teamwork

Teamwork refers to a group collaborative effort to achieve a common goal most efficiently and effectively. Studies reveal that in the history of humankind, teamwork is depicted as a practice that has enabled people not only to survive but also to thrive (Lieberman, 2014). Good teamwork has been associated with easy and quick accomplishment and implementation of a common goal in a task. However, every member in a team has to play his role effectively. A combination of these roles makes the group function well and as well, achieve its goal. Studies indicate that, within a team, conflict might occur. Therefore, there is a need to be harmonized within the group. The only way to effective teamwork is to exploit every member’s unique abilities.

Currently, teamwork is very critical to every employee since it has been incorporated into every organizational culture. Firms use employees organized into cross-functional groups to play a particular task and achieve great success (Goleman, 2001, p.10). Moreover, it is inevitable for students to avoid teamwork in the classroom. Other studies note that to survive in the contemporary workplace environment, an individual must develop teamwork skills and other skills associated with teamwork skills such as communication skills and time management skills (Goleman, 2001 p.1). Moreover, with the increased need for teamwork skills in organization, teamwork skill has become one of the most sought skills, and most organization in their recruitment processes often evaluate the applicants’ ability to work as a team in their recruitment processes (Pool & Sewell, 2007 p.282). Similarly, another study by Cicekli (2013) notes that most employers value teamwork skills in their new graduate employees. The research reveal that the skill is more sought compared to the ability to work independently. Looking at my field of study and the above view, I have discovered that I need to perfect my teamwork skills. Besides, my role to be an entrepreneur requires great collaborations hence making this skill very critical now and in the future.

Up to now, I have been involved in a lot of teamwork tasks, which has so far tough me much. From working as a team, I have come to understand that teamwork increases collaboration and allows brainstorming, which has been associated with increased productivity. I have also known that working as a team results in easier solving of problems, and even the most difficult task is solved. Through solving these challenges and collaborating, creativity is enhanced. Besides, a team can assist an individual in seeing things from a different angle. As suggested, teamwork is a great opportunity to develop communication skills. Besides, I have understood that conflicts also arise in a team, therefore this gives an individual ability to develop problem-solving skills and the ability to deal with moods and control of behaviour. However, regardless of the benefits, I have also come to be aware that due to the process of decision making and consensus, there may be delays. Additionally, some individuals are not compatible with teamwork; this limits this ability to learn and participate hence being a challenge. However, teamwork sometimes limit creativity since some members have exceptional skills to think thus limiting others' ability to think.

While trying to discover myself, I undertook a self-assessment questionnaire to get my thinking about the various competencies of emotional intelligence as they apply to me. From this experience, though organizing people to work together for a common task is very difficult, I learned that excellent communication skills were very critical. It was also clear that, working as a team was time consuming. I also observed that people have a challenge in time management and concentration. For me, I learned that I possess great communication skills and leadership skills, which are critical to my future career.

From my previous experience in teamwork, I have come to recognise that I am better suited for the role of a leader. Belbin’s team roles suggest that, in a team, coordinators are often calm, controlled, confident, and mostly tend to be mature in approach and outlook. The Coordinator usually focuses on the whole group to ensure that everyone achieves the group’s shared objective. This indicates that the Coordinator always takes the credit for team’s successes or failures blames (Aritzeta et al., 2007 p.104). However, not all the time, a team is successful. Some of the shortcomings in a team as per the Five Dysfunctions of a Team Summary originate from the fear of conflict, lack of trust, commitment, accountability avoidance as well as inattention to outcomes (Lencioni, 2006 p.1). Good team, on the other hand, requires proper management; john Adair’s provided a simple Action-Centered Leadership model. In the model, he creates a map on how leadership and control in a team should be. The theory propose that good leaders should have full command of tasks, teams, and individuals to get the required results and maintain the right balance (Walz, 2006 p.124). Therefore, to be a team player, I need to perfect my leadership skills to strengthen my role of being a coordinator. I also need to perfect my communication skills and time management skills.

Employee Selection

Employee Selection refers to the process of choosing qualified candidates to fill jobs in an organization. Choosing the best talent is an advantage to the organization and filling a job position with an unqualified candidate puts the organization in a low position to succeed. Studies indicate that candidate selection is not just choosing the best individual. Selection involves selecting the most appropriate set of abilities, skills as well as knowledge which are packaged in a human being (DeFillippi & Milter, 2009 p.287). The research also imply that employee selection is very critical since it’s not possible to tell what the candidate can do and their abilities. However, good employee training is also very critical to enable candidates to do their job well and enjoy it. In most organizations, the human resource management department is concerned with employee selection and training on behalf of the organization (DeFillippi & Milter, 2009 p.287). It also demonstrate that an organization requires staff who have excellent command in information technology, good communication skills, problem solvers, and decision-makers. Therefore, failing to possess this skill can be very challenging to get a job position. Additionally, the review reveal that, currently, regardless of many graduate who is unemployed, finding and hiring the right people has become a priority. At the same time, finding the right people is becoming very difficult, and companies have resulted in competition to select quality employees. Investment in employee selection has become the trend; therefore, companies must strive to locate able employees. This skill is, therefore, very critical to me since I need to work in a reputable international organization such as the united nation, where employee selection is very complex. Thus learning the needed skills and qualities can enable me to succeed easily. Also, as mentioned, I am an entrepreneur. This means employee selection would be my daily role hence becoming very critical to me.

Take a deeper dive into Insights From An Employment Adviser with our additional resources.

In the past years, I have been involved in various employees’ selection either as a candidate or a team member of the human resource department. From my experience, I have learned that, to be among the human resource management team, an individual should be sympathetic to deal with candidates who may not make it in the interview and other workers, should possess good decision-making skills for the selection and training part, should apply integrity and formal authority to deal with challenges in the human resource department. On the other hand, I have known that to be a qualified candidate; an individual should be team player, possess good communication skills, willingness to learn, self-motivated, and, most importantly, should be able to fit the organization culture.

While trying to evaluate my employee selection skills, I selected six jobs posting about human resource management. I compared all the mentioned requirements. After comparing all requirement, I found that I satisfied more than 90% of the requirements. From this review, I came to understand that, employee selection required many skills such as decision making skills, being patient, leadership skills among other sills. Also human resource manager requires to show empathy. This knowledge has impacted my ability to hire people and the need to develop the necessary skill required in employee hiring and retention.

The human resource personnel differs depending on the individual character, as per Karen Legge (1978) Model, there are three categories which the conformist innovator who identifies with the organizational objectives via strategies which include reduction of conflict, cost, and increase in productivity. The second category is deviant innovator, who shifts away from the organizational objectives and adopts an independent professional stance. The third category is problem-solver, who are personnel who provide daily assistance to the management in terms of problem-solving (Osibanjo et al., 2012). Moreover, from my experience, it is clear that the employee requires high-level motivation. As per the motivational theory by Abraham Maslow, human beings have various basic needs like food and shelter. After accomplishing these needs, employees seek to feel safe and loved. The theory also indicates that humans require human resource policies that value workers who are great investments for an organization (Mawere et al., 2016). To be a better human resource manager, I need to develop management skills, people skills, and other skills which ensure smooth employee selection, training, and continuous motivation.

Skill Reflection

After investigating myself, I have realized that I have very valuable skills. Some of the skills that I have developed include communication skills. This is a skill that employers notice in the first incident. I have developed communication skills from learning English in my primary and secondary education, where I learned grammar, literature, and other critical communication aids. Additionally, I have participated in different teamwork activities, which have significantly developed my ability to communicate. Lastly, I would ignore the various interviews which I have attended and which have forced me to search on the internet how to communicate effectively and which have greatly influenced my communication skills.

I have also noticed that I have a significant ability to make decisions and solve problems. This is a skill with high demand, especially in the employment sector. I developed my decision making and problem-solving skills from my high school studies, where I had a great interest in science and mathematics. These subjects played a significant role in my ability to make decisions and solve critical problems. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, I have been involved in human resource department activities, including selecting employees. This position was very crucial to my skill development. Moreover, being an employee for some period, I have learned how to solve critical problems.

Furthermore, I have come to know that, my leadership skills are excellent. My leadership and management skills have been significantly developed via researching on various literature. Moreover, through various positions that I have held as an employee, my skills in leadership have been cultivated, and currently, I can confidently say I am a leader. Besides, through participation in various teamwork activities where I have held a leadership position, I have learned how to influence people, control them, and motivate them to work. Therefore, all these activities have greatly developed my leadership skills.

Lastly, I have self-management skills. My life hasn’t been easy. I have been working and studying in busy schedules, which are characterized by stress, need for time management, self-motivation, and setting goals. Therefore through life experience on the need to meet busy schedules, I have learned how to manage time, manage stress, and set goals in life. Additionally, while I was young, I was a proactive learner who enjoyed studying. Therefore, during this period, I learned self-management skills, which I believe keep me moving these days.

However, from my self-development reflecting, I have come to understand how teamwork skills are critical in the job market. Therefore, I need to perfect these skills. In my perception, I will develop these skills through analytical research, to familiarize myself with the theoretical bit of teamwork. Additionally, experience has been suggested to be the best teacher. Therefore, I will be active in group activities and always embrace working in groups other than alone.

Additionally, I need to improve my decision making skills. Therefore with the level of decision making skills that I already have, I will get involved various events which involves making of critical decisions. This ensure that, I develop my cognitive ability to make decisions. Also I will learn how to make decisions from literature.

Conclusion

A Reflective Portfolio is writings that summarise the insights and experiences. This reflection has been completed via interpreting my information and skills, self-reflection, and gathering information more information concerning my skills. From this learning, I have understood that my teamwork skills are good, and my ability to select employees is good and is critical to the modern market. Moreover, I have come to understand other skills which are have includes management skills and analytical skills. Others include communication skills, problem-solving skills. I have also learned that the assignment was completed through intensive research and linking to theories that give the study validity. However, I have also come to appreciate that the current employment market has a great demand for teamwork skills and leadership skills. Therefore, I ought to put more efforts to advance these skills.

References

Aritzeta, A., Swailes, S. and Senior, B., 2007. Belbin's team role model: Development, validity and applications for team building. Journal of Management Studies, 44(1), pp.96-118.

DeFillippi, R. and Milter, R.G., 2009. Problem-based and project-based learning approaches: Applying knowledge to authentic situations. The Sage Handbook of Management Learning, Education and Development, SAGE Publications Ltd, London, pp.344-363.

Cicekli, E., 2013. Human resource needs of organizations in terms of the qualities they need and seek from new graduate employees. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(1).

Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2017. Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.

Goleman, D., 2001. An EI-based theory of performance. The emotionally intelligent workplace: How to select for, measure, and improve emotional intelligence in individuals, groups, and organizations, 1, pp.27-44.

Lencioni, P., 2006. The five dysfunctions of a team. John Wiley & Sons.

Lieberman, D., 2014. The story of the human body: evolution, health, and disease. Vintage.

Mawere, M., Mubaya, T.R., van Reisen, M. and van Stam, G., 2016. Chapter Three Maslow’s Theory of Human Motivation and its Deep Roots in Individualism: Interrogating Maslow’s Applicability in Africa. Theory, Knowledge, Development and Politics: What Role for the Academy in the Sustainability of Africa, 55.

Osibanjo, Omotayo & Adeniji, Anthonia. (2012). Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice.

Pool, L.D. and Sewell, P., 2007. The key to employability: developing a practical model of graduate employability. Education+ Training.

Walz, J.T., 2006. The John Adair Handbook of Management and Leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal.