Self Reflection

Self     Reflection

Preface

Collaboration is working with each other to do a task. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, (this is more than the intersection of common goals seen in co-operative ventures, but a deep, collective, determination to reach an identical objective) — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature — by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus. Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group. In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.

Although we have many group works and cooperation opportunities in other classes during the whole year, High Performance Collaboration really helps me apply what we have learned into practice among different class discussions as well as different assignments. There is not only formal type of collaboration, but also novel and original forms. I benefit a lot from this course and experience types of collaborations.

Team Practices and Processes

Our team has three members, and we are also very good friends in private. Actually we can communicate with each other at school or by telephone. With the evening partner, we use Wechat, the APP chat software, to contact each other. Talking about our communication channel, we should have many thanks for our evening partners. At beginning, the evening team sends email to decide what tool we used to communicate. And they are really respectful for our team to ask what we want to use. After two emails’ negotiation, we decide to use Wechat due to some technical reasons. Since we are inhibited to meet face to face, we hold the meetings on Wechat. Usually, we send messages at least once a week to communicate and share information with each other. Because the evening teammates are local people and they all have working experience, meetings between us are kind of formal. But in our own teams, we do like a relaxed and free group meeting. Sometimes, some jokes might motivate us to think out innovative ideas.

Before starting the final project, we both have our own ideas. They send us email about their opinions and ask for any question and suggestion. After our team’s internal discussion, we still insist on our own ideas, and then we reply them with our viewpoints and the reasons why we disagree with their ideas. Because both of us do not want to give up our own opinions, we decide prepare two PPTs that represent each team separately. After the presentation in class, we got the suggestions from professor. Then, we hold a discussion again that decides our final project. After discussion, we decide the clear responsibility for each team, and we three also divide the task into three parts.

I am appreciated that the evening partner always helps us understand what we doubt patiently. Also, in our team, we would help each other when facing any problems. We all share the resources and information to make the final project more successful. Actually, I think we really collaborate well, though there are some dissensions occasionally.

Reflections

Through this course and the collaboration between the evening group and us, I am very appreciated that I really learned a lot and think a lot.

As a team, it has specific objectives or recognizable goal to be attained; the coordination among the members of the team is required for the attainment of the goal or objective. Teams can improve retention and moral, diminish threat due to skills shortage or concentration through cross-learning as well as improve the productivity and creativity. Usually, a high performing team should identify clear direction, purpose and goals at first. Then making effective and efficient operating procedures cannot be ignored. In addition, clear roles and responsibilities for each individual can make everything go smoothly. Moreover, constructive interpersonal relationships and external relationships might be an essential factor for a high performance team. When you have a harmonious relationship with your teammates, it will be easier to communicate and get along with each other. Though you have worked in a team, it does not mean that you do not come into contact with other people. Without any doubt, working as a team is more effective and productive than individuals. So you should also build good relationships with others outside your own team. In this way, you could get more help and gain greater success. Last but not least, recognition and trust among team members are very important. For instance, when your group thinks out innovative ideas, clapping for yourself and giving positive admission at this moment can really enhance the team moral. When you meet some barriers, encouragement between each other becomes more important, and it can give power to the team to overcome difficulties.

When individuals with different values, beliefs or attitudes work closely with one another, it is inevitable that conflict will rear its ugly head. It cannot be avoided that conflicts will appear when people work together. Seemingly, we have a common traditional view that conflict is bad and we do not want it happen. There are kinds of conflicts: Task Conflict—conflicts over content and goals of the work; Process Conflict—conflict over how work gets done; Relationship Conflict—conflict based on interpersonal relationships. Everything has two sides, and conflicts among collaborations are no exception. On one hand, when several parties collaborate to resolve a conflict, they openly express their concerns and work to find a mutually beneficial solution. Collaboration leads to creative problem-solving and respect amongst co-workers in an organization. This style finds the root of a problem, such as personal conflicts, and attends to the situation in the least confrontational manner of any conflict-management style. On the other hand, collaborative efforts tend to take the most time compared to other conflict resolution styles. Thus, a team leader or manager cannot use collaboration on trivial disputes or he could quickly overload himself with conflicts. In addition, members can take advantage of the mediator if they know they can always receive concessions by voicing a complaint. When facing conflicts, you should have a healthy response to it. Stay calm, respectful and identify the root cause of conflict. Communicate with each other and find ways to solve the problems. Do not forget apologize, if someone is wrong. Most important, do not let the unmeant conflicts influence the relationship among your team members.

During the collaboration with the evening group, we build a virtual community together including world peace organization and religious organization. I know nothing about the virtual organization until I started to do the final project. The term virtual organization is used to describe a network of independent firms that join together, often temporarily, to produce a service or product. Virtual organization is often associated with such terms as virtual office, virtual teams, and virtual leadership. The ultimate goal of the virtual organization is to provide innovative, high-quality products or services instantaneously in response to customer demands. The term virtual in this sense has its roots in the computer industry. When a computer appears to have more storage capacity than it really possesses it is referred to as virtual memory. Likewise, when an organization assembles resources from a variety of firms, a virtual organization seems to have more capabilities than it actually possesses. The advantages of virtual organization are cost-saving, leverage global talent, increased productivity as well as newer opportunities and so on. The challenges are that mutual trust, understanding and web technical things should be considered carefully. During the virtual collaboration experience, I get that virtual organizations need to communicate extensively through email, Internet chat and telephone. But to manage a virtual group effectively, you need to have rules for communication. Emailing everyone in the entire organization each time you need to send a message can cause a clutter of emails that will take too much time to go through. Use a company Internet message board to post messages back and forth. People can view the board on their own time and it does not take up space in the email inbox. Email and Internet chat does not allow for the emotion, facial expressions and body language that help to get meaning across in a meeting. Set up a video teleconference system for meetings or, at the least, use telephone conferencing to avoid misinterpretation of information.

Conclusions

What is high-performance? It is consistent exceptional performance that exceeds expectations, and continual improvement. After learning this course, I have grasped many theories and learning methods that I never studied before. During the collaboration with my teammates and the evening team “Alive”, I benefit a lot, although we also encounter some conflicts among the whole process. I think that what I have learned in class would be used in my future workplace, and I also believe that it can benefit and help me more than I thought now. At last, I want to thank for my instructor—Frank, my teammates—Chancy and Xiaoxiao, and the evening team partners, who really help me a lot during the whole process.

Theory without practice is sterile.

Practice without theory is blind.