Self-Assessment in a Group

Self-Assessment in a Group

Recent experiences with a team project more clearly demonstrated my general strengths and weaknesses when working with a group of people. The particular team research project involved investigating a small internet advertising company with three Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and forty employees. Our main tasks can be divided into three significant categories: finances, interpersonal relationships, and specific tasks. For example, we determined the monetary feasibility of the company, taking into account salary levels, benefits packages and bonuses for employees, as well as turnover rates. We also analyzed interactions inside and outside of the office as well as the feedback and performance appraisals given by employees. Finally, we investigated the distribution of tasks and clients and examined the type of direction in which the company was headed.

We held several team meetings to discuss our research projects. One of my strongest points was an excellent attendance level. Because I am motivated and genuinely interested in the research project, I have no trouble attending meetings. I made sure that my schedule was flexible and I prioritized my time around the meetings. Part of this is because I feel a sense of duty and obligation toward the group. I know that each member's level of participation is required for the best results.

Another one of my strengths lies in the fact that I try my best to listen intently to others, taking into account their opinions and suggestions for our course of action. However, herein rests one of my weaknesses: I listen more than I speak. Good listening skills are essential for teamwork, collaboration, and cooperation, but so is a display of initiative. Because I am an international student, English is my second language. This language barrier and related cultural barriers have made me shy in regards to group interactions. I am intimidated by the prospect of volunteering information or opinions because I cannot always articulate myself as well as my peers. However, I need to learn that I do have enough command of the language to at least get my point across. Many of my teammates have tried to encourage me to speak up because they know that I have some valuable input. I need to try to overcome my shyness in group settings and better contribute to the functioning of the group. Sometimes my being quiet comes across as not caring about the project or as being socially aloof. I understand that this is unproductive and not good in a team environment, and also not good for business negotiations in general.

However, I was able to perform a significant amount of work and contribute this work to the group project. We researched the small internet advertising company in regards to monetary, relationship, and task-oriented productivity. Our team is currently in the stage of devising the questions to ask the CEOs and employees. We came up with the following ideas.

For monetary efficiency, we looked at salary levels, benefits packages, bonuses offered, turnover rate, and sign on rate. These things are important to the running of the company because they each affect the bottom line. However, they also affect employee morale. When we interview the employees of the company, we can ascertain whether or not the employees are satisfied with their salary, benefit packages, and bonus offerings. When we interview the CEOs, we can determine whether or not their assessment of the financial state of the company is reasonable. We can also ask if their rates of pay and their offerings of benefits and bonuses is conducive to a harmonious work environment.

Also important in our research and evaluation of this company is the relationships between employees at all levels of the corporate hierarchy. We will determine whether or not employees interact outside the office, and if they do, what the quality of this interaction is. We will also investigate inter-office communications and determine whether or not the company is committed to diversity. We will question the feedback offered from employees to see how the company is received by the people who work there. This will enable us to determine how the CEOs and the employees relate to one another and if the relationships are equitable. Furthermore, our investigation of relationship issues within the company will require us to examine performance appraisals given by different employees.

Task is the third category we will be investigating. We will examine the direction that the company is taking and determine whether or not the company has set reasonable task-oriented goals. As a group, we will have to determine whether what the company is doing is productive. Moreover, we will have to ascertain what in specific the CEOs have in mind as far as the long-term goals of the company are. Throughout this part of the research project, we will investigate the clients of the company and measure its approach toward its clients. For this part of the research project, I did manage to ask some questions because I did not fully understand some of the items we were investigating. Therefore, I am making improvements in my ability to speak up at meetings. Still, this is my main weakness and I hope that during the course of our group project that I am able to participate more.