Since joining Tampa Bay Wave, I have experienced the most significant overall growth in my communication skills. Linda Olson and the Tampa Bay Wave team have consistently given me the fortuity to speak my mind during our operational and team meetings. Additionally, my first task as an intern was to book a venue for the CORE Kickoff Event on Thursday, June 17th. For the two weeks leading up to my deadline, I found myself performing many clerical duties such as emailing and calling venues. Booking an event for a personal gathering or event is one thing, but booking a program kickoff event for a multi-million dollar company during your first week as an intern comes with slightly additional pressure. However, with the support of Ramit Singh, I learned to stand my ground, negotiate prices, and speak with more confidence so I can attain an excellent venue for a worthwhile price.
Furthermore, I have also been progressing in communicating my work updates. At the
start of my internship, I would wait until a coworker approached me with a work assignment instead of seeking out work. Now, I am consistently providing work updates and constantly looking to get my feet wet, helping my team with their pressing tasks wherever I can. When receiving work that I am unsure how to accomplish, I make sure to leave my pride at the door and always ask for help whenever I need it. I am surrounded by individuals always willing to lend a helping hand when that can, so I feel comfortable asking for help when I need it.
A minor facet of my communication skills that is steadily growing is my assertiveness.
Currently, I am in a space where I know only a fragment of information compared to those I work with. Thus, I tend not to have much weight to add to conversations. Nevertheless, I have slowly become more assertive in stating my opinion on matters and adding a different perspective to discussions that may arise. In the end, as long as I continue to push myself throughout the remainder of my internship, I can rest assured that my skills will grow exponentially.
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