Individual Learning Results and Applications (Essay Sample)

My individual learning results and applications
BUSI 340- ORGANIZATIONA L BEHAVIOR 1
Liberty University
Dec 10th 2013
Abstract
I work as a cashier in our busy supermarket. The job is locally based with transport fully provided. I run errand such as data entry, speed sheet processing and any other cash transactions. I need to uphold a lot honesty and integrity for job to run effectively. I require a lot of customer care skills for my performance to be credited. I handle a lot of customers per day. Am required to present a full report at the end of each day summarizing whatever I have been undertaking. We have managers, and supervisors who oversee the performance of every employee. They ensure one signs a performance contract as an employment deal. This ensures commitment and the long run goals achievement by the company. At our job, we emphasize on goal oriented work where each one of sets his/her own target which is then evaluated by our supervisors. Our managers handle us with a lot of professionalism and always require our response towards any job changes.
Are You Introverted or Extraverted?
1 The purpose of this test is to measure the level of my personality traits
2 14 (A) + 6 (B)= 20
3 From the results, I’m more introverted than extraverted. I find myself doing less talking whenever a party is engaged in a conversation. I am not so expressive in letting people know my feelings whenever am in a bad or good moods. It is not easy for me to start up a conversation with a stranger. It is not easy to find myself involved in a discussion in bid to find a solution. I have interest in reading and writing.
4 The results of my test help me realize my stronger personality. The results are quite conducive in my field of expertise as a cashier. I find myself enjoying my career such that my performance is always congratulated. This forms a basis of my motivation and accuracy in my job.
Bearing in mind my personality, I can practice myself to adopt to the environment that I work in. I have to learn to accommodate the ideas of the other workmates since our sole goal is maximize the gains. According to the results of the assessment, I’m able to understand other people’s way of doing things hence the ability to read other people. I am able to understand my customers more better having in mind my best personality traits. This also helps me realize that my performance lies more on how one behaves. I am also in a good position to relate with my fellow workers whenever we have things such as meetings and interpersonal functions. This will in turn help me upgrade my future career and be able to handle any other business type.
Need Strength Questionnaire
1 The purpose of this assessment test is to estimate my innate need strength for secondary personal needs.
2 Need for achievement =24 and need for social approval=5
3 Have a high need for achievement and a low need for social approval. Takes advantage of opportunities and never gives up. I have a high motivation to success and always try to be the very best of what I do. I don’t take criticisms either and I’m not influenced by the social set up. My individualism and self assurance are also characteristics of my results. Am also good in taking responsibilities and taking part in the restorative nature of my job
4 The results of this assessment help me grade myself at the level which I need to be motivated to perform. Discovering my individual strength helps me develop my job skills easily (Marcus Buckingham, 2009). With the identification of my powerful attribute in need for achievement, am able to regard myself as an achiever even in my job. My adaptability to changes helps me be able to accommodate the changes made in my career environment. This is quite helpful even in my future career, since a need may arise forcing me shift from one organization to another. My competitive nature helps me understand that many other businesses out there are also doing their best to win the customers. This also serves as an advantage to our organization. I don’t need to be told that I am good for me to realize my building blocks. My appearance to my peer does not matter so much.
The need for strength is a helpful tool for personal assessment both in the social and economic part of life. This will help me making concrete judgment of my decisions even in the future. It suits my career in terms of motivation and self-reliance perspective.
What Team Roles Do You Prefer?
1 The purpose of this self assessment test to identify my preferred roles in team activities and meetings.
2 Encourager =7, gate keeper=5, harmonizer=8, initiator=10, and summarizer=10.
3 From the test, I have scored high in being an initiator and summarizer followed by harmonizer, encourager and lastly my role as a gatekeeper. This describes my role in team meetings and groups.
4 By knowing my results of this test, I can easily identify my strong and weak areas on matters pertaining to my roles meetings. I can now be able to identify myself as weak, time keeper and having very low attitude in encouraging other members of the meeting. I can identify myself a good summarizer. I can always take minutes whenever we have meetings. Whatever we discuss can be put in a good summary. I’m currently employed in a business enterprise comprising a lot of employees and the senior staff. Holding meetings is thus the order of the day as the manager needs to lay a lot of emphasis on our cooperation. We are always encouraged to work together with a common objective. I should improve my role
I have to train myself how work closely with my fellow employees whenever we have a meeting. This will be by encouraging me and others in motion participation. This will help me build my morale and also make sure that my other strong abilities are improvised. This will create an overall efficiency of the meeting. In future, it will benefit me whenever I come across such a scenario. Considering the results, I think my preference role is an initiator. In this role I have scored so high meaning I have a strong tendency to identify goals for the meeting. This includes even the ways to work on these goals.
Active Listening Skills Inventory
1 The purpose of this assessment is to identify where my active listening skills need improvement.
2 Avoiding interruption=7, maintain interest=4, postponing evaluation=4, showing interest=4 and Active listening (total) =27.
3 From the test, I have a moderate score in active listening. This means that I am weak in some areas, for instance, maintaining interest, postponing evaluation and showing interest. The use of non verbal gestures and the ability to keep on evaluating what the speaker is saying are two areas compromising my active listening skills.
4 Active Listening is very essential communication skill in our day to day life. For one to understand, one needs to effectively listen. The test has disclosed my weaknesses in active listening skills. However, I’ve also discovered my good areas in active listening. Concentration in listening is an essential ingredient in active listening. In my organization, I usually receive orders and directions from my manager. It is hence essential for me to active listen to my seniors as this serves as respect also.
I work in an organization where I have to relate directly with customers. A customer thus requires maximum concentration and proper eye to eye conversation. Without proper listening skills, customer satisfaction will not be met. This test is helpful to my career and even my social life. It will help me in my future job in terms of my relationship with my seniors and customers. The test will as well be helpful to my entire student life like for example in lectures. It is good to listen, analyze and understand.
How Do You Influence Coworkers and Other Peers?
1 The purpose of this assessment is to help me understand how one influences the other workers or people around you.
2 Persuasion=14, silent authority=8, exchange=8, assertiveness=10, information control=13, upward appeal=13, and ingratiation=11.
3 The information from the test I have in most cases used logical and emotional appeals to change others’ attitudes. I score high in persuasion, control and upward appeal. It also depicts my involvement in explicitly manipulating others, access to information for purpose of changing their attitude or behavior. Overreliance of people on the organization for support emerges as my influence to the co workers.
4 The test clearly shows the implication of my attitude towards my co-workers and anybody else close to me. It is of great importance for one to hold a positive influence towards the other people surrounding you. This involves the customers, managers and co-workers. I am employed an organization where the rate of customer inflow is so high. It is the important to have competent skills in persuading them that this the best place to be. My personality and appearance should always be convincing. My influence to my peers- friends should be in such a way that it does not create a wrong impression.
When it comes to my relationship with my co-workers, a proper tool of convincing each and everybody should be device. I should then act or behave in such manner that the impact of my influence to them is positive. The assessment will help me improve on my relationship with my co-workers at my present and future career.
Dutch Test for Conflict Handling
1 The test describes the extent to which one prefers to use either of the five conflict handling styles.
2 Yielding=13, compromising=12, forcing=6, problem solving=13 and avoiding=18.
3 From the test, I have scored highest in `avoiding conflict style’. This translates to a way of trying to smooth over and...