Analyze the importance of adjusting individual behavior as it relates to personal and professional goals.
Scenario
You are a member of a high-functioning team and want to apply for an open management position. Part of the interviewing process involves you reflecting on your own behavioral growth and development in order to demonstrate your commitment to relating to others while achieving personal and professional goals. To do this, you need to identify two different situations that indicate a focus/change needed to make others want to work with you as their manager. One situation needs to be a positive experience while the second is a negative experience.
Instructions
Create a presentation (i.e. PowerPoint, Visio, YouTube, Screen-cast-o-matic, Prezi, etc.) based on your self-awareness of your behaviors in the workplace and based on each situation you identified for self-awareness. Your presentation will need to include:
Details or background on the two situations identified (positive and negative).
For each situation, discuss what non-verbal cues were given or used.
For each situation, explain what the outcomes were.
For each situation, determine what tools could be used to make improvements (i.e. listening more, empathy, more information, etc.).
Full Answer Section
Outcome:
I approached the engineer and asked him if he was okay. He told me that he was feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of the product launch. I offered to help him with his workload and to listen to him if he needed to talk. I also encouraged him to take breaks and to relax outside of work.
The engineer appreciated my support, and he started to open up to me more. He was more likely to participate in meetings and to share his ideas. He also started to relax and smile more. The team's morale improved, and we were able to successfully launch the product on time.
Negative Situation
Background:
I was working on a project with a colleague who was known for being difficult to work with. He was often critical of other people's work and was not very helpful. One day, we were working on a presentation together, and he started to criticize my work. I felt frustrated and angry, and I started to argue with him.
Non-Verbal Cues:
During the argument, I raised my voice and made eye contact with him. I also crossed my arms and frowned.
Outcome:
The argument escalated, and we both ended up saying things that we regretted. We were not able to finish the presentation together, and we had to ask for help from our manager.
Reflection and Learning
In the positive situation, I was able to build a stronger relationship with my colleague by being supportive and understanding. I was also able to help him to improve his performance. In the negative situation, I let my emotions get the best of me, and I ended up damaging my relationship with my colleague.
I have learned from both of these experiences. In the future, I will try to be more mindful of my body language and tone of voice when communicating with others. I will also try to avoid arguing with people, even if they are being difficult.
How I Will Apply This to My Management Style
As a manager, I will strive to create a positive and supportive work environment. I will encourage my team members to collaborate with each other and to share their ideas. I will also be mindful of my own behavior and body language. I will avoid being critical and judgmental, and I will always try to be helpful and understanding.
I believe that by adjusting my individual behavior, I can become a more effective manager and help my team to achieve our goals.
Conclusion
Adjusting individual behavior is important for both personal and professional goals. By being self-aware of our behaviors and making adjustments as needed, we can build stronger relationships with others, improve our communication skills, and become more effective leaders.
Sample Answer
Introduction
Adjusting individual behavior is important for both personal and professional goals. By being self-aware of our behaviors and making adjustments as needed, we can build stronger relationships with others, improve our communication skills, and become more effective leaders.
Positive Situation
Background:
I was a member of a team that was working on a new product launch. The team was under a lot of pressure, and there was some tension among the team members. One day, I noticed that one of the team members, who was a very talented engineer, was starting to withdraw from the team. He was less likely to participate in meetings and seemed to be less engaged in his work.
Non-Verbal Cues:
I could tell that the engineer was feeling stressed and withdrawn by his body language. He was often hunched over and avoided eye contact. He also stopped smiling and laughing as much as he used to.