Social Awareness
Sample Solution
Presentation: Adjusting Individual Behavior to Achieve Personal and Professional Goals
Introduction
As a member of a high-functioning team, I am always looking for ways to improve my own behavior and development. I believe that by adjusting my behavior, I can become a more effective team member and a better leader.
Positive Experience
One situation that indicates a focus/change needed to make others want to work with me as their manager is a positive experience I had with a team member who was struggling to meet a deadline. I noticed that the team member was becoming increasingly stressed and overwhelmed. I also noticed that they were starting to withdraw from the team and not ask for help.
Full Answer Section
I decided to approach the team member and offer my support. I listened to them vent about their frustrations and helped them to break down the project into smaller, more manageable tasks. I also offered to help them with some of the tasks themselves.
The team member was grateful for my support and was able to meet the deadline. They also told me that they felt more valued as a team member and that they were more likely to come to me for help in the future.
Non-Verbal Cues
The non-verbal cues that I used in this situation included:
- Making eye contact: I made eye contact with the team member to show that I was listening and that I was interested in what they had to say.
- Using a soft and supportive tone of voice: I used a soft and supportive tone of voice to show that I was there for them and that I wanted to help.
- Leaning in slightly: I leaned in slightly to show that I was engaged and that I was interested in what they had to say.
Outcome
The outcome of this situation was that the team member was able to meet the deadline and that they felt more valued as a team member. They also told me that they were more likely to come to me for help in the future.
Tools for Improvement
One tool that I could have used to improve my response in this situation is to ask more open-ended questions. This would have allowed me to better understand the team member's perspective and to identify any specific areas where I could offer my help and support.
Negative Experience
Another situation that indicates a focus/change needed to make others want to work with me as their manager is a negative experience I had with a team member who was consistently underperforming. I had tried to talk to the team member about their performance on multiple occasions, but they were always defensive and refused to take any responsibility for their actions.
One day, the team member made a mistake that cost the company a significant amount of money. I was very frustrated with the team member and I let my frustration show. I yelled at them and told them that they were incompetent.
The team member was devastated by my reaction. They started to cry and they told me that they didn't feel valued as a team member. They also told me that they were afraid to come to me for help in the future.
Non-Verbal Cues
The non-verbal cues that I used in this situation included:
- Raising my voice: I raised my voice to show that I was angry and frustrated.
- Frowning: I frowned to show that I was displeased with the team member's performance.
- Crossing my arms: I crossed my arms to show that I was closed off and defensive.
Outcome
The outcome of this situation was that the team member's performance continued to decline. They also became withdrawn and isolated from the team.
Tools for Improvement
One tool that I could have used to improve my response in this situation is to stay calm and collected. I should have also used more empathy and understanding. I needed to try to see things from the team member's perspective and to understand why they were struggling.
I should have also focused on the team member's behavior, not on their personality. I needed to be clear about what I needed from the team member and I needed to provide them with specific feedback on how they could improve.
Conclusion
I have learned a lot from both of these experiences. I have learned that it is important to be mindful of my non-verbal cues and that I need to be more careful about how I communicate with others. I have also learned that it is important to be empathetic and understanding, and to focus on the behavior, not the personality.
I believe that by adjusting my behavior, I can become a more effective team member and a better leader. I am committed to continuing to learn and grow, and I am confident that I can overcome the challenges that I face.