The office that I work in is really the best of both worlds: privacy to work alone and coworkers available for teamwork. Everyone seems to be responsible for a different task in the department. Many people sit in their office all day and work on the numerous projects they want to complete. It seems as if everyone needs their own space because I have yet to see two people working in the same office. This private culture creates a great atmosphere in which people can work peacefully.
However, I also see a lot of collaborative work, maybe not in terms of two people claiming to be the author of one document. What I mean is planned and unplanned group brainstorming. Sometimes one person will pop in someone's office and go over ideas for a new project. The office is small so everyone knows everyone (I think) and is comfortable doing this. Other times people set up meetings to brainstorm or review the exisiting material. Also, when there is a big event with the University, such orientation, the office might be more hectic. Everyone is busy because they want the office, which includes everyone, to run smoothly.
As a result, I've realized that the collaborative productivity and the immediate surrounding atmosphere can directly affect the culture of a workplace. If no one cared what their coworkers were doing, the office would probably be more hectic and people would not be able to work peacefully as they normally do. The indirect effect seems to be that people work together by working privately and completing their tasks. If everyone contributes their part then everything can continue normally. Everyone has seemed happy to meet me, but if I were to work in their office with them, they may not be so happy with me. Observing and learning the culture of a space is important for your ability to fit in and work well within that space.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Internship Week 3: Meeting Time
My main goal of this internship is to find out what skills professional writers most use at their every day job. One skill I rarely consider but is a major component of a writer's daily activities is communicating with others. I went to a meeting with my boss and was surprised at the level of communication employed. Coworkers have to present their work to each other and express opinions about each other's work.
How often have I, as a student, communicated my work to my classmates? How well can I present myself to others? In PWE classes, we peer review each other often, but these activities usually involve filling out a form with prompts from the professor and giving the form to the owner of the text. Writing to someone about their work and telling them about their work are two very different actions. I'm glad that I have learned how the difference between these two professional actions and hope to work on expressing my ideas to others.
How often have I, as a student, communicated my work to my classmates? How well can I present myself to others? In PWE classes, we peer review each other often, but these activities usually involve filling out a form with prompts from the professor and giving the form to the owner of the text. Writing to someone about their work and telling them about their work are two very different actions. I'm glad that I have learned how the difference between these two professional actions and hope to work on expressing my ideas to others.
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