SMART GOALS
SWOT Project Management
COMMUNICATION STYLE
Reflection assignment for e-portfolio:
Write down which style you tested as and give an example in your internship.
The example can be either a one time thing or general.
How would you exemplify your communication style. Explain why you think you are a specific style.
Try guessing the communication style of a colleague or supervisor you have met during your internship.
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(Currently not there, will reflect once I have one day at internship at least).
Guest Speaker - Ivana Di Leva
LISTENING
What are you learning through listening in your internship experience?
Are you managing to be open to learning new things through listening?
Based on your internship experience reflect on which ‘Active listening with skills’ come naturally to you and which are harder for you to implement.
What inspired you to develop your idea for your business?
She was always involved in sports, doing gymnastics most of her life then teaching the sport. She saw others in the field doing similar things but not exact and saw a hole in the market, from there she decided to move forward with the idea.
How have your priorities changed from when you first started and do you think self confidence and motivation influenced that change?
Based on the presentation I could infer that the priorities changed from self confidence in the idea to motivation regarding pushing the business forward.
How would you describe yourself?
The way we see someone can differ from how they see themselves, learning about our guest speaker I would say she projects a confident, educated, self starting spirit.
Today we had the privilege of listening to guest speaker, Ivana Di Leva who is not only faculty at Sant’Anna but also owns her own business called Toonado that offers active tours and adventures in Sorrento and the Amalie Coast. Di Leva was inspired to start this business because of her love for Sorrento and the Amalie Coast. This adventure tour business differs from others in the area because it was started by a local who appreciates and knows the land. Because of Di Leva’s active and explorative nature, it inspired her to show guests of Italy the beauty of her home.
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Johari Window:
Open Self- Extroverted, powerful, silly, intelligent
Blind Self- bold, idealistic, helpful
Hidden Self- complex, sentimental, nervous
Unknown Self- Reflective, searching, patient (words that reflect how I approach the unknown self.)
FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility in the Archo Club has been a key part of my learning. Working previously I have become accustom to following a strict set of rules without much flexibility. In my current position plans are outlined but loosely and can be handled a multitude of ways. This can be hard for me to adapt to because I feel the need to have all of the answers right away. Previously I was not very flexible at all and I am currently still working on not working against the grain but embracing the difference in culture. I think it will teach me new and creative ways to learn and problem solve. I hope by the end of this experience I can reflect more on my changes.
Guest Speaker - Giulia Pedretti Integrity and Professionalism
Giulia Pedretti grew up working in her family business however, it never interested her. She decided to study in London for business and realized her passion, safety in 3rd party sites in the service sector. Pedretti is an excellent example of integrity and professionalism because she not only carries herself as a knowledgeable person in her specific business, but she has won safety awards for trading and opened many branches because of her professionalism and integrity. Her business wins many awards for innovation, regarding the bracelets they made for emergencies. They also developed 3D virtual training for safety and the real risk they're facing in their jobs. She knew that integrity would provide trust between her and her customers and has allowed her business to grow because of this.
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DESCRIBE A PROBLEM YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP AND THE SOLUTION YOU FOUND BASED ON THE PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD.
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A problem I have encountered in my internship is communication and cultural norms. Sometimes not being able to fully express or communicate with coworkers or supervisors can impact my understanding of the work at hand. It can also feel isolating not understanding what people are talking about around you and not being able to have them understand your feelings or thoughts. After brainstorming on different ideas and how I felt in the situation I decided to be proactive and message my questions or thoughts by translating my English to Italian either in messages or in person. I also have gained comfortability in asking for clarity or what is going on during the internship if I am feeling isolated or confused. This has helped my relationship with my coworkers and also given me the confidence in myself to be proactive. I do see a change in my outlook on the people and internship now that I have stood up for myself and asked questions or communicated without relying on them to ask or communicate with me first. I see how I am able to come up with solutions when something isn't working.
I CAN IDENTIFY A CHANGE IN MYSELF - MY VALUES, OUTLOOKS, ATTITUTDE AND/OR ABILITIES:
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1. I experienced new cultures. One strategy that was really helpful in learning how to interact with people from another culture was: learning key phrases to interact and cultural cues and also utilizing technology to help translate what I want to say and show that I want to communicate.
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2.I have clarified what’s important to me, for instance: the internship has shown me that in my future career learning from others will be such a wonderful and valuable part of my learning and growing. I also find history and how humans have existed, learned and grown a very important part of my life and my career.
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3. I had to learn how to adapt. One change that was really hard for me to adapt to in my host culture was: The relaxed nature of the workplace. I find this valuable though because it teaches me to advocate for my work and self motivate. I also find that its nice to be trusted to complete a task without constant supervision and creates for a more resilient employee.
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4. I gained a greater perspective on global issues. One social issue (local or global) that I learned more about is: The preservation of history in Italy and how important it is to the culture. I learned how the government has a hard time getting to all the archeological sites they need to preserve and how important the work of the ArcheoClub is to preserve the history and they are trusted by the government to hold on to artifacts to preserve.
Leadership:
Which leadership skills do I have -
Problem solving
Encouragement
Public speaking
Forecasting
Teamwork
The internship experience has helped develop my leadership skills because it has helped me understand how to forecast what is needed next, understand non-verbal communication in an area where my first language is not used, and teamwork because all of our projects are focused on using the whole team in different aspects to complete the goal.
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When, where, and how have I put them to use- During my internship I must look into nonverbal cues when working because my supervisor does not speak any English and occasionally the people who translate are not there yet. However, I also want to make sure I'm following those cues even when they are. As I mentioned previously all tasks are completed as a group and each member adds a valuable key in completing our assignments.
STAR METHOD
S- While studying abroad in Italy I am interning at ArcheoClub, a non-profit organization that focuses on preserving artifacts found in specific areas of Italy.
T- During the quarter me and my co-worker were assigned 2 projects, one to make a website in English describing some of the work of ArcheoClub in the Massa Lubrense area. Unfortunately, we are only here for 3 months and some of the projects were more than could be completed in this time.
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A- Because of this time restraint we had to keep up with the tasks and be sure to ask questions in a timely manner to accomplish the goals. We also needed to set realistic expectations and goals on what we could accomplish and would eventually pass on to the next round of interns that would join the ArcheoClub.
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R- I not only developed strong time management but also skills in communication and boundaries. While we had to be sure to finish our tasks we also had to communicate with our superiors on what could be accomplished in this time.
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S- During my time in Italy I learned valuable skills one being appreciating and evaluating different cultures.
T- While here I not only worked with native Italian people but also interacted with them daily in various places, like the classroom, the grocery store, walking on the street, going to dinner and so on. Because of this I was put in situations that were unfamiliar to me with a different set of thoughts and beliefs.
A- I specifically listened and asked questions in these situations to learn about why something is handled a certain way, why it's happening, and what people would normally do. This opened my eyes to a new culture and its norms.
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R- Because of this I can appreciate some things about other cultures while also appreciating what I like about my culture. It not only helps you see how other people live and see the world but it made me evaluate my views and how I exist in the world as well.
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S- Another valuable skill I learned while studying abroad and traveling all over Europe was resilience. We are constantly traveling, seeing new places, navigating new cities, towns, public transport, etc.
T- While doing these things, it can be fun, but it was a huge challenge to not get discouraged. It was up to me to find where I needed to go, have a good time, and keep safe.
A- I made sure to check in with myself and stay in tune with what I was feeling while also staying encouraged and comfortable relying on myself.
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R- Because of this I am much more confident in my skills and I can push through difficult situations with a clearer head and not tire as easily from such event.
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Guest Speaker - Simona Gida
TIME MANAGMENT
Gida had an excellent presentation on organizational skills and time management that reflected what I have learned during my internship and classes here in Italy. One thing that really stood out to me was the suggestion to focus on being productive and not busy. The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, 20% of your actions determine the 80% of your results. During my time here we have a very busy schedule, not only with tasks for school and internship but also enriching activities to help us explore our surroundings and learn about the culture. If I did not prioritize my time and my tasks this way I wouldn't be able to make the most of my time in Italy.