1. Diary entries
What did I learn?
The activity was mainly focused on building team work and learning to address diversity
in the workplace. As a matter of fact, I had an opportunity to learn first-hand on the challenges
in working as a team, things to consider in order for success in teamwork. Additionally, I learnt
how to handle diversity challenges and dealing with people from diverse backgrounds. At
personal level, I was able to develop inter-personal relationships, thanks to the interactions
between me and other members of the team. At professional level, interacting with different
professionals provide robust ground to gain more professional knowledge.
What difficulties did I face in the preparation of the Project?
It is important to note that I had not anticipated the project earlier. As a matter of fact, it
came as a surprise. Considering that previously I had never engaged in such a project, my initial
reaction was characterized with uncertainty and fear of not living to the expectations of the
organizers. However, this fear subsided drastically after orientations where I realized others
participants were even more uncertain and fearful than me. Additionally, the difficult part was
not knowing what was actually involved in the program and hence not knowing what to expect
or not to expect.
Did I seek (and receive) any support in preparing this Project?
Certainly, in such an uncertain scenario, one is bound to seek counsel from friends and
relatives who have previously been involved in similar activities. Interestingly, I learnt that
different companies handle their projects differently. People I contacted had different opinions
and perceptions of what to expect. Some even had no idea given that they had never been
involved in the same despite being employed for years.
In what ways did this Project help with my critical thinking skills?
My experience in planning came in handy in projects that required the same, more
especially in instances where planning required time to be balanced against limited resources
without quality being compromised. Additionally, in making decisions involving complex
scenarios, my critical skills became handy to the entire team.
What sources of information did I rely on in developing this Project?
Amongst the resourceful information I heavily relied on during the project included
books and project management magazines. However, internets offered a wealth on easy to access
and find information all throughout the project. In fact, I cannot remember a day that passed
without me or the group as a whole referring to the internet for information relating to our
activities.
2. How will I apply, what I have learned, in the future?
What I learnt are more like a day to things that are applied at both personal and
professional levels. For instance, one of the things I learnt was listening. This is something I
have come to apply not just at work but also at home. In future, it will be important to put these
into application while undertaking my duties at work.
If I had to do it over again what would I do differently?
If I was to do it again, definitely I would be more confident and pro-active than I was.
The fear would be gone as I have learnt that teamwork building or diversity training are not
about victimization or assessment for purposes of condemnation but they are useful as tools for
understanding individual strengths and harnessing the same for organizational productivity.