Critical Reflection

Throughout this twelve weeks, I have gained a wider perspective on communications. It is not simply communicating with others but learning much more beyond that. One of the key takeaways was on how to handle conflict. I felt that it is very useful in preparing us for the work life in future where we will meet people from diverse backgrounds. I will need to learn how to adapt and understand different working styles to work well with others.

Through blogging, I also had the opportunity to learn from my classmates. It is a great platform to see them sharing their thoughts on different issues and how they managed to solve the problems they encountered. Moreover, the feedback system where we could leave comments on each other posts helped us to improve in our language use and obtain different viewpoints.

The difference in this communication module from other similar modules I have taken before is the enthusiasm of the tutor that drives me to pay attention in class. He was able to engage the class in participating every single lesson. My team and I had the honor to participate in the presentation showcase and applying the non-verbal cues learnt aid me in delivering my speech better and allows the audience to focus on my presentation.

Looking back at my first post on having a weak spot for presentations, I did gain more confidence along the way as I was constantly trained during lessons. It helped me to overcome my fear of speaking to a group of people. I believe that learning communications is a never-ending process. I am glad that I had many valuable takeaways that is essential in my learning journey. 

Project Synopsis (Final)

Introduction & Problem Statement

It is common in any organization for management to provide feedback to their employees such as through performance appraisals.  Regardless of an employee’s career stage, receiving negative feedback may not be the most pleasant feeling. Different employees take feedback differently. Some may view it as an opportunity to learn and grow, whereas some may view it as a personal attack. Everyone will receive at least one negative feedback in their life. The individual who handles it well will stand out compared to the others who may choose to ignore it.

Project’s Thematic Focus

Due to the nature of the hotel business, frontline employees face the challenge of meeting the expectations of both the guests and their superiors. During peak seasons where occupancy is high, these employees are challenged beyond their limits to ensure a smooth operation in the hotel.  It is inevitable that frontline employees make mistakes such as a double check-in to the same room. Being the hub or nerve center of a hotel, the front office also serves as a lightning rod for guest complaints. The employees have to deal with negative feedback especially with the frequency and intensity of guest complaints.  

Other than the guest, the superior who has to oversee the operations in the hotel would also perform the duty of providing feedback to the employees on areas that requires improvement. The feedback could be provided during official performance reviews or in in-the-moment coaching. In both cases, the employees on the receiving end may get upset, defensive or even demoralised which may ultimately affect their work performance.

The main issue that employees face is having to respond to the negative feedback in the different situations in a hotel. The ability of handling the feedback sets the employees apart in their way of learning and developing in the organisation. Hence, it is important that employees understand how feedback can allow them to better contribute to the hotel.

Nature of project’s professional importance

Highlighting the appropriate responses to negative feedbacks from both inputs - guests and superiors, helps the employees to further progress in their course of job and also allows them to continually enjoy what they do in the frontline.

Especially in the hospitality industry where feedback drives performance, it is equally important to ensure the employee receives the feedback right as much as having the management providing the feedback right. This is supported by a survey conducted by Zenger and Folkman (2014) where 96 percent of the respondents mentioned that when negative feedback is delivered and received appropriately, it is effective at improving performance. As the industry is driven by sales and experience, feedback is valued. Therefore, it is crucial to point out the various responses employees could have when receiving feedback.

Objective and scope of study  

The aim of the study is to better understand how employees can respond to feedback positively in the hotel industry.

Potential Solutions

The hotel may face major challenges such as absenteeism and employee turnover which can become widespread if the hotel do not take action in helping employees deal with negative feedback (Kraft, D. n.d.). The solutions proposed for this problem are long-term rather than short-lived ones so that they can address the root cause of the issue.

In order to do that, the employee have to understand the concept of feedback. A feedback is given so that an individual will know if their behaviour is acceptable.  It is allowing the individual to know if he or she should continue or to change the undesirable action. It helps learners to maximise their potential at different stages of training, raise their awareness of strengths and areas for improvement, and identify actions to be taken to improve performance (Kennedy, D., & Mcgarthy, D., 2015).

The proposed solution will be in the following ways:

1. Listen carefully and do not react first - This is to ensure that the receiver of the feedback understand what the criticism is about before reacting. Do not get defensive and have some time to absorb the feedback.

2. Assess the feedback - Being able to differentiate between an opinion and fact will allow receiver to respond effectively and comprehend the situation more clearly. Also, check if the feedback is accurate by evaluating the feedback objectively.

3. Request time to think - Thank the commenter for the feedback before confirming that the commenter’s concerns have been understood and that the receiver would like to get back to the commenter at a later time. It defuses the emotional load for the receiver and understand where the commenter is coming from. Furthermore, even if it is hard to understand from the commenter’s point of view, the receiver can seek out friends or family members to get alternate opinions.

4. Understand it but don’t dwell on it - After having the opportunity to think and discuss with others, understand the feedback and improve on behavior and attitude. After working through feelings, let the negativity go by remembering that it is just a job and it does not correlate the receiver’s value as a human being

5. Apologise and clarify - Head back and apologise to the commenter. The receiver should be aware of what has been done wrongly as well as what could have done better. The commenter will appreciate the effort which the receiver took to analyse the problem as well as the next steps to take to get rid of that negative attitude or behaviour.

6. Use it to make yourself better - Negative feedback may be positive as it allows people to have opportunities to grow. Even though such feedback might not be pleasant to hear, it provides another perspective to consider. Therefore, whenever a negative feedback is received, process it, think about how to learn from it and move on.

Benefits to the workplace

Every organisation seeks to create a culture where feedback can be shared and received effectively. The benefits of an improved feedback system would bring long-term benefits to the company which includes higher employee engagement, job satisfaction and lower turnover. Multi-source feedback is believed to increase motivation among staff, translating into positive behaviour change, increased productivity and self awareness which are fundamental for the progress of any organisation (Saedon H. et.al., 2012) When employees are able to acknowledge negative feedback and are equipped with the knowledge on handling them, they will be more prepared to accept it.

Research Methods

The team would collect primary sources through observations in the hotel and interviews with frontline employees will be conducted to understand how they address the problems faced.

Our teammate, Riley, has encountered negative feedback given by a guest when she was working in the hotel during her internship. Initially, she found it difficult to accept the negative feedback as she felt that it was not entirely her fault. However, after the incident, she managed to get some advice from her seniors at work. Some of the solutions listed above was the advices given by her seniors which was relatable to her situation at that point in time. On top of that, she added ways to deal with the feedback. Therefore, the solutions suggested was extremely relevant and can be applied to the industry.  

Our research has also included relevant academic journals and articles that will be used as references to supplement our primary data.

Conclusion

The hotel industry is a challenging and fast-paced environment where employees will meet guests from all walks of life. It is essential for the employee to be able to adapt and approach feedback in a positive manner. This would allow them to improve and grow in their career ladder.

References

Kennedy, D., & Mcgarthy, D. (2015, July 28). The importance of feedback and why effective leaders will provide it and seek it. Retrieved March 17, 2017, from http://www.engineersjournal.ie/2015/07/28/importance-feedback-effective-leaders-provide-seek-it/

Kraft, D. (n.d.). What Problems Can Negative Feedback Cause on the Job? Retrieved March 17, 2017, from http://woman.thenest.com/problems-can-negative-feedback-cause-job-15087.html

Saedon, H., Saleh, S., Balakrishnan, A., Imray, C. H., & Saedon, M. (2012, May 2). The role of feedback in improving the effectiveness of workplace based assessments: a systematic review. Retrieved March 17 , 2017, from https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6920-12-25

Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2014). Feedback: The Powerful Paradox. ZengerFolkman. Retrieved from http://zengerfolkman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ZF-Feedback-The-Powerful-Paradox.pdf



Team members: Riley and Sheena

Project Synopsis Draft

Project Synopsis (First Draft)

The interpersonal communication identified is how employees receive and respond to negative feedback from their superior. It is common in any organization to provide feedback to their employees such as through performance appraisals.  Regardless of the career stage, receiving negative feedback may not be the most pleasant feeling. Different employees take feedback differently. Some may view it as an opportunity to learn and grow, whereas some may view it as a personal attack. Everyone will receive at least one negative feedback in their life. However, how you handle it, is what makes you stand out from the others and defines your character.

Project’s Thematic Focus

The focus of the intercommunication problem is in a hotel context. In a hotel, there are many interactions ongoing in the lobby. There will be instances when an employee receives feedback from the superior in the guest's’ presence. A front-line employee of the hotel had been facing grooming issues and is not performing up to the hotel’s standard. The duty manager had been observing this employee for months and given numerous feedbacks to her.

On one occasion, the employee did a wrong check-in for a guest whereby the room was assigned to an existing staying guest. The duty manager reprimanded her while she was serving the guest. The employee felt embarrassed in front of the guest but managed to suppress her emotions. However, the duty manager was still not pleased with her actions even though she had made an effort to change in both situations. It is also the period of conducting performance appraisal. The employee was then given a negative feedback in her appraisal on the above mentioned issues which led her to be demoralised and having thoughts of resigning. If this continues, the hotel may face high employee turnover if the employee does not know how to deal with such feedback in a positive mindset.

The challenge that employees faced is to respond to the negative feedback given the different situations in a hotel. The ability of handling the feedback sets them apart in their way of learning and developing in the organisation. According to a survey conducted by Zenger and Folkman, 96 percent of the respondents mentioned that when negative feedback is delivered and received appropriately, it is effective at improving performance. Hence, it is important that the manager substantiate with reasons behind the negative feedback and the implications as a result of the employee’s actions.

Nature of project’s professional importance

In today’s hospitality industry, service is not the core drive for revenue. New factors such as experience and quality of engagement also contributes to the satisfaction of the guests. Therefore, communication is at utmost importance and is inevitable. Employees faces communication in all areas of their work phases, be it in the frontlines or at the backend operations. Hence, it is important to surface the potential communication issues in this area.

As the industry is driven by sales and experience, feedbacks are valued. Therefore, it is crucial to point out the various responses employees could have when receiving feedback. As what was mentioned above, we will be focusing on the responses to feedback from the upper management.

Objective and scope of study (Missing)

As

Proposed data collection (Missing)

Collectively, we will………….

Potential Solutions

As mentioned, the company may face major challenges such as high turnover and employee dissatisfaction if their employee do not have the right mindset to deal with negative feedback. The solution proposed for this problem have to be long-term rather than a short-lived one whereby it has to solve the root cause of the problem. In order to do that, the employee have to understand the concept of feedback. A feedback is given so that an individual will know if their behaviour was good or bad, it is not a personal attack. It is simply allowing the individual to know if he or she should continue what he is doing now or to change that undesirable action. It all leads down to understanding where the other party is coming from.  

The proposed solution will be in the following ways:

1. Listen carefully and don’t react first - This is to ensure that the you understand what the criticism is about first before reacting. Do not get defensive and give yourself some time to absorb the feedback.
2. Assess the feedback - Is the feedback a fact or just an opinion from the others? Being able to differentiate between an opinion and fact will allow you to respond effectively and comprehend the situation more clearly. Also, check if the feedback is accurate, have you really done such a thing? Evaluate the feedback objectively.
3. Ask for time to think - Thank the person for his feedback before confirming with him that you understand his concerns and that you would like to get back to him at a later time. Also, add on to ask him if there is anything else he would like to let you know. This shows that you take his concerns seriously and will ensure there’s nothing left unsaid. By asking for time to consider,  it helps you to defuse the emotional load and put yourself in the person’s shoes to see where he is coming from. Furthermore, even if it is hard to understand from the person’s point of view, you can seek out friends or family members to get alternate opinions.
4. Understand it but don’t dwell on it - After having the opportunity to think and discuss with others, understand the feedback that the person gave and get an understanding on what you have to work on. Use this opportunity to think about all the ways in which you can improve your behavior and attitude. After working through your feelings, let the negativity go by remembering that it is just your job and it does not correlate your value as a human being
5. Apologise and clarify - Head back to the person and apologise to him. Let him know that you know that you have done wrong, how you have felt as well as what you could have done better. The other person will appreciate the effort you took to analyse the problem as well as you are clear as to what are the next steps to take to get rid of that negative attitude or behaviour.
6. Use it to make yourself better - Negative feedback may be positive as the person wants you to become better and allows you to have opportunities to grow. Even though such feedback might not be pleasant to hear, it gives us another perspective to consider. Remember that it is how you handle negative feedback from others which makes you stand out from the crowd. Therefore, whenever you receive a negative feedback, process it, think about what you can learn from it and move on.

Benefits to the workplace

Every company seeks to create a culture whereby feedback can be shared and received effectively. The benefits of an improved feedback system would bring long-term benefits to the company which includes higher employee engagement, job satisfaction and lower turnover.  

Conclusion (Missing)

Reflection

An interpersonal communication problem I have encountered would be my recent experience as a housekeeping coordinator. This role requires multi-tasking and good communication skills which was challenging for a first-timer. The guests’ request would come through via the telephone or by the operator. The operator’s role is to answer calls when any department’s telephone line is engaged. The housekeeping and operator communicate via Skype where guests’ request would be posted. As a coordinator, once we received the requests, we had to acknowledge and reply within five minutes.

There was once when many requests flooded the chat on Skype and I overlooked one of the requests which resulted in a guest incident. The operator sent a few requests at the same time and I only gave one reply when I should have acknowledged each individual message. Unfortunately, one of the requests was to clean a particular room as soon as possible as the guest was feeling sick and needed rest. Half an hour later, the operator called and mentioned that the guest had requested for the room to be cleaned up half an hour ago but did not see any room attendant.  

I realized the importance of communicating clearly with others be it online or offline. The possible root causes identified were; the operator did not ensure that all requests sent to housekeeping was recorded and on my part, I overlooked the message as I was occupied with other matters at the same time. Hence, I regretted not being observant and replied only once out of convenience. Through this incident, I felt apologetic towards the guest. How should I make amends to the guest? What should I have done to ensure that the overlooked message was received?

Revised on 20/2/17

Commented on:
Michelle
Joey

Personal Branding

Question: Ultimate review: How do each of these areas connect to your personal branding?

The areas covered such as the body language, tone and emotions affects how you portray yourself to an external party. For instance, if you are applying for a job,  it is important to note that your non-verbal cues will also impact other's decision in hiring you. We need to be aware of our actions and behaviors be it online or offline as this will also affect people's perception of us. In terms of social media, we need to know what we should and should not do or it might bring down our reputation and how people perceive us. 

In order to make improvements, we should also interact with people so that we can identify our strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, we have to be open to feedback and also take it as a learning opportunity.  Therefore, having a good personal branding will make you stand out from others and eventually build confidence.

_________________________________________________________________________________

(Edited & Updated on 8 February 2017)

In my opinion, personal branding refers to how well you know yourself in order to portray a good image to others. Throughout the sharing session, there are several areas that I have identified and should improve on.

Firstly, one of the takeaways is having a high IQ does not necessary translate to a high EQ. Being a university student, I am very concerned with the grades that I get as it tells me how much effort I have put in. However, being too focused on grades may neglect or distance relationships. Hence, I feel that I should also put in more effort in building interpersonal relationships with people around me. This is a very important aspect in the workplace. For instance, a person can be promoted to be a manager based on his outstanding results but have problems managing people. Therefore, working on my EQ would allow me to be a better team player in the prospective organization. 

Secondly, I should also work on my non-verbal communication skills. I have an issue maintaining eye contact when I am engaged in a conversation or during presentation. Personally, I feel nervous when the audience maintain their eye contact at my presentation. It makes me worried when they give puzzled facial expressions. However, after going through various presentation experience coupled with observing other students’ presentations made me realized that eye contact is important to show your fullest attention to the presenter.

Lastly, the 7Cs is also an important aspect of communication. I think it is a challenge for me to fulfill all the seven criteria. In writing reports or presentation, I will definitely miss out on some of the criteria such as being correct. This meant that it should be free from grammatical or vocabulary errors which I am not confident and still in the process of learning to make changes.

These are the main areas that I should improve on and will add value to my personal branding, which eventually builds up my confidence level. 

Formal email: Self Introduction

To: Brad

From: Sharon Loo

Date: 14 January 2017

Subject: Self Introduction

Dear Brad

My name is Sharon and I graduated from Nanyang Polytechnic with a diploma in business management, specializing in human resource. I am currently pursuing my degree in bachelor in hospitality business at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). 

The reason for pursuing a specialized degree was that I enjoy the process of interacting with people from different backgrounds. It gives me a sense of satisfaction when I resolved problems that they encountered. Having prior experience in the retail sector and hotel industry has given me many learning opportunities and helped me in choosing my future career path. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to intern in the housekeeping department at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore ,which was the most challenging yet best experience. My responsibilities include cleaning rooms, checking rooms and being a housekeeping coordinator. I had to work with various departments in the hotel, and this made me realized the importance of communication. There was once when I overlooked a message sent by another department, which resulted in a guest incident. Since then, I paid more attention when a message is communicated to me.

These past experiences has also allowed me to discover my strengths and weaknesses. Being a housekeeping coordinator, I have developed effective listening skills and portrayed non-verbal cues to others when I am engaged with a guest. However, I tend to get nervous during presentations and this affects my delivery of the content to the audience. In the form of writing, mistakes such as grammar, tenses and limited vocabulary becomes a barrier when writing a good report or article. 

Hence, I hope that I would be able to increase my knowledge in communication through consistent efforts in reading, writing and speaking.

Thank you.

Regards

Sharon Loo

Revised on 23 January 2017 

Commented on : Alicia , Joey, Leon