KEELY BLEST

Academia/Professional Projects/Teamwork

 

Examples of Academic & Research Projects

Physical Activity Promotion - Thematic Analysis (High Distinction)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Needs Assessment, Program Planning & Evaluation - Needs Assessment (High Distinction)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queensland Health Lifestyle Needs Assessment - Nursing Staff (Submitted to Queensland Health)

 

 

 

 

 

Teamwork

Working in teams can be challenging at times, however it can also be very rewarding. Throughout my undergraduate studies, teamwork was an integral part of my learning, and an opportunity to work with students from different disciplines and study areas. Working in groups is an essential skill within the field of Public Health, and it is important to be able to identify if there are any issues within a group at its early stages, before the problems begin to affect group dynamics, productivity and psychological wellbeing.

 

One particular experience of teamwork contributed greatly to my understanding of working with others. I discovered the importance of having a shared vision for a task, how to overcome differences in opinions, and in particular how to draw on the strengths of individuals and the different skills and expertise each person brings to a task.

This particular example involved working together in a group of four to develop a comprehensive report for a university course. We experienced some really positive elements of group work, but also encountered some challenging situations.  

 

Of benefit to the team was the fact that we were all willing to put in the effort required to complete the task to a high standard, and we all understood the importance of the work we were doing. However, unbeknown to myself at the time, another group member was concerned that they were not contributing to the task at the standard that they felt they were capable of, and felt that they weren’t a valuable part of the team. I did not recognise this at the time, and although I felt that we were all communicating well, and were comfortable in sharing thoughts, ideas and feelings, I can now see in hindsight, how we could have better addressed issues such as this. Fortunately, we discussed this as a group following the assessment piece, and from the feedback I received from other team members I need to ensure that I am more aware of how I am contributing to the group, and how others are contributing to the group, to make sure that we are all participating in the task equally and in a meaningful way.

 

I have learnt from this experience, and from many others, that it is essential to receive feedback, not only when working in groups, but in other situations, to ensure that I continue to develop my personal and professional skills. Feedback from other group members has allowed me to identify specific skills I need to work on, that will benefit not only myself, but people I will work with in the future.