Introduction
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr., one of the fastest quarterbacks in the history of American football said, “Don’t complain about not getting a chance and then be unprepared when you finally do.” These words have defined my journey towards becoming an exceptional community worker capable of providing the necessary services to my clients. I understand that my profession demands I advocate the rights for all communities and create room to enable them to attain the services they richly deserve. I consider being a community worker akin to a calling because of the selflessness needed to execute various roles that directly benefit the people, most of whom encounter challenging situations. On the same note, I recognize the need to work with professionals across various disciplines to meet the diverse needs of the client and ensure they have sustainable solutions to the challenges they encounter. Being a community worker is a challenging but profoundly gratifying experience; I get the chance to meet people from diverse backgrounds, share their experiences, brainstorm to find possible solutions, and engage meaningfully to identify areas that require attention. In all these undertakings, I am driven by a desire to make life better for all by eliminating barriers, encouraging unity and a communal approach to decision-making, engaging people with ideas and opinions, designing solutions, and nurturing collegiality to benefit effectively from the unity of purpose. In this regard, the use of Gibb’s Reflective Model is ideal for assessing my learning and enhancing my understanding of my professional growth as a Community Worker. Learning about work placement is vital because it enables me to reflect on the process, identify my technical skills that I will need to meet my work goals, and assists me to appreciate the essence of transferrable skills, and provides a comprehensive view of the progress I have made and the areas of concern on which I have to work to meet my professional and personal goals.
Gibbs Reflective Model
My choice of Gibb’s Reflective Model was inspired by the need to debrief my learning structurally to support my experiential learning. I know that professional growth is a continuous cycle of improvement, where one learns by doing and gets new insights by relating new experiences to previous situations (Grant, McKimm, & Murphy 2017). Evaluating myself will enable me to appreciate my understanding of the self as a professional capable of delivering services to clients across various cultural and social settings. My professional journey has been defined by intense research and learning, engaging people from different social and cultural backgrounds, creating interrelationships with individuals and groups, accepting the inevitability of change, and showing unparalleled commitment to the ideals that define community service. Gibb’s Reflective Model is hinged on the premise that an objective reflection on experiences prepares an individual to better handle similar situations in the future. The model entails six stages that define the learning process, which are a description of the issues that happened, the feelings encountered at the time, an evaluation of the things that were good and bad, analysis of the situation to make sense out of it, and a conclusion that reveals the issues learned and an action plan that deals with the things that one plans to do differently when faced with a similar situation (Scourfield 2017). The use of Gibb’s Reflective Model for this exercise will allow an examination into the progress that has been made and outline measures needed to further my professional growth. Gibb’s Reflective Model will be used to analyse the relationship I have developed with myself, improvements in my understanding of other people as part of my preparation for my professional engagement, and the SMART Goals I have made to guide my growth and progress. Ultimately, it will evaluate the most valuable lessons learned along the way that will form the foundation for my professional work, guide my decision-making, and contribute significantly to my career trajectory.
Scope
The scope of the paper is broad and comprehensive because it traces the professional journey I have made and revisits some of the experiences I have encountered along the way. My learning has been punctuated with opportunities to gain insights into novel ways of solving problems and has provided me with the rare chance of meeting people who have made a tremendous contribution to the field. Furthermore, I have been granted a chance to put the skills learned in the classroom setting to practical use to ascertain their efficacy in solving some of the salient issues people face. I understand that communities and individuals face radically different challenges and not a single solution can be suitable for them all. In this regard, the scope of the paper includes an examination of my learning journey and the application of the concept learned, the use of a model of reflection to evaluate my learning process, and a comprehensive discussion of relevant issues that will define my professional work, including the relationship I have developed with the self, my relationship with others, and the SMART development plan I need to implement to meet my professional and personal goals.
Thesis and Structure
Work placement is indispensable in modern professional engagements because it illustrates the skills needed to excel at the professional level, provides opportunities for work-integrated learning, focuses on specific, desirable traits and characteristics considered important for meeting the scope of practice, and evaluates the skills and competencies needed in an ideal work environment. The paper will take a descriptive approach that explains the measures I have taken to advance my learning and professional development. The paper will ask critical questions touching on the relationship the learning process has with me, the measures I have taken to enhance my emotional intelligence and the methods I have used to enhance self-awareness. In community service, self-awareness is indispensible because it provides the professional the necessary self-control, builds trust and credibility needed to handle difficult assignments, enables the person to become an active and effective manager, and allows the community worker to identify and accept areas of vulnerability that could potentially affect service delivery (Hardina 2012). Importantly, it is important to conduct an objective assessment of my learning using desirable models of reflection. In this respect, the paper uses the Gibb’s Reflective Model to appraise my progress toward meeting my work readiness goals. The paper further explores the relationship I have developed with others, as part of my preparation toward work placement. The paper will provide relevant theories and evidence of the process and identify the skills I have gained from the process. Importantly, the paper will focus on skills needed to solve conflicts amicably and the level of communication and listening skills required in the profession. Notably, being a community worker provides the professional with the chance to meet and encounter people facing some critical challenges. Research shows that effective community workers exhibit certain traits, such as effective communication skills, empathy, critical and creative thinking skills, active listening to get the big picture of every situation, patience, organizational skills, and cultural competence to work with diverse communities (Teater 2019). Accordingly, the paper reviews theory and evaluates the efficacy of the skills I have gained in the course of my professional growth.
The final aspect of the paper is an elaborate SMART Development Plan with respect to my work placement. I understand that creating an intricate objective without ostentatious groundwork is nothing but a desire, and the same applies to work readiness. The SMART Development Plan is critical because it outlines the measures I intend to take to ensure I meet the goals I have set. Besides, the plan will ensure that I stay on course to meeting my professional goals and will prompt me to take the necessary corrective measures if I stray from the course or lag.
In this regard, the paper is a valuable undertaking because it presents me with a chance to objectively examine the learning process and evaluate work readiness. In community service, client’s needs change and often conflict, but the community worker must be at hand to provide services professionally. Equally, the community worker should be aware of internal biases that might affect the quality of services. The implication is that the community worker should be culturally competent to meet client needs irrespective of their cultural or social backgrounds.
Discussion
I have made good use of my learning to enhance my work preparedness and ensure that I stay on course to meet my professional goals. I have made incredible improvement in making good use of the learning materials to lay a strong base for my work readiness because I appreciate the core of being entirely primed for a competitive and rapidly changing work environment. In the present global work setting, having the right skills and capabilities is vital for professional success, but professionals in the field of community work realize that much me is needed from them, given the circumstances under which they serve. For instance, a community worker could have the right skills but lack the conduct desirable for the specific work environment. Correspondingly, there is a need to address the shortage of personal qualities that empower an individual to excel in community work under intense pressure. Research shows that organizations continuously seek to achieve a competitive environment through strategic alignment of long-term goals and employee needs, and this requires them to engage services of people with the right drive, education, professional competencies, and the right attitude (Picardi 2019). In line with this, preparation is vital for professional and personal success and starts with a sincere self-evaluation to determine the areas of strengths and weaknesses and areas that provide opportunities for adjustment. In view of the above, it is important that I evaluate the impact my learning has on my evaluation of the self and the measures I need to take to attain professional excellence.
Relationship with Myself
Personal development entails ways of assessing skills and abilities and considering the aims one sets in life to enable an individual to set achievable goals to maximise their potential. Accordingly, professional development is a continuous process that tracks and records skills, experience, and knowledge to enhance current work practices and define future career. In line with this, professional development entails recording experiences and learning from the while examining practical implications. Professional development is important for me because it enables me to understand my current strengths and weaknesses and establish the measures I need to take to attain my professional goals. On the same note, professional development means I have to be genuine about my abilities to enhance my goals; I have to create an elaborate plan, establish whether I have the resources or skills needed to meet the goals, identify potential obstacles and means of overcoming them, and engaging in continuous process throughout the process.
After taking the course, I realized how critical the content is to my professional growth. The course material has been crucial in helping me define my connection and understand my strengths and shortcomings, both of which may have an impact on how my work develops. For instance, as part of developing my emotional intelligence, I examined myself and discovered the importance of managing my emotions. I gained insight into how other people are impacted by the emotions I exhibit by appreciating the overwhelming feeling of controlling emotions successfully. I had improved in the area of emotional intelligence, which comprises knowing one’s emotions and recognizing the favourable or unfavourable effects they have on other people, so I felt good about the entire process (Ryback 2012). I was adept at interpreting others’ feelings since I was aware of how they affected me. I was, however, not very good at understanding how my emotions affected people. As a result, I was not in a position to tell for sure if the outcome was favourable or unfavourable. Professionals must realize that teamwork is essential for success. Managers must understand how to relate to their professional colleagues because teams are frequently given initiatives in the modern workplace. Emotional intelligence is a key success factor in this regard. Personal growth is a gradual process that involves assessing and realizing one’s full potential in a variety of worldly knowledge domains, including the emotional, psychological, and social spheres.
From my standpoint, I have developed relevant skills needed to solve conflicts amicably before they escalate. I have become an active listener capable of giving my audience the attention they need when they speak and the patience to refrain from interrupting them while they are talking. I have the necessary sympathy and positivity when interacting with people and often take an impartial approach when called upon to mediate issues that emerge.
I was once called to mediate a conflict between two members working on the same project. I managed to use my emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills to find an amicable solution to the problem. I was aware of their emotions and the effects on their word choices. Besides, I used my skills to take an impartial approach that entailed giving each party a chance to air their views without interruptions. Using Gibb’s Reflection Model, the description entailed an encounter where I was called upon to mediate between the two. The feelings I had were mixed, but I thought the cause of the conflict was minor. I controlled my emotions to ensure they did not affect my mediation efforts. Evaluation entailed focusing on the positive and negative aspects. The positive aspect was my ability to calm their nerves to ensure a favourable environment. The negative aspect was my impatience; I had other pressing issues I needed to attend to besides mediating between the two. From the experience, I concluded that my conflict resolution skills are effective and can be applied in a variety of circumstances. The action plan entails working on my weak areas identified in the mediation process and applying lessons learned to productive use.
Relationship with Others
I was given the responsibility of being the group leader in collaboration with several colleagues where we had to finish a project under strict deadlines. I did not, however, take the time to get to know the team members’ emotional personalities. In order to ensure that the team delivered on schedule, I was eager to insist that each member completes their portion of the project to avoid inconveniencing the whole group. I came to see that most issues arise from ineffective communication, which frequently leaves opportunity for misconceptions. For instance, Berlo’s Model of Communication takes the emotional state of the message’s recipient into account rather than focusing on the sender or the message itself (Botan 2017). One of the team members who seemed to lag had serious emotional issues, I subsequently discovered.
Using Gibb’s Reflective Model, the self-evaluation I conducted using Gibbs’ Reflective Model was beneficial and will come in handy when I interact with people from various backgrounds in the future. In a similar vein, I will employ the information I’ve learned from the experience to inform my friends and co-workers about the importance of cultural competence in today’s linked world. For instance, a description of the situation is a group project with individuals from diverse backgrounds committed to completing a project within strict deadlines. The feelings I had at the group initiation phase were negative because I could not decipher how effectively I was going to manage the team. My thoughts were scattered; I was non-committal and unsure of the chances of success, but later thought of the incident as a typical fleeting moment when one meets strangers. In evaluating the situation, I can tell that the positive outcome was a decision to create a forum for discussion, where each member had a chance to air their views and opinions with fear. The negative aspect was the failure to recognize the possible outcomes of cultural differences.
Analysis of the situation using Gibb’s Reflective Model shows things went well afterward because of the efforts made at cross-cultural communication. According to the cross-Cultural Communication Theory, communication ideas differ depending on a person’s cultural orientation and significantly affect the quality and outcomes of communication (Kim 2017). The experience was a valuable eye-opener that enhanced my understanding of the essence of effective communication and conflict resolution skills.
I learned to give people the time they need to articulate issues that affect their approach and attitude toward work and ensure that the environment is favourable for them to articulate salient issues without fear. I appreciate that people’s cultural orientation significantly impacts their communication and affects the quality of work. As a result, it is impossible for a group leader to understand these differences and create means of resolving differences that emerge. In the same way, I realized I need high levels of communication skills to engage diverse groups because such situations require an open-minded person capable of accommodating diverse views. I have to work on improving my Level 3 of communication that entails providing advice without getting the whole picture. I understand that providing timely advice is desirable, but it could easily be misunderstood depending on the audience. I have taken measures to ensure that I have full background information to an issue before I comment. Accordingly, I will always ensure that the advice I provide is relevant, timely, and well-considered.
Conclusion
By empowering me with the skills I need to function successfully in a globalized and dynamic workplace, the unit has been important in strengthening my job placement. My professional development is a testament to the principles covered in the course and the experience I have gained applying the concepts covered. I am aware of the enormous responsibility of taking care of the interests of diverse groups and populations in line with my training and professionalism, but I am persuaded that I am prepared for the challenge. I consider Gibb’s Reflective Model as one of the most effective tools for evaluating my ability to learn from experiences. By using Gibb’s Reflective Model, I gained new insights into some of my experiences, some I had considered inconsequential at the time. My objectives are to keep growing as a person, improve my cross-cultural communication skills, comprehend the workings of the contemporary workplace in line with demands of community work, and pursue lifelong learning to become responsive to my clients’ changing needs and expectations. The concepts I gained from the course will come in handy as I take on responsibilities designed to meet client needs while advancing my professional growth.
List of References
Hardina, D 2012, Interpersonal Social Work Skills for Community Practice, Springer Publishing Company, New York
Grant, McKimm, J., & Murphy, F 2017, Developing Reflective Practice: A Guide for Medical Students, Doctors and Teachers, John Wiley & Sons, New York
Teater, B 2019, An Introduction to Applying Social Work Theories and Methods, McGraw-Hill Education, London
Picardi, C. A 2019, Recruitment and selection: Strategies for workforce planning and assessment, SAGE Publications, Inc, Thousand Oaks
Scourfield, P 2017, Getting Ready for Direct Practice in Social Work, Learning Matters, Exeter
Ryback, D 2012, Putting Emotional Intelligence to Work, Routledge, New York
Botan, C. H 2018, Strategic communication theory and practice: The cocreational model, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Hoboken
Kim, Y. Y 2017, The International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford
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