Saturday, April 8, 2017

Critical Reflection

Career & Professional Development II module has officially come to an end. Now, it is time to look back and reflect on our 13 weeks journey. 

Throughout these 13 weeks of Career & Professional Development classes, I have grown a lot in terms of my writing and interpersonal skills. Through the blog posts, I was able to express my thoughts and feelings, and at the same time, receive constructive feedback from both Brad and classmates on how to improve. Also, the constant sharing of thoughts in class and mock presentations have prepared me for my final presentation. From being jittery in front of a crowd, I gained more confidence and managed to maintain eye contact when presenting.

As always, it has been a joy working with Hazel and Jenson. Having previously worked on many video filming and projects together, our teamwork was impeccable. As the three of us are from the MICE specialization, the video concept was easily conceived as it was a topic that is most relevant to us. Filming the video was a fun experience as we could showcase both the serious and funny sides of us. In our video, we managed to showcase several aspects of the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument; collaborating, compromising and also competing. Applying these concepts in our project certainly helped me to reinforce my memory on what I have learned in class.  

All these communication skills have better equipped me for my upcoming IWSP internship. Not forgetting what I have learned in class, I would be able apply my knowledge into practical use. In addition, our video further reinforced how I should behave in order to ace as a MICE professional, as I would then be interning at a MICE company.

With that, thank you Brad for your teachings! I certainly learned a lot from you! 

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Project Synopsis Final Draft

Introduction


Today, the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry of Singapore continues to thrive, propelled by Asia’s steady economic growth.

In the MICE industry, networking is equivalent to our net worth. In the course of work, communicating and interacting with different stakeholders such as colleagues in the company, service providers, clients and government agencies is inevitable. Generally, first impressions are easily formed through various business interactions. These may be positive or negative. Some instances of creating good first impressions include giving friendly smiles, making eye contact, presenting a well-groomed image of oneself as well as projecting enthusiastic and confident attitude when approaching potential clients or other professionals.

However, as compared to positive first impressions, negative impressions often linger the longest. What appeals to one person may not apply to another. Hence, it is highly recommended to comprehend the different negative impressions that may be intentionally or unintentionally cultivated across various circumstances, and avoid them as best as possible.

Therefore, to successfully continue building positive work relationships without being a subject of negative impression, business professionals should be equipped with the fundamental social etiquette when communicating with the various MICE stakeholders (Management Study Guide (MSG), 2017).

Problem Identification


Working in the MICE industry requires meeting different stakeholders in the industry. Stakeholders include clients, venue providers, meeting planners, attendees, and even colleagues within the company. However, MICE professionals often forget the importance of manners and etiquette in the way they present and express themselves.

Often, social etiquette is slighted in situations where MICE professionals become overly familiar with their clients or other stakeholders, stepping beyond implicit boundaries or even in situations where individuals are not being trained on how to professionally portray themselves. Additionally, the lack of social etiquette can be attributed to personal nonchalance or personal focus on other goals such as reaching sales targets.

As a MICE professional, such neglect may lead to the development of an unfavourable reputation and lost business opportunities. Hence, observing social etiquette plays a key role in this people-oriented industry.

Objective of Study


Etiquette is what sets human beings apart. The aim of this study is to explore the key types of etiquette in the MICE industry. Types of etiquette to be covered are: social etiquette, meeting etiquette, email etiquette, eating etiquette and business etiquette.

Through this study, the importance of etiquette and education of future MICE professionals on the proper mannerisms to observe when working in the industry will be illustrated.

Potential Solutions/ Implementation for Problem Resolution


A survey conducted across 40 professional services firm by Kessler International outlined the state of workplace manners, etiquette and ethics. Through this survey, it was found out that 84% of respondents indicated that staff was inconsiderate and rude in the workplace. In addition, 56% of respondents felt that staff lack moral ethics (Kessler International, 2017). Therefore, despite many MICE professionals being in the industry for a long period of time, there is an existing knowledge gap as many of them are oblivious to such necessary workplace etiquette. 

Social Etiquette – Observing the way one act in public is important so as to not offend or annoy people. Showing respect by not stereotyping is recommended, and you may even charm the other party as a result. For example, one should always ask when in doubt, and not cast assumptions on to a person based on his or her demographics or psychographics.

Meeting Etiquette – At meetings, it is important to be respectful towards the speaker. Always pay full attention to what the other person has to say and switch off your phone to silent mode to avoid distractions or disruptions (Barker, 2016).

Email Etiquette – Upon having conflicts, one should never get “email angry” by expressing anger or disparaging others through emails. An email correspondence lasts forever and once an email is sent, it could never be retracted. Instead, one should calm down and talk it out face-to-face to resolve the conflict (Hubb, 2017).

Business Etiquette – In the MICE industry, ethics is important to create a reputation. It may be tough at times and one may think of different ways in order to secure the business. However, always be ethical so as to maintain long term relationships with stakeholders. For example, one should not offer sexual favours just to seal the deal. Instead, one should negotiate based on their capabilities (PCMA, n.d.). 

Eating Etiquette – During networking lunches, no matter how hungry you are or how appetising the food may be, observing table manners is important. Never talk with your mouth full or take from others’ plate. Food is not the priority, establishing relationships at the table is the key to seal the deal (Barker, 2016).

Still, the crux of obtaining the wisdom of proper workplace etiquette is in fact, through continuous learning and observation in the workplace, picking up organisation cultural norms in the process.

Data Collection/ Research Method


Both primary and secondary sources were utilised to collect the relevant data. Primary sources were utilised predominantly, citing direct observation methods and personal interviews with the career services faculty for inputs. 

During a personal interview with Ms Kelly Chan from the career services faculty, she elaborated on the different aspects to take note of when individuals are engaging in networking sessions. During internship, personal experiences in the workplace such as company culture and email etiquette were observed. 

To effectively illustrate the relevant workplace scenarios, additional secondary sources such as relevant trade publications or online articles were utilised to supplement and support the information provided. 

Benefits


The different acceptable approaches to various prevalent MICE work scenarios will help and enable a MICE professional to portray oneself in a responsible manner acceptable in the industry.

Being in a people-oriented industry, learning how to behave like a hospitality MICE professional will earn a person respect, appreciation and individual network value. The way each individual behaves and interacts with industry stakeholders reflects the company’s reputation. In addition, this speaks a lot about one’s upbringing and background. Therefore, displaying positive etiquette in diverse scenarios such as meeting, social and business will also help an individual to frame a lasting and favourable first impression, which is beneficial to any MICE professional when dealing with different stakeholders in this industry. Etiquette inculcates a feeling of trust and loyalty in individuals as one will seem more responsible and mature, therefore, assisting in establishing long term relationships (Williams, 2017). 

Concluding Thoughts


The MICE industry is a dynamic and people-oriented business where various stakeholders gather and establish professional relationships every day. Knowing how to carry oneself as a MICE professional when dealing with the different stakeholders will help one to go a long way in building professional networks and career development.

To conclude, etiquette transforms a man into a gentleman, and a woman into a fine lady. An appropriate attitude and etiquette will definitely make a MICE professional stronger and be respected by everyone that he or she come into contact with.

References


Barker, H. (2016). Etiquette of Event Planners - Things You Should and Should Not Do. Event Manager Blog. Retrieved 4 March 2017, from http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/etiquette-of-event-planners

Chron. (2017). Benefits of professional business etiquette. Chron. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-professional-business-etiquette-68902.html


Kessler International. (2017). Survey shows workplace etiquette and ethics lacking in workplace. Retrieved from https://investigation.com/2015/01/08/survey-shows-workplace-etiquette-and-ethics-lacking-in-workplace/

Management Study Guide. (2017). Etiquette - meaning, its need and types of etiquettes. Retrieved from http://www.managementstudyguide.com/what-is-etiquette.htm 

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). (n.d.). Principles of Professional and Ethical Conduct. Retrieved from http://www.pcma.org/docs/pcma-defined-docs/code_of_ethics.pdf?sfvrsn=0

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Project Synopsis Draft #1

Introduction


Today, the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry of Singapore continues to thrive, propelled by Asia’s steady economic growth.

In the MICE industry, networking is equivalent to our net worth. In the course of work, communicating and interacting with different stakeholders such as colleagues in the company, service providers, clients and government agencies is inevitable. Generally, first impressions are easily formed through various business interactions, which may be positive or negative.

Setting positive first impressions aside, negative impressions often linger the longest. What appeals to one person may not apply to another, hence it is mandatory to comprehend the different negative impressions that may be intentionally or unintentionally cultivated across various circumstances, and avoid them as best as possible.

Therefore, to continuing successfully building positive work relationships without being a subject of negative impression, business professionals should be equipped with the fundamental social etiquette when communicating with the various MICE stakeholders.

Problem Identification


Working in the MICE industry requires meeting different stakeholders in the industry. Stakeholders include clients, venue providers, meeting planners, attendees, and even colleagues within the company. However, we often forget the importance of manners and etiquette in the way we present and express ourselves.

Often, social etiquette could be slighted in situations where MICE professionals become overtly familiar with their clients or other stakeholders, stepping beyond implicit boundaries or even in situations where the individual is not being trained on how to professionally portray themselves. Additionally, the lack of social etiquette could be attributed to personal nonchalance or personal focus on other goals such as reaching sales targets.

As a MICE professional, such neglect may lead to the development of an unfavourable reputation and may even lead to lost business opportunities.

Objective of Study


Etiquette is what sets human beings aparts. The aim of this study is to explore the different types of etiquette – specifically in the MICE industry. Types of etiquette to be covered are: social etiquette, corporate etiquette, meeting etiquette, email etiquette, eating etiquette and business etiquette.

Social etiquette is the most basic and of utmost importance as it teaches everyone how to behave in the society. At work, one should observe corporate etiquette in order to maintain the decorum of the organization. When attending meetings, one should observe meeting etiquette and listen to what the other person has to say by paying attention. Email etiquette is the key to effective communication, and a reflection of one’s reputation. At networking lunches, cultured individuals must follow eating etiquette and observe table manners while dining in public. Lastly, every company should observe business etiquette by having ethics when it comes to ways to doing business.

Through this study, the team hopes to instil the importance of etiquette and educate future MICE professionals on the proper mannerisms to observe when working in the industry in future.

Potential Solutions/ Implementation for Problem Resolution


To address this problem, the team will be producing a five-minute video of six scenarios featuring the different types of etiquette. Each scene will highlight the do’s and don’ts, highlighting to the audience the aspects to avoid and the correct way to present themselves instead.

Social Etiquette – Observing the way one act in public is important so as to not offend or annoy people. Showing respect by not stereotyping is the way to go – and you may even charm them.

Meeting EtiquetteAt meetings, it is important to be respectful towards the speaker. Always pay full attention to what the other person has to say and switch off your phone to avoid distractions or disruptions.

Email EtiquetteUpon having conflicts, one should never get “email angry” by expressing anger or disparaging others through emails. An email correspondence lasts forever and once an email is sent, it could never be retracted. Instead, one should calm down and talk it out face-to-face to resolve the conflict.

Business Etiquette – In the MICE industry, ethics is important to create a reputation. It may be tough at times and one may think of different ways in order to secure the business. However, always be ethical so as to maintain long term relationships with stakeholders.

Eating Etiquette During networking lunches, no matter how hungry you are or how appetising the food may be, observing table manners is important. Never talk with your mouth full or take from others’ plate. Food is not the priority, establishing relationships at the table is the key to seal the deal.

Corporate EtiquetteAn event could not succeed without teamwork, therefore, in the MICE industry, knocking off from work on the dot is a big taboo. Instead, one should help others out so everyone can end work earlier.

The video could also serve as an educational video for future Career & Professional Development modules – educating students about personal branding and interpersonal communication. The benefits of utilising the video keeps students engaged with relatable scenarios, accompanied with light humour.

Proposed Data Collection/ Research Method


Both primary and secondary sources were utilised to collect the relevant data. Primary sources were utilised predominantly, citing direct observation methods and personal interview with the career services faculty for inputs.Other additional secondary sources to supplement and support the data were from relevant trade publications or online articles.

Benefits


The different acceptable approaches to various prevalent MICE work scenarios will help and enable a MICE professional to portray oneself in a responsible manner acceptable in the industry.

Being in a people-oriented industry, learning how to behave like a hospitality MICE professional will earn respect, appreciation and individual network value. The way each individual behave and interact with industry stakeholders speaks a lot about one’s upbringing and background. Therefore, displaying positive etiquettes in diverse aspects such as meeting, social and business will also help an individual to frame a lasting and favourable first impression, which is beneficial to any MICE professional when dealing with different stakeholders in this industry. Etiquette inculcates a feeling of trust and loyalty in individuals as one will seem more responsible and mature, therefore, assisting in establishing long term relationships.

Concluding Thoughts


The MICE industry is a dynamic and people-oriented business where various stakeholders gather and establish professional relationships every day. Knowing how to carry out oneself as a MICE professional when dealing with the different stakeholders will help one to go a long way in building professional networks and career development.

To conclude, etiquette transforms a man into a gentleman.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Letter for Service Recovery

Dear Mr. Bennert,

Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to know that you have been caught in such a situation. I believe that this is a not a usual scenario in *insert resort name*. Your concern regarding the facility has been forwarded to the relevant departments and they are currently working on the issue. We pride ourselves in responding to customers'concerns very quickly, so what you have experienced is inexcusable.

On behalf of my front office team, I sincerely apologise for your unpleasant experience. I have informed my Director of Rooms about this incident and we will be sure to look into this matter. Meanwhile, we would like to offer you free breakfast for you and your family on your next stay with *insert resort name*. With this, I would like to trouble you to provide me with the name of check-in staff so we could take the necessary actions.

We will make every effort to see that this never happens again. We appreciate your business and definitely hope to serve you again in *insert resort name*.

Thank You.

Yours sincerely,

Sze Min Ng
*insert resort name*
Guest Service Agent- Front Office 

(178 words)

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Submission 2: Reflection - Interpersonal Communication Problem

An interpersonal communication problem I came across was a complaint case phone call during my internship experience. As I was working in a community centre, the office phone is often busy with calls. Being an intern in the programs department (where we plan and execute events), I was not trained to handle complaint calls and often direct them to the full-timers. However, this happened on one fine day where there were multiple ongoing events and hence, I was the only one left in the office together with my Indian colleague. 

The phone rang, I picked it up. It was from a lady who called to complain about her neighbor. As I was not taught how to handle such cases since they belong to the residents’ committee team, I decided to direct the call to my Indian colleague. A while later, she returned the call to me as the resident do not understand English and could only speak Mandarin. 

The entire ranting session began as soon as I took over the call. The lady went on and on to complain about her dispute with a neighbor whom she has a conflict with for several years. At first, I was sympathetic to hear her story and suggested that she go for a neighbors' mediation session or escalate her case to the MP.

Despite offering her solutions, she kept saying that she had tried lots of methods but to no avail. She was inconsolable and fearful of her neighbor as he seemed like a bully. Being untrained on how to resolve such situations, I could only listen to her and try to appease her that I will do my best in helping her by escalating the case to my superior.  

At that point in time, I had work to do and yet I was on the phone with the lady for almost an hour. When the call finally ended, I felt so relieved as my hands were cramping up from holding the phone for so long. Even after that day, I was so afraid that the lady might call back and ask for me.

Up till now, I wonder. If this situation happens again, could I have handled this case differently? How could I calm her down asap and end the call nicely so I could return to my work?  

Friday, February 10, 2017

Developing my personal branding

To me, I feel that personal branding is very important as it affects the way people perceive you. Let’s be honest, everybody judge, but whether people see us in a positive or negative light depends on how we present ourselves. As it only takes seven seconds to form an impression, having self-awareness is of utmost importance as being aware of how we need to behave in front of others will certainly depict our words and actions. Often, because of my introverted self, I tend to be conscious and take note of my speech and actions when conversing with people that I just met.

Sure, having a higher self-esteem will help me in exuding an air of confidence. However, I do believe that non-verbals such as facial expression and eye contact would often make and break that first impression. This is one weakness of mine which I would like to work on as I am still not as comfortable with maintaining eye contact with people.  

I always believe that everyone has an ideal self that they want to be. For me, as I am more of an introvert when it comes to meeting new people in a large group, I do wish to step out of my comfort zone and be someone that is more extroverted at times.

Communication wise, I play a more of the supportive role for both work and socially. I believe that having a supportive climate will allow everyone to feel that they are equal, where nobody are superior to anyone. In this case, ideas would come more freely as there are no communication barriers.

Everyone have their own strengths and weaknesses, and that is what makes a person unique. Therefore, a personal brand is what differentiates us from others. Nobody is perfect and I too, am on my way to developing my own personal brand. 

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Submission 1: Formal Email - Self Introduction

To: Brad Blackstone
From: Sze Min Ng
Date: January 17, 2017
Subject: Self Introduction

Dear Brad,

I hope that this email finds you well. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Ng Sze Min, a year two hospitality business student from your Career Professional Development II Seminar Group 3. Prior to entering Singapore Institute of Technology, I graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a diploma in business studies specializing in pure marketing.

Unlike my peers who come from hospitality backgrounds, I do not have much experience working in the hotel and tourism industry. However, I have a passion for planning events. Therefore, I am currently pursuing a specialization in the MICE track. During my industry attachment last year, I interned under People’s Association where I was attached to the programs department in Woodgrove Constituency Office. Throughout the four months internship, I gained valuable experiences in planning events for the community and met people from all walks of life. I was also given the opportunity to spearhead my own event and was involved in planning and execution of National Day Dinner Celebrations.

Communication style wise, I feel that I am more of an active listener than a speaker. I am more comfortable in writing to express my thoughts, which explains my creating a personal blog to jot my experiences as a memory book to look back in the future. However, I am still lacking in terms of oral presentation skills. When it comes to presenting in front of a large crowd, I still feel nervous and tend to tense up which leads me to forgetting my content at times. However, I felt that this weakness of mine could be overcome with practice coupled with self-confidence.

Understanding my style of communication allows me to work on my weaknesses and focus on my strengths. Therefore, I would continue to work on honing my oral communication skills so as to make effective presentations in future.

Yours Sincerely,
Sze Min Ng