Weekly Log Questions

What went well?

• Throughout this week I corrected and provided feedback for the maps submitted by other volunteers.
• Through my supervisor, I was also able to figure out some of the issues I was having when viewing/editing the maps submitted by other people. Essentially, I was seeing structures being tagged by the volunteers that did not exist on the map. My supervisor explained to me that I could have been working with an older map that was created before those structures existed. 

What could have been done differently?

• I wish I had known about the different aerial imagery available when mapping/validating as so far I had only been utilizing one imagery. This would have increased the mapping accuracy and being able to cross- reference across the imagery would have increased my understanding of the location of the residential areas and infrastructure. 
• Also, because of my lack of knowledge on this, I had assumed that the other volunteers were incorrectly mapping and was about to correct them. So I’m thankful I figured out my mistake first!

What did I learn about myself when working with others?

• I learned this week that I am a proactive person when it comes to the tasks that needed to be done. Relating to the issue where I thought the other volunteers were mapping incorrectly, I was proactive in getting my supervisor to look at the issue and getting his input. Had I not been proactive in seeking solutions and advice from those who know more than me, I would have approached this issue and tried to resolve it incorrectly.

What did I learn about leadership?

• This week I believe that I developed on my self-knowledge and awareness. Even in a leadership position, I have to be aware that compared to many of the other volunteers, I have not been working here for a while and as a result I have limited expertise in regard to the ongoing projects. Moreover, this awareness of my own limitations allows me to seek out knowledge in my weak areas so I can further improve my skillset and become an effective leader.

What do I want to develop or focus on next?

• In the next week, I want focus more on reaching out to various people in my organization and making a connection with them. I have realized over this week that there is a lot I have yet to learn from the other volunteers in the mapping projects, and in order to facilitate this learning, I have to build relationships.