In my final semester of my communications and media degree, I chose to do BCM313 as a subject as I had a few electives left. We have looked at values in the workplace which has really taught me a lot about myself and made be become aware of my own personal values, and it has also taught me about the future of work and what this entails.
For assessment 3, we were asked to conduct a narrative interview for an individual who works professionally in a way which is relevant to our future. We were then asked to put together a presentation which included how they have developed their professional values, how they have managed change in their working life and what they expect from the future of work.
I conducted a narrative interview with my aunty Lucille foster. This experience was extremely valuable to me because it brought everything we have learnt this semester in BCM313 together and put theories into practise. I went into the interview with a list of around 5 questions to guide me though the interview, but noticed shortly after beginning that these questions weren’t really necessary.
Click here to view the presentation:
My own values helped shape this presentation. In relation to Michael whites theory ‘the absent by implicit’, I was able to make meaning of Lucille’s experiences by contrasting it with my own, meaning I picked up on the certain points she spoke about because they resonated with me and made me think of an experience of my own. By using reflection techniques, I was able to continue the interview based on stories brought up by Lucille instead of a usual question and answer interview.
The interview made me realise that even though I know Lucille well and have known her for a long time, you find out more about the little things that make them who they are when you approach the interview from a different angle. By letting her tell stories as she choose to and asking about particular points that stuck out to me, I was able to identify her main values in the workplace – collaboration, loyalty and adaptiveness.
Through Michael whites theories, I have learnt to conduct interviews and conversations in general using outsider witnessing, the absent but implicit, and eternalising conversation. Along with this I was able to identify Lucille’s club of life (Carey & Russell 2002) which included her parents and previous boss and colleagues.
By interviewing Lucille I have learnt that you don’t need to know exactly what you want to do in life and that if something goes unplanned, you should not be worried because everything happens for a reason and you will end up right where you need to be. Assessment 3 was a really great way to build presentation skills which can be essential in the workplace as well as bring together different aspects of the subject that have been so meaningful for our careers and the future of work.
References:
Carey, M & Russell, S 2002, ‘Remembering: responding to commonly asked questions,’ The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, no. 3, http://narrativepractices.com.au/attach/pdf/Remembering_Common_Questions.pdf
Shona Russell & Maggie Carey, … ‘Re-Membering: Commonly asked questions’. Accessed 29th August 2021. Available at: http://narrativepractices.com.au/attach/pdf/Remembering_Common_Questions.pdf
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