A reflection is the process that allows an individual to add their thoughts and analysis to what has been learned and experienced. Additionally, a reflection paper acts as an illustration of personal understanding of an area of study and how it impacts ideas and possible ways to practice in the future. Reflection plays a major role in improving the level of knowledge of an individual. According to Cole (2000), reflective practice can be used as a professional approach to promote effective continuing professional development (CPD). Writing this reflection paper provides the opportunity to consider how personal experiences and simulation practices have shaped my thinking and acceptance of new ideas. As a professional, undertaking reflection is important because it would improve my skills and knowledge, identify my strengths, and areas that require improvement. Additionally, reflection would highlight what I have learned, areas that require improvement, and the action that I must take to improve.
The reflective paper provides experiences, what was learned, and areas that may require future improvement. The reflective piece highlights personal learning from the simulation and specific actions that I intend to take to further develop my practice as a business manager/leader. It is based on lessons learned, and it is relevant because it enhances personal development and CPD for future roles as a business leader. The reflection is important because I plan to use the experiences for learning to develop my skills and knowledge required in business operations (Boud, Keough, &Walker, 1998). To effectively undertake the reflection, the theoretical framework adopted is Gibbs’ reflective cycle. The model was developed by Professor Graham Gibbs, and it is composed of six stages: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan (Gibbs, 1998). Gibbs' reflective cycle is selected and applied in this paper because it was useful in making me think across all the phases of an experience. The simulation activities that delve into decisions around overall strategy, finance, operations, marketing, and HR provide information for the reflection.
During the process of undertaking the simulation assignment, I felt excited and challenged by the thought of making decisions related to business as a business leader. As part of the Gibbs' reflective cycle, the feelings phase allowed me to think and act as a business leader (Gibbs, 1998). Under the evaluation phase, the experience was good as I completed the ten PowerPoint slides and developed board reports based on the results from each round of simulations. The reports provide the current position and justification for the decisions made following the simulation rounds. Under evaluation, the experience was good, and I was in a position to take the position of a business leader. For example, together with my team, we were able to develop investment plans and requirements and set stakeholders' expectations. Projected estimates in terms of capital investment and training budgets were set and developed from a financial perspective. Thus, by Kolb's experiential learning theory, abstract conceptualization and concrete experience were transformed through active experimentation and reflective observation to develop investment plans and projections (Chapman, 2006). The experience is linked with feelings, active experimentation associated with doing, and conceptualization to the thinking process (Chapman 2006).
The situation was successful, and working as a team improved personal skills related to business development and leadership. As pointed out by Sohmen (2013), teams and teamwork assist in enhancing deep learning taking place via interaction, dialogue, problem solving, cooperation, and collaboration. The team was successful because I encouraged open communication, commitment by members, and positive feedback. As a team leader, I recognized that it was healthy and appropriate to discuss problems and to offer constructive criticism in order to resolve these (Tarricone & Luca, 2002). Commitment to leadership and team processes was known to every person, and the significance of everyone’s role within the team was also known to ensure effective timing and quality of required simulation tasks. The use of problem-based scenarios that are business-related was made successful by the team, where brainstorming was applied to reach decisions. For example, working in teams, I was able to lead a start-up company with an initial investment of £500 million and establish the opportunities and challenges available in the motor industry. Although competition was established as the major challenge in the motor industry, an opportunity to develop EQS through our mission to build cars that offer safety, style, and comfort at an affordable price to our customers.
In conclusion, the simulation was a success, and my learning in terms of knowledge related to the motor industry was improved. For example, I understood about decision making, the application of leadership, communication, and teamwork to realize the set team goals. The experience, as explained via the Gibbs reflective model, indicates the process that I had to undergo in the business-related course. I developed a closer relationship with my team members,a nd I feel that I developed a professional relationship with other people. The module provided me with the opportunity to learn and to improve my skills, and it has prepared me for CPD. From the reflection, I have learned that the motor industry has an opportunity for businesses to propose and achieve profitability. However, the products have to be distinct from the ones currently in the market as a way of creating a competitive advantage.
The last phase of the Gibbs Reflective Cycle is Action Plan, and it focuses on what actions can be taken to improve on some situations arising (Dye 2011). To further improve my knowledge of business leadership, teamwork, and management, I would focus on lifelong learning. This strategy is an ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated process used to improve knowledge for both personal and professional reasons. Additionally, learning would increase personal competitiveness and employability opportunities in leadership positions, especially in the motor industry. Thus, I plan to read more and learn more about leadership and use the current platform and resources availed by the university to improve personal skills. I plan to become a transformational leader in the future and incorporate teamwork dynamics as a way of realizing the set goals.
References List
Boud, D., Keough, R., & Walker, D. (1998). Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. London, Kogan Page
Chapman, A. (2006), Kolb learning styles: David Kolb's learning styles model and experiential learning theory (ELT) [Online]. Available at http://www.businessballs.com/ kolblearningstyles.htm (accessed 26 October 2017)
Cole, M (2000). Learning through reflective practice: a professional approach to effective continuing professional development among healthcare professionals, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 5(1), 23-38
Dye, V. (2011) ‘Reflection, Reflection, Reflection. I’m thinking all the time, why do I need a theory or model of reflection?’, in McGregor, D. and Cartwright, L. (ed.) Developing Reflective Practice: A guide for beginning teachers. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education (pp. 217-234).
Gibbs G (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford.
Sohmen, V. S. (2013). Leadership and Teamwork: Two Sides of the Same Coin. Journal of IT and Economic Development vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 1-18.
Tarricone, P. & Luca, J. (2002). Successful teamwork: A case study. Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
