Quarter Times Entry

It's a surreal feeling knowing that three years of study has come to an end. For the most part of journey all I wanted was to finish and now the time has come, it's almost bittersweet. 

Upon reflection, I certainly realise how fortunate I and the student cohort have been to be involved in such a great degree. There isn't another degree that compares anywhere in Australia, with the opportunities and rewards endless. 

To say it has been an easy experience would be a gross understatement though. The Bachelor of Sports Media has certainly presented many challenges along the way and how you react to these difficult times will define your success. 

I can still remember day one. We all seemed so young and anxious about what the next three years would entail and some of us may have even underestimated the task ahead. I know I certainly did. 

The degree has been a true test of resilience and perseverance. There hasn't be many moments where I felt completely in my comfort zone, which on reflection has been a real blessing. 

There have been many highlights for me personally and the majority of them revolve around the many of the group assessments we often would be involved in. 

The most satisfying of these was during the Applied Learning Program where we would be assigned a VAFA club who we would work closely with over three semesters covering social media, marketing and sponsorship. 

Working for a real life club who would be utilising our work and recommendations was great learning curve for us students. It enabled us the ability to further enhance our professional and technical skills along with working well as team. 

From data collating surveys to asset audits, the applied learning program offered a great range of experiences into how an amatuer football club operates in all departments. 

Aside from real life assignments, numerous essays and reports were written which was extremely important to enhancing our knowledge base and learning how to research and reference correctly.

The degree also provided the privilege to hear from numerous industry leaders such as Gerard Whateley, Neroli Meadows, Bruce McAvaney and Jeremy Loeliger. We were also fortunate to tour the Fox Footy Studios during a live telecast night which was extremely exciting. 

There is no doubt the internship program was the icing on the cake for three long years of dedication. This was were we as students could apply all we had learnt to full capacity in a professional working environment. 

I was fortunate enough to partake in two internships. My 228 hours was completed with charity cycling organisation The Amy Gillett Foundation and 114 hours with golf media company, GolfBarons. 

Both internships provided great opportunities to apply and develop my interpersonal skills, practical skills and theoretical skills in professional environment. 

Overall, I have found the Bachelor of Sports Media one of the most rewarding experiences on my life. The most amazing aspect has been how much my career aspirations have shifted due to acquired knowledge and varying experiences. 

A huge thank you must be given to former course leader Robbie Coyle for his dedication to the degree along with current course leader Sam Duncan for his tireless efforts in what has been a difficult 2020.  

This degree is truly fortunate to also have fantastic lecturers who go above and beyond, enabling us students every opportunity to succeed. 

It has been one hell of a ride and so great to enjoy it all with like minded individuals who deep down just have a unequivocal passion for sport.  

Entry 8 - Overall reflections on the internship and your studies from starting your degree

I’m not quite ready to submit this entry, though the due date says I must.  Knowing I still have a few hours left on the internship program and the showcase still to come, I would've loved to have written this entry once that was completed. Nonetheless, there has been so much achieved, so many learnings, so many ups and downs, times I’ve felt like quitting and times I’ve felt like I could take on the world. 

I’ll start with the internship, the dangling carrot at the end of two and a half years of study. I think I’d share similar views to the rest of the cohort in that, the internship was great opportunity to test our skills and knowledge learnt at school and put them into professional practice. Its also been a great learning curve, be placed into a new environment and hitting the ground running is never easy, however, that's the beauty of overcoming challenges and growing professionally and personally.

As Klimova (2019) states, self reflection is a great way for students to look back on what they have achieved, what they have learnt, what has been challenging, how they have overcome these challenges and how they have positively developed and grown from day one of study. This has been just as important during the internship phase too. Beginning with two internships was a scary thought. I think I wanted to finish the degree on such as high that I thought by throwing myself into one and a half internships, that would provide me with more satisfaction at the end. 

The Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) was the full internship, 228 hours and two full days a week. When reading the job description, I really jumped at the thought of being able to be apart of positively impacting the community. This is what provides me more fulfillment than anything else and with AGF sharing similar values, I knew this was the right internship for me. Although working remotely was going to be a challenge, the power of technology still allowed a great sense of engagement and eagerness to do the best I possibly could. From creating and running a virtual trivia night to contacting local councils all across Australia, the AGF internship was extremely diverse. It was a shame the pinnacle event being the Gran Fondo (a charity bike ride along the Great Ocean Road) could not be run due to the coronavirus, however, I was still able to learn about event planning and be involved in a momentous moment when the Victorian Government passed legislation that a minimum one metre must be given to cyclists when passing in a vehicle. 

GolfBarons was quite a different experience. I didn't really feel the same connection as I did with AGF and that was largely due to lockdown restrictions in Victoria. Working for a company for a sport I love was an easy decision for me to be a part of. The interview process went really well and I knew this would be a great fit for me. Unfortunately the tasks given to me were not quite too my liking being social media based, however, it was still a learning experience and it did allow for me to test my creative side. From a social media audit to creating an October social media calendar, I was able to utilise the skills learnt in the applied learning program along with advice from Phil who was my supervisor. The major downfall with GolfBarons was not being able to film their show on location. That was what I was looking forward to most, seeing how all the production elements work and maybe, just maybe getting to fly the drone. Though this did not occur, the networking made and the skill acquired are something I’ll carry forever. Unfortunately the internship came to hasented ending due to an overwhelming amount of commitments, nonetheless, I’ve learnt more about time management than I would have anyway else. 

Keeping this under 400 words is not easy. In summary though, looking back on the past 6 semesters, I feel a lot of pride and satisfaction. I learnt so much about myself, I’ve acquired knowledge I would never have dreamt of and gained skills that will carry me a lifetime. The highlights have definitely been the applied learning program. Working with the Caulfield Grammarians for three semesters was fantastic. We were able to apply our social media, marketing and sponsorship skills to a real world environment and see them make a positive difference. We were also blessed to have countless guest speakers shed light on their careers which provided great insight into the paths they took which aren't to dissimilar to ours. Many of our subjects and assessments really provided a real life aspect which has myself and classmates the skills to transition well into industry. Whether it be writing, marketing, sponsorship, professional skill development, exposure to media editing softwares and researching, it has truly been a plethora of quality learning aided by fantastic lecturers. 

As stated by Behrman & Stacey (1997), university studies have so many benefits other the jobs and economic factors. The acquirement of knowledge can never be underestimated and how it is used can create great change. Whether is be socially, professionally or even personally, education is an extremely powerful tool. One thing is for sure, I’m certainly not the same person and I when I started. I certainly didn't ace this degree but still remain very pleased in all that has been achieved, including the relationships made and knowledge gained. I felt this speech from Michelle Obama was fitting after looking back on three incredibly challenging but fulfilling years.

References: 

Klimova, B 2014, ‘Self-reflection in the Course Evaluation’, Procedia, social and behavioral sciences, pp.119–123, 25 August 2015, viewed 19 November 2020.https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S1877042814034466?token=39595676D5C85EFAF4EEDA6A2E175F4CCB27C2E284B650C11C4C8BAB70816ADA3A5ABD45A48957A08281EA12A95168A0

Behrman, J, Stacey, N 1997, ‘The social benefits of education’. University of Michigan Press, viewed 19 November 2020. https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=B43bmVZDkTwC&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=benefits+of+university+education&ots=-ConFEGwH-&sig=wwtB5LPWKL3bdEN7aOrpTP_aTO4#v=onepage&q=benefits%20of%20university%20education&f=false

Entry 7 - Supervisor evaluations and future professional development requirements

It's always a nervy time when your being evaluated at a professional level, especially in an environment that is only very new. Knight (2011) suggests that workplace performance reviews can be extremely difficult conversations for the employee and employers. According to Drogomyretska (2014), workplace evaluations are a systematic and objective method of judging the ability of an employee. As hard as a performance review can be sometimes, Connor (n.d.) states that the best appraisals focus on both the positives and areas of improvement. 

The Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) evaluation was a really good opportunity for me to see how I was performing in a new environment and under the pressure of a professionally functioning workplace. Prior to the evaluation, I felt confident in the fact I was progressing well, with areas of improvement definitely needed. I found self evaluation a useful coping mechanism which allowed me the ability to track my own progress, making sure I didn't feel overwhelmed in my appraisal. Heathfield (2019), recommends self evaluations as a tool of tracking goals and performance, allowing the employee to always be monitoring their output and productivity. 

Fortunately for me, I have been extremely blessed with the two supervisors I have at AGF. Dan Kneipp (CEO) and Stevie Rae Brown (Office Manager) have both been exceptionally supportive in all aspects of the internship. They have allowed me to utilise my prior skill set in many projects but also challenged me to a level they felt I am capable of. Rather than just reading their thoughts on the evaluation form, we spoke over a Zoom call which allowed for the opportunity to delve deeper into discussion about my performance so far as the role of Community Engagement & Events Intern. 

We began by discussing the tasks done thus far which was a great way to reflect on what exactly has been accomplished in the short amount of time. Each task tested me both technically and professionally as they required an array of skill sets. Dan and Stevie were both very pleased with my willingness to apply myself to each task/project given, which gave me confidence to continue to carry this attitude moving forward. They were also very happy with my teamwork, communication, writing skills and ability to work autonomously. It’s not without coincidence that these were areas I have pleased in as coming into the internship, I certainly considered them as strengths, however, a professional office environment is new to me so it was nice to hear I was able to successfully transfer these skill across.

Looking at areas of improvement, Dan and Stevie spoke heavily about not being overwhelmed by a new task. They mentioned that I have a tendency to overthink which has a significant impact on task performance. I certainly agreed with this feedback with the most notable occurrence of this happening was when I had to plan tasks for other staff members. That was overwhelming due to the fact of not enjoying instructing others who are more knowledgeable in this area, though I was reminded that I wasn't receiving judgement on what tasks were given, more so on how I planned for them to unfold and their allocation. This was great feedback and it has since been suggested to write down my strengths and weakness prior to complex tasks, which will allow me to have a clearer focus on my capabilities and where I should ask for assistance. 

There were two points that stood out to me in this video. One was constant communication with my supervisors, which has very prevalent in this internship. Not once have I felt lost or ashamed of asking for help as Dan and Stevie has created an extremely supportive environment. The other point was intern inspired projects. I must say, to have our first major project being a virtual trivia night, was a great/fun way to plan an event, get to know the staff and show off the talents Ben and I posses.

Overall, the evaluation process was very enjoyable and very constructive. I’m looking forward to my final appraisal and future areas of improvement. 

Note* The GolfBarons internship had come to a unfortunate end prior to this entry and submission. There was no evaluation completed. 

References:

Heathfield, S 2019, ‘Why You Should Use an Employee Self-Evaluation’, www.thebalancecareers.com, 22 August 2019, viewed 19 November 2020. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/use-an-employee-self-evaluation-1918856

O’Connor, P n.d., ‘How to Give a Positive and Negative Employee Review’, smallbusiness.chron.com, viewed 19 November 2020. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/give-positive-negative-employee-review-36995.html

Knight, R 2011, ‘Delivering an Effective Performance Review’, Harvard Business Review, hbr.org, 11 November 2011, viewed 19 November 2020. https://hbr.org/2011/11/delivering-an-effective-perfor

Drogomyretska, A 2014, ‘THE MOST PROMISING EMPLOYEE EVALUATION METHODS IN MODERN ORGANIZATIONS’, Network Intelligence Studies, pp.38–44, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, viewed 19 November 2020. https://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/NIS_3_5.pdf

Entry 6 - Career aspirations including goal setting

Six entries down and three to go. To begin this entry, I felt compelled to look back on my previous entries as a reminder of where I was to where I am now. From feelings apprehension and excitement to now semi-comfort and confident, the growth and progression made has certainly been immense. 

Buote (2016) reported evidence from a study conducted to discover key findings on employee authenticity and how long it may take to feel 100% comfortable when starting a new job. I found this research interesting as the more authentic the employee felt they could be, the better the output, job satisfaction and engagement (Buote 2016). Within both internships, I certainly felt comfortable being myself from the beginning. I may have been a more reserved version of myself early on but that’s largely due to the process of understanding how the staff at each host conducts their own behaviour. 

Each entry has certainly added deeper thought into career aspirations and goal setting. My original goals when applying for the internship had numerous professional, technical and personal aspects which have all remained relatively prevalent and achieved throughout. Lunenburg (2011) believes that goal setting in the key component to motivation levels of any employee at any workplace.  

My goals included but were not limited too: 

1- Successfully completing the required hours of both internships. 

2- Establishing myself as a valuable team member who is consistent, reliable, hard working and self-motivated. 

3-  Being able to be flexible in set tasks, working hours and a willingness to attempt all projects no matter the complexity or uncomfortability. 

4- Be challenged daily and learn from each challenge in the hope this will positively impact the development of my professional, technical and personal skills. 

Although these goals are broadly speaking, once I was given a project, it allowed me to reflect on my goals and marry up which goal is most specific to the given task. Erez & Judge (2001) highlights that goal setting can lead to a more critical self evaluation process where the specific person reflects on their set goals against their progress which in turn can lead to achievements. 

Based on the goals above, I certainly feel I have achieved many of them through various tasks with both the Amy Gillett Foundation and GolfBarons. More specifically to the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF), I believe the internship environment they have provided has allowed me to become purely authentic within myself, creating an opportunity to reach my full potential. The most pleasing aspect of interning with AGF is that my supervisors are fully aware of my goals and have also created additional goals based on what they determine to be the scope of my capabilities. 

With respect to GolfBarons, unfortunately due to covid-19 lockdown, some pre-organised projects such as on-site filming, had to be cancelled which would’ve allowed me to become more ingrained and comfortable with the host and brand. Nonetheless, goals such as being challenged and a willingness to accept all tasks no matter the complexity or motivation have been met. 

Both internships have definitely helped in creating clearer career aspirations. Doyle (2020) suggests that career aspirations may be a larger goal broken down into smaller pieces. Some career aspirations may have a clear, simple path and others may have many twists and bends. Thinking about this idea, I feel I’ve never had any career aspirations set in stone as my work/study life has seen many changes over time. According to Baroudi et al (2018) employees with career aspirations can have a significant impact on organisational effectiveness. This statement bares thought that, my own personal career aspirations have more than likely impacted the work output I have produced at both intern hosts. My own core life goal of - 

“Create an environment that allows others to reach their potential”, 

has been the driving point for many of my daily decisions and a huge bearing on any career aspirations. I certainly feel this is why I have enjoyed the AGF internship the most as all day do is more the better of the community. That being said, I know whatever my specific career aspiration may be, it will largely revolve around that ever present life goal. 

References: 

Buote, V 2016, ‘Most Employees Feel Authentic at Work, but It Can Take a While’, Harvard Business Review, hbr.org, 11 May 2016, viewed 15 November 2020. https://hbr.org/2016/05/most-employees-feel-authentic-at-work-but-it-can-take-a-while?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=harvardbiz 

Lunenburg, F 2011, ‘Goal-setting theory of motivation’ International journal of management, business, and administration, vol. 15, Iss. 1, pp.1-6, viewed 15 November 2020.   https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b0b8f55365f02045e1ecaa5/t/5b14d215758d46f9851858d1/1528091160453/Lunenburg%2C+Fred+C.+Goal-Setting+Theoryof+Motivation+IJMBA+V15+N1+2011.pdf

Erez, A, Judge, T 2001, ‘Relationship of core self-evaluations to goal setting, motivation, and performance’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 86, no. 6, pp. 1270–1279, viewed 15 November 2020. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=12129183&site=ehost-live&scope=site>.

Baroudi, S, et al 2018, ‘How Do Career Aspirations Benefit Organizations? The Mediating Roles of the Proactive and Relational Aspects of Contemporary Work’, Frontiers in psychology, pp. 2150, 9 November 2018, viewed 15 November 2020.   https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02150/full

Doyle, A 2020, ‘Interview Question: "What Are Your Career Aspirations?"’, thebalancecareers.com, 7 May 2020, viewed 15 November 2020.   https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-answer-interview-questions-about-your-career-plan-2064056 

Entry 5 - Achievements and milestones both technically and professionally

‘Time has certainly flown and now I’m past the halfway point of each internship, the mind does ponder on what has been achieved so far and the progression that has been made. Joseph and Linley (2005) suggest that being able to accomplish achievements and milestones, one must overcome obstacles and challenges. Challenges define achievement’s and when assessing personal growth in a technical and professional sense, it’s the process leading to the success that needs to be highlighted on a more consistent basis (Joseph & Linley 2005). 

Understanding the difference between an achievement and a milestone is an important aspect upon the reflection as both can often be used as a similar meaning. According to Cambridge Dictionary (2020), an achievement is the result of something that was difficult that lead you to a successful moment. Whereas a milestone, according to Collins Dictionary (2020), is a development of something or someone. To be more specific to my situation regarding the internship programs, I feel I have developed both technically and professionally which has led me to multiple achievements thus far with bottomless appetite for improvement. 

Firstly, in regard to the Amy Gillett Foundation, my overall goal was to achieve a greater understanding in the process of liaising with government and event planning. I was unsure what milestones I would complete along the way, however, the task’s/projects handed to me thus far have certainly provided me with insight into my goals. Before beginning my time with AGF, I didn't know how to use excel to a satisfactory standard, I didn't know how to create an event run sheet and I was unsure where to start when contacting government officials regarding event or project proposals. After 10 weeks of working alongside staff who are skilled and knowledgeable in these areas, they have allowed me to opportunity to develop these skills through various projects that have immensely improved my technical and professional skills. Technical skills such as using shareable excel documents (google sheets), setting up zoom meetings and creating mail merges have all been apart of my growth in a technical sense that I previously would not have been exposed to otherwise.  

This short video is a small snippet of how the internship has allowed me to improve my technical skills by providing me with unique experiences that would not be offered in the classroom. 

According to Nghia and Nguyen (2018), their study found that students who completed internships against those who didn't, were left far more employable due to the professional skills learnt in a workplace. Based on this study, I certainly feel like my professional skills such as communication, writing, time management, teamwork and problem solving have definitely improved whilst at the Amy Gillett Foundation. Actively be apart of creating official organisation emails, conducting numerous phone calls to government offices, creating events and allocating tasks has been a great way to improve my professional skills whilst receiving instant feedback in areas of improvement. 

In regard to the GolfBarons internship, I certainly feel milestones and achievements have been accomplished with a great development in a technical and professional sense as well. Though only given the two major tasks thus far in being an audit of GolfBarons social media and creating an October content calendar based on that audit, both tasks have provided me with great challenges. 

In a technical sense, I have been able to continue my excel spreadsheet skills, greater understand the functionality of Facebook and Instagram, edit images, video and audio. There have been enjoyable aspects to these technical skills, especially in creating content on a sport a enjoy and for a brand that prides themselves on being more that just about golf. From a professional standpoint, being able to work autonomously and enhance my creativity has been an area that has seen much improvement. Ohly (2018) suggests that workplaces who promote and encourage creativity opportunities will find themselves with greater idea generation and enhanced innovation. This idea is certainly reflective of my experiences so far at GolfBarons. I have been entrusted with the responsibility of content creation which has really tested my innovation but also allowing me to feel comfortable with trusting my own ideas. I certainly feel this has been beneficial whether the feedback is positive or not as I have grown confidence in an area which I feel vulnerable in previously. This has allowed for greater professional growth that will improve my employability skills and resume. 

Overall, I am very content with my progression so far and the exciting aspect moving forward is that both internships will continue to throw challenges at me. The small milestones that have led to various achievements have allowed me to feel more and more comfortable in the workplace and provided me with further skill enhancement for current tasks and tasks ahead. 

To finish, I have thoroughly enjoyed stumbling across various Ted Talks that hold relevance to each entry. Whether It helps with motivation or increased knowledge, they certainly offer a positive experience. 

References: 

Joseph, S, Linley, P 2008, ‘Psychological assessment of growth following adversity: A review’, Trauma, recovery, and growth: Positive psychological perspectives on posttraumatic stress, John Wiley & Sons Inc, pp.21-38, 2008, viewed 10 November 2020. https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=7K4Qf1b1PtAC&oi=fnd&pg=PA21&dq=personal+growth+from+adversity+&ots=7GDd2bONcb&sig=WR6t_j_FrnX1nahibDIHqh1pf-g&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=personal%20growth%20from%20adversity&f=false

Cambridge Dictionary 2020, ‘Achievement’, dictionary.cambridge.org, viewed 10 November 2020. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/achievement

Collins Dictionary 2020, ‘Milestone’, collinsdictionary.com, viewed 10 November 2020. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/milestone

Nghia, T, Nguyen, M 2018, ‘Internship-related learning outcomes and their influential factors’, Education & Training, Emerald Publishing Limited, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 69-81, viewed 10 November 2020. https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.holmesglen.edu.au/docview/1973006419?rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo

Ohly, S 2018, ‘Promoting Creativity at Work – Implications for Scientific Creativity’, European Review, vol. 26, pp. 1-9, January 2018, viewed 10 November 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322403652_Promoting_Creativity_at_Work_-_Implications_for_Scientific_Creativity

Entry 4 - Challenges (e.g. the nature of the work, working hours, motivation, tabling of ideas)

Well we are well and truly past the transition phase with each week signaling a sign of comfortability at both internships locations. It’s been a whirlwind to say the least as both host’s have presented unique and testing challenges, keeping me on my toes each week and out of my comfort zone. Latham (2018) claims that stepping out of your comfort zone is never as bad or scary as you may expect. Though I agree with this statement, for some strange reason it does not make it seem any easier when stepping into a new environment. White (2009) states that a comfort zone is a feeling of neutral anxiety with performance remaining at a constant level. Anxiety level tend to fluctuate when one is placed outside of this comfort zone which can impact performance both positively or negatively (White 2009).   

The image above is probably a fair indication of where my mental path has led since beginning the internship program. I can definitely say that I do slip back into the “Fear Zone” from time to time however, now I have become more aware of my new environments, “The Learning Zone” would be where I find myself for the most part.   

As mentioned, both internships have presented new challenges. AGF has been the more challenging of the two and I feel that's purely due to the fact my output levels are higher and I’m required to devote longer hours. We have been working on a number of projects since my arrival which is a challenge in itself. Brockett (2017) recommends that prioritising tasks and scheduling when do complete them is a recipe for success when trying to balance multiple projects. This has been extremely eye opening to me and forced me to restructure how go about both internships and uni work. Prior to the internship I was very comfortable in doing one task as a time, similar to what I do at work each day (mow the first green, then mow the second green and so on). This is a very systematic way of working and on a golf its the most efficient and productive way to complete tasks. In an office environment like AGF however, this kind of working approach is not relied upon as there is so many departments relying on so many people who must be able to multi task to keep the organisation running smoothly. Appelbaum (2008) highlights that how multitasking has changed the workforce forever. He suggests that an $85,000 working contribution by an employee in the early 90′s is now equal to $250,000 per year (Appelbaum 2008). AGF has supplied me with multiple tasks at one time which has tested my mental capacity, organisational skills, communication skills and time management. Thankfully it has been a gradual process which has allowed me to adjust with confidence each time the bar has been raised. The video below is an interesting and humorous look at the multitasked world we live in today. For all it’s benefits, sometimes we can miss the obvious.

Golf Barons on the other hand has been far more systematic. Whilst balancing two internships, this is probably a blessing as it allows me to compartmentalise my commitments to each host. The only real difference is that GolfBarons is more deadline based. Each week I have a set task to produce social media content with must be completed by Sunday night, ready for posting the coming week. I have not been given a set amount hours I should be spending on this task, however it’s not overly taxing. What i would say is that it’s testing my idea creation far more than AGF. Both on a personal and professional level, creativity for social media content is not a strong point, however, this task is forcing my hand to be better in this area, which is a positive. The issue with idea generation for me though is the current isolation of my idea’s. I feel this is hindering the expansion of ideas due to lack of input from others and feedback. Swaminathan (2017) echoes this view stating that ideas are far better curated in numbers than by oneself. It allows for instant appraisal and an extension on a single idea    (Swaminathan 2017).  

As its stands at this point, my motivation for AGF is far greater than GolfBarons. As mentioned in my previous entry, I feel far more connected, aware of organisational goals and enthusiastic about each task I’m given. At AGF, we are really making progress into creating safer conditions for cyclists on Australian roads which for me personally is far more fulfilling than creating social media content. 

References:

Latham, A 2018, ‘16 Reasons Why You Should Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone Now’, Forbes.com, 11 April 2018, viewed 20 October 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/annlatham/2018/04/11/16-reasons-why-you-should-get-out-of-your-comfort-zone-now/?sh=51fa8f1962e5 

White, A 2009, ‘From comfort zone to performance management’, White and Maclean Publishing, reserachgate.net, viewed 20 October 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alasdair_White3/publication/228957278_From_Comfort_Zone_to_Performance_Management/links/5a099e45a6fdcc8b54771870/From-Comfort-Zone-to-Performance-Management.pdf

Brockett, S 2017, ‘How to Balance Multiple Projects without Losing Your Sanity’, 24 May 2017, viewed 20 October 2020. https://spin.atomicobject.com/2017/05/24/balance-multiple-projects/

Appelbaum, S, Marchionni, A, Fernandez, A 2008, ‘The multitasking paradox: Perceptions, problems and strategies’, Management Decision, emerald.com, Vol. 46, Iss. 9, 17 October 2008. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00251740810911966/full/html?casa_token=8Z3AImOvYGEAAAAA:0Tr4IBtWz3tGfZEvGJ6LkKOXUx3_rr4VLb8ctcDSdg8mXOsR0V1CrNlUeDXK6vmSDIPf02aydBGoeInOeeLTwUxl13oUUAVxZPqA6WpPdTj5gICsddg

Swaminathan, G, Magesh, R 2017, ‘Idea Generation Techniques Help to Increase Quantitatively More Ideas to Solve Business Problems in Information Technology Organization’, International Journal of Applied Business and Economic Research, Vol. 15, Iss. 6, viewed 20 October 2020.  file:///C:/Users/Barbera/Downloads/36-2017-GEETHATIJAER.pdf 

Entry 3 - Being an effective team member, contributor, building confidence & being efficient

Team environments have always been a strong for me as I thoroughly enjoy shared success over an personal achievements. Though this may be the case, being effective, efficient and consistent contributor are challenges I face each day. 

Za´rraga and Bonache (2003) state that team environments strengthen idea creation and can have a positive impact on confidence in knowledge sharing due to support and trust in the overarching team goal. This is certainly relevant to the situation I find myself accustomed to in the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) Internship. As a team and only a small one for that matter at AGF, we are constantly encouraged to think out loud, ask for help and not to get bogged down when a task becomes difficult due it’s unfamiliar territory. This environment creates an atmosphere of trust and confidence which has been extremely helpful in adjusting to a new workplace. GolfBarons (GB) on the other hand is probably a little different as I feel more isolated than I do a part of a team. As I am only dealing with one member from GB on a weekly basis, I feel disconnected, unsure of myself and unware of whether my work is satisfactory. Even though this may be the case, I know the GB Team are extremely passionate about their product and that’s helping me with my motivation. 

Coughlin (2015) implores managers and executives too create a team environment where “Any Person” can make a positive contribution and their label or previous experience should not dictate this idea. I found this extremely insightful in relation to both internships I am currently completing as they both promote this idea which is allowing me to feel valued with strong desire’s to perform. 

In regards to my contribution, I certainly feel AGF is of a higher standard and holds more fulfillment. The work we are doing has a significant impact on people’s live which adds great purpose to achieving the nest result possible.    So far It has been a good mixture of idea generation, responsibility and being able to complete set tasks that may not heavily feature the aspects just mentioned. Haas & Mortensen (2016) suggest that being a positive contributor is largely a byproduct of organisation structures and a collaborative environment set my management staff. The environment set at AGF has allowed me to feel confident in my set tasks, willing to speak my mind and focussed on achieving positive results. Efficiency however has often been a downfall for me due to being easily distracted or relaxed approach about deadlines. Working in a team like AGF has allowed me to improve in this area as we are dependent on each other. It has also allowed for a deeper understanding of our strengths and weaknesses which has a huge bearing on efficiency in a workplace (Kunz 2019).

In regards to GB, my contributions are honestly just enough of what's required of me. Hedges (2014) highlights that a lack of willingness to contribute to the best of your ability may be the result of disconnectedness, lack of feedback, lack of progress and lack of motivation for the underpinning purpose. The tasks so far with GB have not been boring or mundane, it is more that I have only been given two tasks thus far that have not correlated to the growth I would have like to have seen six weeks into the internship. Creating social media content to be frankly honest does nothing for me as the result lies in consumer reaction. To help with this task, I have decided to concentrate on the process not the result which will allow me to be more focused in what I am creating and not who likes, comments, shares or engages. 

Both internships continue to presents their own challenges and at this stage, AGF is presenting challenges I am thoroughly enjoying a lot more. 

References:

COUGHLIN, D 2015, ‘The Any Person Movement’, Effective Executive, Vol. 18, Iss . 1, pp. 28-33, March 2015, viewed 15 October 2020. https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.holmesglen.edu.au/docview/1691307292?rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo

Za´rraga, C, Bonache, J 2003, ‘Assessing the team environment for knowledge sharing: an empirical analysis’,  Int. J. of Human Resource Management, Vol. 14, Iss. 7, pp. 1227–1245, November 2003, viewed 15 October 2020. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/48546111/Assessing_the_team_environment_for_knowl20160903-31070-tjnvtx.pdf?1472934608=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DAssessing_the_team_environment_for_knowl.pdf&Expires=1603691985&Signature=ZJ-EVtz1XyL6D~WWLeGa7uRpS-JXaN8GX~saGaB74rAaNZhAcP7xUs0fAcGQ8Gc4Er98S8xn9zPP7bDIkbaoXGAXvs0pYCs61LkUAgm5QJ3u7rmWJiqZWcSU-A9TwzYbjIkkabPMhYxTyTCaVuo8XEmsqiu2Uto3Xn6aSg05vapB4KPMU5mez-wX0NNpPEbtwIvHK0oe60jEyst1JPKICq-VsKskx4huPOJBXDRdjMAwtOsyngAMBxreALe542BaYzmN~v5fIQm-Mkw9XKQh2Ws5VSew6slbNOtS1PqDeHnBvwA9Kk6cRzxRtIrPzmVc7n8lfduok26dRXUIB0oDsg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

Haas, M, Mortensen, M 2015, ‘The Secrets of Great Teamwork’, Harvard Business Review, hbr.org, June 2016, viewed 15 October 2020. https://hbr.org/2016/06/the-secrets-of-great-teamwork

Kunz, M 2019, ‘Employee Strengths & Weaknesses’, smallbusiness.chron.com, 4 February 2019, viewed 15 October 2019.   https://smallbusiness.chron.com/employee-strengths-weaknesses-18946.html

Hedges, K 2014, ‘8 Common Causes Of Workplace Demotivation’, forbes.com, 20 January 2014, viewed 15 October 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2014/01/20/8-common-causes-of-workplace-demotivation/#51fb0f3a42c6    

Entry 2 - Finding your feet in the internship and completing initial tasks

Upon thinking deeper about my first few weeks at both the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) and GolfBarons (GB), they have been a stark contrast.This is largely due AGF being a daily running business with general office staff and consistent projects, whereas GB is more of a content production entity with only a small number of staff, only one of which I deal with once a week. Both roles are unique in their own way. At AGF, we are constantly working together, have various set tasks each week and ever changing deadlines due to government decisions surrounding Covid-19. GB is less team orientated in terms of a personal sense. Having only been set two tasks thus far, I find myself a little less engaged, however, if circumstances were normal, there would be many more roles and opportunities for me in the field such as on site filming and travelling for their TV program. 

According to Santos (2017), she suggests that interns have an opportunity like no other. They are offered a role on a learning capacity basis rather than high expectations of someone who has been in industry for numerous years (Santos 2017). Santos (2017) also suggests that internships are an environment where being willing to do anything is encouraged and mistakes are all part of the learning process. In hindsight, having this idea in the back of my mind may have boded better for me as I probably put too much pressure on myself to perform at the level that was unimaginable purely due to lack of experience. 

This quote from Mark Zuckerberg is a reminder that internships are about being willing. Willing to try and not being afraid to fail because in failure we learn our strongest lessons. (Gault et al 2010) makes comment that internships are designed to prepare you for industry and organisations should not expect the intern to be industry prepared. With this in mind, reflecting now on both the expectations of AGF and GB thus far have been all about development both professionally and personally. 

At AGF, my first task was to create a Zoom Trivia Event for all the AGF staff. This involved manufacturing idea’s for each round, scheduling, time management, confirming availability, learning email systems and trialling the the event on Zoom in order to make sure there wasn't going to be any mishaps during the actual event. Allen (2009) promotes that being prepared for the worst possible scenario mitigates chances of events going wrong. This has been something I have learnt and understood more of its importance in my short amount of time at AGF. A planned event may seem perfect prior to it unfolding, however, not having strategies in place for all possible issues could lead to a failed/unenjoyable event. Thankfully the Trivia went off it went off with only a minor hiccup in which we were prepared for. 

My first task with GB was to audit their social media accounts. Personally I have no interest in social media or linkedin, though I was set a task and had every intention on completing it to the best of my ability. My love for golf certainly helped with this project and I relied heavily on our experience from the applied learning program with Caulfield when we were set a similar task. The applied learning program in my personal view will be the most significant developer of students outside of the internship program as Johnstone & Soares (2014) believe real life experience outside of the classroom is the quintessential path towards being a successful employee. In completing this initial project, I also lent on the interview experiences when we were reminded that university education is also relevant enough experience when applying for industry roles. I guess what I am trying to say it that, this was a good reminder of my capabilities. 

References:

Santos, M 2017, ‘Five pieces of advice for interns’, edelman.com, 19 July 2017, viewed 10 October 2020. https://www.edelman.com/post/advice-for-interns

Gault, J., Leach, E. and Duey, M 2010, ‘Effects of business internships on job marketability: the employers' perspective’, Education + Training, Vol. 52 No. 1, pp. 76-88, viewed 10 October 2020. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911011017690

Allen, J 2009, ‘Event Planning: The Ultimate Guide To Successful Meetings, Corporate Events, Fundraising Galas, Conferences, Conventions, Incentives and Other Special Events’,  John Wiley & Sons, Business & Economics, 16 April 2009, viewed 10 October 2020. https://books.google.com.au/books?id=KiArFJcsu_kC&dq=being+prepared+event+planning&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Johnstone, S, Soares, L 2014, ‘Principles for Developing Competency-Based Education Programs, Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning’, 46:2, 12-19, 9 April 2014, viewed 10 October 2020. DOI: 10.1080/00091383.2014.896705

Entry 1 Preparedness prior to commencing the internship and assimilation into the organisational culture

To say I was a little nervous prior to my first day with either of my intern partners would be a gross understatement. It wasn’t so much fear, but more apprehension and excitement to some extent. The interview process was all our partners could remember us by but I guess that gave me confidence and reassurance that they chose me and have faith in what I can contribute to their workplace. I felt as prepared as I could be.

Anjum (2020) states that internships are the ideal place for students to implement their skills learnt through study, into the professional workplace under supervision. This idea certainly fits my profile, however, I questioned whether my studies were enough to have me prepared. Hay et al (2012) puts forward the notion that study and work expectations are two completely different landscapes. As much as I thought student life had its challenges, Hay et al (2020) questioned my workplace readiness. How was I going to manage multiple tasks where others relied on me? How flexible and supportive will my supervisors be? Will I be treated just like any another payed staff member? And will it be sink or swim? I had all these questions running through my head which was not ideal leading up to my first day. Thankfully, Loretto (2019) reminded me that, all these questions I was asking of myself would be answered in time. The internship will provide me with the ability to develop both my personal and professional skills. It will teach me varying degrees of flexibility. It will teach me to understand my place and expectations within the organisation and whether I’ll sink or swim. I hope it’s the latter.

When it came to organisational culture, I was excited about assimilating quickly whilst learning new beliefs and values. Working within the turf industry for six years now, my awareness and understanding of different workplace cultures was limited and further exposure was needed. Based on my interview, teamwork was highly valued at both GolfBarons and Amy Gillett Foundation. This was an area of strength for mine, however, I wanted to understand more about their motivations. Watkins (2013) suggests that specific goals and motivations can help shape organisational culture. Once I understand these factors I feel my expectations and the expectations of me will become clearer.

Organisational culture doesn’t only reflect the values of a workplace but also symbols and meaning (Alvesson 2013). Before even knowing a single staff member or reading a mission statement, the Amy Gillett Foundation has two symbols that reflect their culture. One being the colour pink which resembles love and harmony, as well as their slogan “Stronger Together” which projects unity and the power of people. This became important to me as it allowed me to generate a deeper connection towards the organisation. Knowing what the organisation represents will allow me to relate and motivate myself. I know its not going to be easy. It’s a challenge I’m hoping I’ll embrace but also know that mistakes will be made along the journey, however, I’m going to need to be ok with that in order to learn, progress and adapt.

 References:

Alvesson, M 2013, ‘Understanding Organisational Culture’, Sage Journals, second edition, viewed 28 September 2020.   https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BDsV8eHp0_MC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=organizational+culture&ots=761haovMBD&sig=0j8n5sc_esXWwFPx2NH3iU8J90I&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=organizational%20culture&f=false

Watkins, M 2013, ‘What Is Organizational Culture? And Why Should We Care?’, Harvard Business Review, 15 May 2013, viewed 28 September 2020. https://hbr.org/2013/05/what-is-organizational-culture

Lorreto, P 2019, ‘Internship Expectations’, thebalancecareers.com, 27 September 2019, viewed 28 September 2020. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/internship-expectations-1986797

Hay, K, Franklin, L, Hardyment, A 2012, ‘From student to employee: A conversation about transition and readiness for practice in a statutory social work organisation’, Social Work 2012, New Zealand Government, 21 June 2012, viewed 28 September 2020. https://thehub.swa.govt.nz/assets/documents/42869_swn50june12.4-11_0.pdf