From the ancient days of trading on the silk roads in China to bartering in the marketplace on the streets of Rome, communication has been the backbone of business. Over time, communication has transformed from pictorial representations and gestures to translations and conversing in spoken and written languages. Communication is an interpersonal process of sending and receiving symbols with meaning attached and is the one skill that demonstrates ability to share ideas and findings clearly in written and oral expression, and with technology utilization. As the United States and the global economy continue to transform alongside technology, communication has as well. The virtual world, provided by the internet, has been a crucial stepping stone of modifying the way humans relay information and exchange dialogue between departments, regional/global offices, and headquarters. This new virtual dimension of business/management is where many companies are at and headed toward. Instructions, guidelines, opinions, and suggestions are transmitted back and forth at the click of a mouse through e-mail, discussion boards, and chat rooms. One key ingredient to becoming a successful entrepreneur, employee, or manager is being able to communicate effectively and efficiently by means of written or oral presentations. Expressing comprehensible ideas to the opposing party and having the ability to be persuasive when needed are qualities that will move you up the ladder of success. Having the skill to communicate is a valuable and highly recognized attribute numerous managers and high officials are looking for in new recruitments.

As a child, I learned to silence myself at a young age due to being the baby in my family. My time at UCI has encouraged me to walk the path of finding who I am while advancing in higher education. Without parental supervision, I was given the opportunity to make decisions for myself and be held responsible for my actions. I have spoken with friends from high school and they have noticed my personal growth just from having a small chitchat over coffee from time to time. I am able to speak with more confidence and willing to express my opinions. The consistent atmosphere of not knowing anyone has strengthened my skill in being proactive and less fearful when it comes to meeting new people in class or at work. I can be an effective communicator about topics I am knowledgeable and passionate about. Oral presentations were projects I dreaded all throughout school and I still do from time to time. My nerves are easily rattled when I am in front of a large crowd and all the attention focused on me. Practice and attending leadership seminars have been a tremendous help in this form of communication. When I am faced with orals in class, I make sure to come prepared and have notecards to reference to just incase I begin to panic. I enjoy making powerpoint presentations and finding ways to engage and interact with the audience when I am speaking. Technology has been an asset for me. Communicating through e-mail is second nature to me and at times the method I prefer. The assertiveness questionnaire the Schermerhorn’s text revealed information that wasn’t new to me. The maximum point value in each category listed is 24 and a minimum value of 6. I scored a 9 in aggressive, 20 in passive, and 15 in assertive. I am easily intimidated and find that e-mail and any form of communication behind the face of a computer monitor makes exchanges with supervisors and peers less personal. In a written context, I am able to be more assertive and aggressive when necessary which hopefully does not offend whoever is on the opposing side. I believe I communicate my ideas or thoughts much more clearly when I have the time to evaluate and organize what I want to say.

Passivity can be judged as a strength or weakness depending on various situations. Scoring 20 out of 24 is rather high and I believe that it can be more of a weakness in light of my personal tendencies. I am inclined to stay in the background in a large setting. I have definitely not grown out of my shyness. My personal ethics regard relationships to be very valuable. The conflict management styles assessment tests show that I scored a 7 for competing, 9 for collaborating, 11 for compromising, 10 for avoiding, and 11 for accommodating. I am more of a people pleaser and try to keep the peace in tense situations. When I am faced with a daunting conflict, I do try to avoid it if possible however; if the option of reaching a compromise or accommodating resolution is available I am more than willing to make sure communication channels are clear and stay open until the final decision is accepted by all partisans. When using the internet, I try to be very precise in my writing. I have realized that I can always improve and expand my vocabulary in order to precisely pinpoint my exact thoughts and feelings. I find it difficult to give feedback, I tend to look toward the positive and strongly dislike the idea of hurting someone’s feelings. I know when I am asked to give feedback I definitely mention positives and if there are negatives, I try to mention them with suggestions on how to improve it for the next time. Confrontation is not my strongpoint and I most definitely would use technology as the means of gradually overcoming these weaknesses

I have heard the phrase “there is no ‘I’ in teamwork” many times and I believe that phrase really captures the essence of what teamwork is. On the other hand, there is an ‘I’ in imagination and creativity which begins in the individual. Teamwork is the process of people working together to accomplish common goals. The advantages of being in a nation known for being a “melting pot” of diverse races and ethnicities provides a greater window of opportunity for assorted points of view and exceptional experiences to learn from. Working in teams is a set up for great success or successful failures. It is imperative to take precautions and actions to keep a group as one while striving to hit their target. Taking various unique individuals and working together to collaborate ideas induces a realm of creativity which each member can feed off of. Even if teamwork is merely just splitting up different jobs and roles to be more efficient, the end result would not have been the same if that one person’s responsibility was missing or out of the picture.

I enjoy working in teams because I feel more comfortable in a smaller group and believe I communicate better in a more intimate setting. If I am asked to lead, I feel as though I do a better job leading a smaller group. I prefer getting to know my group members and having a smaller amount of people gives you the opportunity to do just that. As you are working alongside each other you can get to know the person’s work style and strengths easier. The Team Leader Skills and “T-P” assessment leadership pointed out that my leadership style leans more towards being task-oriented leadership however, I have a healthy sense of peopled-oriented leadership as well. I believe that developing the people in the group will tremendously help facilitate the group’s movement in the intended direction.

One thing I dislike about teamwork is that there conflicts that occur are able to pull the group apart. I am always worried that there will be a type of conflict that will be complicated to resolve and pull us away from our goals. Conflict management is very important. My personality prefers to hear both sides of the conflict and work towards a compromise to make both sides happy. In order to hear both sides, I am willing to hold meeting after meeting to resolve the issue. I am definitely a people pleaser when it comes to working in a group or for someone. I consider working in groups is excellent in reaching a common purpose but should also be able to make everyone happy and be proud of what our group has done.

However, in a group setting where there are people who inherently like to take charge, I will automatically take the back seat and be a follower. I enjoy carrying out tasks that are assigned to me and also having the freedom to go about how to complete an assigned task. There are many instances where I believe there are much more qualified, knowledgeable people than I. This mentality can be a set-back for me. People I find intimidating brings back the child in me. My fears of being judged as stupid, people laughing at my ideas, and stepping all over me makes me more determine to get involved on-campus to practice and improve my teamwork and communication skills.

Self-Management is very important and demonstrates the ability to evaluate oneself, change behavior, and meet obligations. I think it is not only important for a manager to have the ability to manage those under him/her but to manage oneself constructively at the same time. This is a skills that is essential to keeping up with the changing economy and environments that surrounds us. The good thing about being involved with different projects, whether it be academics, volunteer work, part-time jobs, it all helps you discover more of yourself. When you learn more about yourself and your strengths and weaknesses, it helps you to find the best way to work efficiently and effectively

I feel as though college has taught me a lot about myself. I believe my strengths include being responsible for my actions, being flexible in my schedule and knowing my priorities. Incorporating time management, organizational, and goal-setting skills has aided my significant improvements in academics and personal growth. I consider myself as someone who is friendly, approachable, and easy to get along with. Relationships are of high importance to me. I view managing relationships apart of managing yourself.

Leadership is the process of inspiring others to work hard to accomplish important tasks. As a young child, I had the mentality that people were just born to be leaders and just naturally fell into positions to lead due to extreme competence in the area of leadership. I did not imagine myself as someone who had the qualities to lead. I was unaware of that these leadership skills could be acquired and emulated with various styles and personal touches.

I have had the opportunity to be apart of UCI’s Passport to the 21st Century leadership program, Mesa Court’s Mesa Court Leadership Institute (MCLI), and ASUCI’s LobbyCore program. These programs have discussed topics about diversity awareness, global awareness, project management, and strategic leadership. We were given opportunity to role play, carry out project ideas, and practiced public speaking. Guest lecturers spoke about techniques to improve our leadership style and strengthen areas that were weak. Leading is a big responsibility because people are looking to you for guidance. I am very fearful of failing and disappointing my peers or colleagues. There are times where I need an extra little push or encouragement to let me know that I am going in the right direction. Throughout high school and time in college, I have been able to take part in minor leadership roles and be of assistant on the sideline for those who are in leadership positions. Large crowds make it easier for me to hide in the background. Being placed in position of high authority or power requires time for me to adjust to my environment. I definitely, prefer guidance in leadership roles and make sure I constantly reassess my decisions and options when making a decision.

The push for development of critical thinking skills are instigated at a very young age. Standardized tests are set in motion as early as elementary school and do not end. The idea of SATs, LSATs, GREs, and GMATs are implemented to evaluate test taking and critical thinking skills in conjunction with knowledge. Critical thinking exhibits the ability to gather and analyze information for creative problem solving. Qualities such as problem solving, judgment and decision making, information gathering/interpretation, and creativity and innovation are welcomed in the workplace. I feel as though this area is my weakest of the topics covered in this self-assessment. Many ambiguous circumstances leave me feeling uneasy, incompetent, and fearful of error. If I encounter a small problem that has been handled before and I have way to solve the problem then I am not as worried. However, if the problem is much more difficult and involves pleasing people, than I have a much harder time.

I am always reminded of my tenth grade world history teacher in high school when I have a job interview or meeting someone for the first time. She never hesitated to remind all her students that you never get a second chance for a first impression. Professionalism is demonstrating the ability to sustain a positive impression, instill confidence, and advance in a career. During interviews, I am more or less very nervous therefore I typically give myself a long pep talk beforehand and practice interview questions. I dress in professional attire, maintain good posture, and make sure to speak at a decent pace in order to enunciate. I believe I can be very professional when it is necessary. Proper manners are a must and should be practiced at all time.

My weakness in this area is when I become very familiar and comfortable with my setting, I fail to put forth 110% into my work. This is why I believe managerial and peer evaluations are crucial to keeping everyone on their toes and constantly learning. As I move through various job and volunteer opportunities, it is evident that communication, teamwork, self-management, leadership, and critical thinking skills are necessities when it comes to being a successful department manager, top manager, or teammate. Whether you are working individually or collectively, being proficient and capable of continually evolving in these areas will be a tremendous asset in the future.

My plans of graduating within four years are growing dimmer. There are many on-campus organizations I would like to be apart of and intriguing courses I hope to take UCI before I close this chapter of my life. I am currently considering about being a teacher in the future. My summer involvement with kids has spurred and interest in making it more long term. At the end of spring quarter, I plan on officially declaring intent of completing the education minor alongside my current major.

There are a few on-campus activities I am interested in pursuing during my last years at UCI. I would like to be a Residential Advisor for incoming freshmen. I have heard many accounts of what is it like to be an RA. A friend of mine recalls that experience to be one of the most difficult yet rewarding times in her life thus far. The responsibility of being an RA touches all areas of skills discussed in the previous sections. Communication skills between supervisors, staff, and residents are necessary to relay information. Working as a team with community programmers, other RAs, and student staff builds teamwork skills. Juggling schoolwork, extracurricular activities and being RA requires solid self-management, leadership, critical, and professional skills. I would like to be involved in the REACH program at the Cross-Cultural Center or SPOP. I have really enjoyed my time here at UCI and I would like to spread that excitement and opportunities to get involved with new students. I was very timid and unable to be involving in many high school functions. UCI gave me the opportunity to get involved and find out that I can be a leader too. During my freshman year, I was fortunate enough to meet wonderful people to inspire me to get involved and draw me out of my reclusive shell. There are things you may expect while being RA but there are plenty of unexpected situations that will be thrown at your doorstep. These leadership roles are a taste of what it is like in the real world.

I would also like to study abroad for a quarter or so. My summer experience in Taiwan after graduating high school was an eye-opener. It was a time when I was place in an area that was drastically different from what I was use to; I realized that I was living in a bubble. There is so much of the world to explore, cultures to experience, people to meet, and knowledge to be learned. My global readiness index out of a perfect score of 5 was rather low. I scored a 3.5 in global mindset, 1.666 in global knowledge, 3.333 in global work. Traveling to various regions is an excellent way of sparking interest in global and cultural issues. These are just some ideas and goals I would like to accomplish before I leave UCI. I am grateful for my experiences and look forward to how this chapter in my life will end. UCI has been a keystone in developing who I have become today and I hope to use the knowledge I have gained to make a difference in this world.