Made by Do Phuong Class IGM1-D Date 16/03/2025

"WE BELONG", "OUR TEAM", "MY SKILLS" AND "MY TALENTS"

PORTFOLIO

TALENT FACTORY
 TABLE OF
CONTENT
P1: We belong
01 People skill
02 Connection
03 Active Listening
04 Teamwork
P2: Our Team

05 Project Management
P3: My Skills
senta tion skill (body language)
06 Pre

P3: My Talent 07 Networking

08 My talent
ABOUT ME
ABOUT ME
Hi, my name is Ngan Phuong, but you can
call me Fiona. I’m a Graphic Design student
from Vietnam — a vibrant tropical country
As an INFP, I’m deeply intuitive, empathetic,
and driven by purpose. I find meaning in
helping others and expressing ideas through
known for its warmth, hospitality, and strong design. Whether it's building strong brands
sense of community. Growing up in such a on social media or organizing events that
rich cultural environment has shaped my bring people together, I’m passionate about
worldview and sparked my journey of self- creating thoughtful solutions that make life
My goal is always to spread positivity,
discovery and creative exploration. a little brighter.
foster connection, and add value in
everything I do.
Made by Do Phuong Class IGM1-D Date 16/03/2025

PART 1

WE BELONG

TALENT FACTORY
1. PEOPLE SKILL- INSUFFICIENT (improved to SUFFICIENT)
Before joining this course, I often found myself:
Avoiding initiating interactions: I hesitated to reach out to team members, missing opportunities to build
rapport.
Struggling to understand emotions: I sometimes failed to pick up on non-verbal cues, which led to
misunderstandings. Even when I misunderstood a few times, I didn’t dare to ask again, which caused a lack of
information for the story.
Avoiding offering help: When colleagues faced challenges, I didn’t always step in to assist, fearing I might
overstep.
My friends also gave me feedback that I needed to be more straightforward. At the beginning of the semester, I
didn’t know much about people skills and thought I was just too shy to speak up.

However, realizing I needed to improve my people skills was really important. Because of this, I started looking for
ways to communicate better and connect more with others so I could work more smoothly with my team.
. Goal: By the end of this semester, I will apply non-violent communication
techniques to express my needs clearly in at least three group discussions
involving tension or disagreement, while maintaining empathy and active
listening.
Specific: Be assertive in difficult conversations
Measurable: At least three real interactions
Achievable: Apply communication frameworks I’ve practiced
During this process, I found Kolb’s Learning Cycle to be a very helpful
guide:
Concrete Experience: I took part in team projects and class discussions
where conflicts or disagreements arose among members.
Reflective Observation: I realized there were times I held back my
opinions or struggled to understand others’ perspectives, which
sometimes slowed down our progress.
Abstract Conceptualization: I studied non-violent communication (NVC)
and active listening, reflecting on how clearly and empathetically
expressing my needs can improve collaboration and reduce
misunderstandings.
Active Experimentation: I practiced using NVC statements to express
my feelings and needs, such as “I feel… when… because… I would
appreciate if…,” while also paying close attention to others’ responses
before replying.
 EVOLUTION:
Scenario: I had a chance to become a producer of a film crew in the
summer and this situation happened on the shooting day.

During filming, the director and editor argued because the director wanted
to shoot the scene their way, but the editor insisted on changing it since
What it shows:
mistakes would be hard to fix in post-production. Both were frustrated and
I’ve improved a lot compared to a few months
even rude to me at first. Instead of avoiding the conflict, I stayed calm, ago. I’ve learned how to not only stand up for
listened to both sides, and helped them explain their needs using non- myself but also help lead the team, make our
violent communication. I encouraged them to focus on the scene’s goal, work more efficient, and reduce tension during
projects.
and we found a compromise that satisfied both creative and technical
concerns.
What I Learned: Next Steps:

Conflict Navigation: I helped turn tension into teamwork. This showed me that facing conflict with
empathy and clear communication works better
Emotional Control: I stayed calm even when others were angry.
than avoiding it. By improved my people skill, I
Respectful Mediation: I used clear, empathetic communication so both helped the team resolve disagreements
could be heard. smoothly.
I firmly believe that strong communication and interpersonal skills are crucial in both personal and professional
settings. I have consciously developed my ability to connect with others by emphasizing empathy, attentive
listening, and clear, honest dialogue. Here are three approaches I use to foster effective communication through
nonviolent principles:

Active Listening – I focus on truly hearing Expressing Needs and Feelings Clearly – I
what others are expressing, both verbally practice sharing my emotions and needs
and nonverbally, without interrupting or openly, without blame or judgment, which
rushing to respond. This ensures that people encourages constructive conversations and
feel understood and respected. mutual understanding.

Empathetic Reflection – I make an effort to

reflect and validate others’ feelings by
summarizing their perspective, which helps
build trust and reduces potential conflicts.
2. CONNECTION - GOOD (want to improve to EXCELLENT)
In school:
Scenario:
My friend Lee couldn’t attend class because he was sick.
Action:
I carefully took notes during the lesson and later summarized the
main content for him.
Analysis:
By helping my friend catch up with class, I maintained our connection
through support and showed that we can move forward together even
if one of us falls behind.
 There’s a saying, “The way to a man’s heart is
through his stomach”—and I totally believe food is
the best way to connect with people! 🍲

Scenario:
Our team gathered to work together at a boba tea shop that I
recommended.
What it shows:
By inviting my group to a fun and relaxed place, we had more chances
to talk and get to know each other compared to somewhere more
formal like the library or a meeting hallway. Plus, a little sugar
always helps boost the mood! 🧋
Out life:
Scenario 1:
I sent a message to my friend to invite them to eat at a restaurant.
Scenario 2:
After class, we gathered at my place and shared a meal of fried rice
together.
Scenario 3:
We joined a dance workshop organized by Artevelde to learn and
practice dancing.
Connect with neighbor
As an international student, I deeply acknowledge that I don’t have
close relatives or long-time friends here to rely on as a strong support
system. My neighbors are the closest people I can turn to in emergency
situations—but they are also the ones who bring amazing diversity and
unforgettable moments into my life.
To connect with them, I often use food as a way to create bonds:
sometimes on a normal day I overcook and invite a friend to try, other
times I host a potluck so we can share cultures. Playing card games
also becomes one of the best ways to connect and laugh together.

Screenshot 1:
Me host a potluck party during the New Year
Eve day
Screenshot 2 and 3:
I cooked my traditional food for podlock and
ask my neighbor in my same student dorm who
pass by try it
Screenshot 4:
My friend was preparing food for the pod luck
Find connection
Besides making friends in real life, I also
take advantage of the power of social
media. I chose Threads because it attracts
Gen Z—my generation—and many people
working in media and creative fields, which
makes it a great platform to build
connections.

The screenshot below shows my post from

August 1st, where I tried to find friends
with similar interests. It hasn’t reached a
large audience yet, but I already received a
few replies from people who want to meet
up and connect.
R
Through my experiences connecting with others, I have learned that building
meaningful relationships is not just about spending time together—it’s also
E about valuing diversity and creating a sense of belonging. As an international
student, I recognize that my background is different from many of my

F neighbors and peers, and I actively use this awareness to foster inclusive
connections.
I apply DEIB principles by:
L Diversity: I intentionally engage with people from different cultures and
backgrounds, whether by hosting potlucks where everyone can share
their traditional food or participating in group activities like dance
E workshops.
Equity: I make sure everyone has the chance to participate and
contribute, such as inviting neighbors who might otherwise feel left out or
C encouraging peers to join creative projects.
Inclusion: I create spaces—both online and offline—where people feel
comfortable sharing their interests, like using Threads to connect with
T peers in creative fields or playing card games to bring neighbors together
casually.

I Belonging: By sharing food, culture, and leisure activities, I help others feel
part of a supportive community, turning everyday interactions into
meaningful connections.
O Through these actions, I have strengthened my ability to connect
authentically with others, while also promoting mutual respect and
appreciation for different perspectives, which is essential for both personal
N relationships and collaborative work in creative fields.
 AND PLANING FOR FUTURE

-Goal: Build a diverse and inclusive network in the creative field within 12 months.
-Specific: Connect with peers, neighbors, and online communities through events, workshops, and
casual gatherings.
-Measurable:
Attend or organize 6 creative meetups/workshops
Make 3 meaningful online connections per month
Host 2–3 cultural or creative gatherings
-Achievable: Use current network and expand through local events and online platforms like Threads.
----
-Time-bound: By next August, have 15–20 meaningful connections and completed events/gatherings.
-Action Steps:
1. Research and join creative events monthly
2. Host potlucks or gatherings every 4 months
3. Connect online weekly and follow up
4. Reflect quarterly on progress
Made by Do Phuong Class IGM1-D Date 16/03/2025

PART 2

OUR TEAM

TALENT FACTORY
3. ACTIVE LISTENING - GOOD (still on my way to get EXCELLENT)
 Reflection
While I excel at listening and offering validation, I

Objective sometimes struggle to give concrete advice or

solutions. I recognize that giving guidance is a skill
Developing My Active Listening Skills as an INFP that can be developed, and I’m motivated to
improve this aspect of my communication.
As an INFP, I easily empathize with others and can
sense their emotions, which helps me be a
supportive and validating listener. In group Example
conversations, I focus on understanding my Meeting Notes Summary:
teammates’ perspectives by maintaining eye Date: July 25, 2025
contact, nodding, or giving small verbal cues like “I In my film crew, the art team leader was frustrated because
understand” or “That makes sense.” his idea involved complicated techniques and extensive
equipment, which the team felt would be difficult to execute
on schedule.
How I Enhance Active Listening:
He said he could fix it later in the editorial stage, but the
I restate or summarize what someone says to confirm team wasn’t comfortable relying on that. As the team leader,
understanding, for example: “So you’re suggesting we try this I actively listened by saying: “I see that your idea could
approach, right?” really enhance the project. Let’s follow the simpler
approach for now so we stay on schedule, and then if wwe
I practice empathy by acknowledging feelings and validating have time we can film the part you want so you can use it for
ideas, even if I don’t always have advice to offer. your during editing experiment to see how it works.”

I avoid interrupting and ask clarifying questions when needed => By validating his creativity while guiding him to follow the
to ensure I truly understand their viewpoint team plan first, I helped him feel heard and kept the project
on track.
 How I can improve in future

I’ve realized that empathy and validating someone’s emotions are valuable, but giving
truly effective advice requires experience and practice.

To improve this skill, I’m currently reading “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking
When Stakes Are High” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.,
which offers practical strategies for communicating effectively, giving feedback,
and providing guidance while maintaining empathy and understanding.
3. TEAM WORK - GOOD (still on my way to get EXCELLENT)
Screenshot 1: I scheduled a meeting for 9 p.m., and everyone agreed. When no one
showed up on time except Lee, I didn’t express my frustration and instead said I was
still cooking and suggested moving it to 10 p.m.
Screenshot 2: Actively engages in
What it shows: I though that is nice and polite. From that, I can avoid addressing the
team discussions.
problem directly. While I stayed calm, I didn’t hold the team accountable, which is
Scenario: Lee ask everybody about
something I need to improve.
the presentation
What it shows: I responded quickly to
support his question by recalling the
details of our previous discussion,
although we still haven't made a
decision yet.
Screenshot 3: Actively support in need
Scenario: A team member asked if someone could take on a task, and I immediately said, “If
nobody does it, I can.”
What it shows: My answer was a bit irresponsible and impulsive. While I wanted to help, I didn’t
fully consider my workload or whether I could commit properly, which is something I need to
manage better.
“First lead yourself, then the other”
During my third chance working with an amazing
-Talent factory- team (film crew) I got a chance of being a leader:

In my first year, I consistently positioned myself as a Here is what I did:

supportive team member, often avoiding leadership Set Clear Boundaries: I created a team code of
roles. I believed that if I wasn't the designated leader, conduct and asked everyone to openly discuss any
I shouldn't host meetings or address issues like disagreements or issues, ensuring that all team
tardiness. members understood expectations and could
communicate honestly.
This approach led to my time being disrespected, as
I didn't assert boundaries or express my opinions Express My Opinions: I encouraged everyone to
when team members were late or unaccountable. speak up if they felt disrespected and to address
conflicts directly rather than avoiding them, helping
However, after reading an insightful article on setting the team have more open and constructive
boundaries and expressing opinions in teamwork, I discussions.
realized the importance of clear communication and
assertiveness in maintaining respect and efficiency Embrace Leadership: I realized that leadership isn’t
within a team. just one person’s role—anyone can take initiative by
checking tasks and supporting the team. When
This realization prompted a shift in my approach everyone is proactive, the designated leader has less
burden, and information flows more smoothly for
everyone.
Made by Do Phuong Class IGM1-D Date 16/03/2025

PART 3

MY SKILLS

TALENT FACTORY
5. Presentation Skills + Body Language

SUFFICIENT
(improved to GOOD)

Body Language

INSUFFICIENT
(improved to SUFFICIENT)
Reflection:

At begining, I consider myself as SUFFICIENT at presentation in I used to blame myself for not practicing enough, not trusting
general and INSUFFICIENT at body language. myself, or simply not being born a confident speaker—until I
joined a Public Speaking workshop hosted by Artevelde in May

BECAUSE:
First chance presented on first semester:
Situation: One-on-one presentation with Photoshop teacher
(about my last assignment)
Body language was not important in this case
I handled it quite well and received good feedback
Teacher mentioned I looked “a bit nervous”

Second chance presented on Talent Factory class:

Situation: Group presentation with my team (first time
presenting in public)
Feedback from classmates:
I seemed unprepared
I looked very nervous
Screenshot 1&2: : I have asked to introduce
myself in 3 minutes in front of the class
Feedback:
She is calm + engaging tone of voice
They like what I said
She not look at audience most of the time
But her hand gesture make me realised she
was nervous
Should be better if I move around and interact
more with audience.
What I realised:
My strong point: tone of voice, positive
energy,...
My weakness: hand gesture, be distract easily.
WHAT I ALSO LEARNED FROM THAT CLASS:

As an INPF, Im easily become a overthinker, I tend to focus too much on people’s reactions.
If they laugh at my jokes, I feel they might like me, which gives me more confidence to speak well. But if they don’t, I quickly become
nervous—and then even more nervous.

In other words, I tried to “read the room,” but instead of helping, it negatively affected my confidence and fluency.

-> As a result, I also found myself losing concentration easily.

THE VALUE THAT SHIFTED MY MINDSET:

Everybody is nervous but they pretend that they dont

You have to F*ck the crowd to save your attention and confidence.
By the end of this semester, I will improve my presentation confidence and fluency by
practicing at least twice per week using three strategies:
1. Distraction training (“Naughty ball game”) – asking a friend to either throw a ball
back and forth or ignore my presentation, so I can learn to stay focused.
2. Body language practice – doing self-talk in front of a mirror to improve gestures
and posture.
3. Confidence trick – asking a friend to sit close to me during presentations so I feel
supported.
I will track my progress by noting after each practice session how nervous I felt (on a
scale of 1–10) and whether I maintained concentration. My target is to reduce
nervousness by at least 50% and stay focused throughout the whole presentation by
the time of my final class presentation.
Achivements:
During the Team Greenity presentation, I felt more confident because I presented with
friends and was well-prepared. Even though I still lacked some confidence, my presenting
skills had improved. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep the feedback notes.

Reflection

After all, I’ve realized that presenting is just a skill—one that can be practiced,
improved, and mastered over time. Nervousness and overthinking are natural, but with
preparation, consistent practice, and supportive strategies, I can manage my confidence
and focus. This experience showed me that improvement comes from action, not
perfection, and that each presentation is an opportunity to grow and refine my skills.
6. PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASICS - GOOD
(improved to EXCELLENT)
In the third portfolio, I demonstrated that I could work well with my team. However, the Greenity project was only a plan and
was not implemented in reality.

Even though I can demonstrate that I know how to apply the

theory, I still feel a lack of real-world practice.
 One of my friends is currently part of a film crew working on
their graduation project. However, the team is still quite
disorganized and is looking for more members to strengthen
the production. I saw this as a chance to contribute, so I
decided to apply for the position of producer.

Even though the team already has someone in that role, my

friend mentioned that she has little experience, and the
producer’s responsibilities within the team remain uncertain.
Because of that, I would like to step in as a producer as well
—taking on a leadership role to help guide the project, provide
structure, and ensure things run more smoothly.
Then, I received an phonecall and set agreement, Im offically become the producer of the team. Af

After joining the crew and meeting everyone, I started talking with each member about their
expectations. To better understand their strengths, I asked them to take an MBTI test.

Based on the results, I suggested suitable positions:

For example, members who were more introverted and creative were encouraged to join the art
team, where they could design and set up bối cảnh together with those who already had
experience. Meanwhile, the more extroverted members were placed in the filming team to support
shooting and wworking with actors.
The director and scriptwriter still remain the same
SMART Goals
Specific
Complete a short film project with clear phases: pre-production, shooting, and
editing.
Budget: 8 million VND = 260 euro
Measurable
Finish pre-production by the 5th of August, shooting by the 7th of August, and
editing by the 10th of August.
Present the draft film on the 11th of August.
Achievable
Tasks are divided among team members with clear responsibilities and deadlines.
Relevant
Strengthens teamwork, organization, and creative production skills for graduation.
Time-bound
Project runs from the 17th of July to the 10th of August, with the draft screening
on the 11th of August.
After that, I created a detailed and specific timeline (in Vietnamese) to make sure every deadline
was met and that each team clearly understood their responsibilities for each task.
*The screenshot below is the TIMELINE detail for my film crew:
When I stepped into real-life production, I realized that everything was much harder than I had
imagined. A lot of pressure was put on me, especially in managing the team. Many members worked
in the art field and often had strong egos, wanting their ideas to be heard, and some of these
ideas were quite unrealistic or impractical. On top of that, the budget was very tight. My
responsibilities grew every day—not only did I have to manage the team, but I also had to manage
finances, find solutions to motivate people, and maintain balance within the team.

This moment seemed fun at first, but it actually put me under a lot of
pressure. We were filming all day, and even though it was a very
simple take, we ended up shooting it five times.

All I could do at that moment was try to make everyone laugh to keep
them motivated, and finally, we finished after ten retakes! 😅
 CHALLENGE
B
The Conflict between art team and filming team before shooting day

I The filming team had completed all their tasks and needed the set to
practice shooting, but the art team had not finished yet, and the set
was still a mess.
G Meanwhile, the art team was upset because the filming team had
occasionally booked the studio for practice without informing them,
as they also wanted to learn filming techniques.
G They also feel bad because they were left with the hardest tasks .

Taking Responsibility
E To resolve the situation, I apologized to the art team for not
announcing the practice days and for underestimating their workload.

S I also apologized to the filming team for not managing the set-up
properly.

T Resolution and Lesson Learned

I convinced everyone that instead of holding grudges or continuing
the fight, we needed to work together to finish setting up the set and
move forward. This experience taught me the importance of
communication, taking responsibility, and leadership in conflict
resolution.
The shooting went very well, and everyone worked
efficiently and happily.
 Two months of working online and one month
offline with this team left me with many
memories. I also learned a lot of valuable
lessons about project management through this
experience.

These two screenshots were taken after the movie showcase.

R AND PLANING FOR FUTURE

E
Reflecting on this process, I realized how important communication and
F responsibility are when leading a team. At first, I was too focused on keeping
everything on schedule, but through this conflict I learned that leadership
also means creating space for everyone to feel heard and valued.
L This is also a chance for me to apply nonviolent communication by: listening
carefully to both sides of conflict, encouraging open but respectful
E conversations, and showing empathy even when tensions were high. I saw
how positive energy and constructive dialogue could transform frustration
into collaboration.
C
This experience also reminded me that taking responsibility as a leader is

T not about finding fault, but about acknowledging mistakes and guiding the
team toward solutions. It strengthened my confidence in conflict resolution
and showed me how important it is to balance efficiency with empathy.
I I still have much to learn about managing creative teams, but this challenge
has motivated me to keep practicing open communication, patience, and
O transparency. I believe these skills will help me grow not only as a producer,
but also as a more understanding and supportive leader in future projects.

N
Made by Do Phuong Class IGM1-D Date 16/03/2025

PART 4

MY TALENT

TALENT FACTORY
7. NETWORKING - INSUFFICIENT
(improved to SUFFICIENT)
 Me
Mutual friends
Maya Mutual friends

The photo was taken on 11th November. I met

Maya through a mutual Vietnamese friend and
asked for her Instagram, but we haven’t kept in
touch since then. Occasionally, I reply to her art
account posts, but we haven’t had any deep
conversations.
The screenshot: interview question
Scenario:
I met Maya at a nice matcha coffee shop and started the
interview.
What it shows:
I had well- prepaired before the interview

Analysis:
However, during the session I didn’t strictly follow the list,
because I wanted to ask deeper questions and get more
genuine answers. I only looked at my notes when a topic was
nearly finished. Sometimes, I asked random questions like
“What is your favorite color?” or “Does your outfit represent
your art style?” to make the talk feel more natural.

I also asked about her hobbies and if I could join her in the
future. At the end, I showed her some of my own work as a
way of small self-branding.
Until I received the Networking
Challenge, I reconnected with her
and asked for an interview. She
was very kind and agreed to
schedule a meeting with me.

After that, I continued to stay in

touch, and next week I will visit
her in Brussels for a museum trip
and a drawing course together.

The screenshot below is my

connection post on LinkIn, where I
thanked her for the interview
R AND PLANING FOR FUTURE

E
Reflecting on this process, I realized that networking has helped me grow a
F lot. At first, I was not confident in reaching out, but through the Networking
Challenge I learned to be more proactive and respectful when connecting
with people. Reconnecting with Maya, asking for an interview, and keeping in
L touch showed me how important it is to listen, ask good questions, and
show appreciation.

E I also realized that creating an interview requires not only well-prepared

questions but also knowing when to follow up, when to stop, and how to
encourage the interviewee to share more details. It also gave me a chance
C to practice small self-branding and learn how to build connections.

T Maya is an introvert but also open to sharing since we spoke the same
language, which made this a good starting point for me to practice
interviewing and prepare for future conversations.
I I still don’t know which niche of design I should follow, but right now I am
quite interested in becoming an illustrator. With the experience from this
O challenge, I will try my best to apply what I’ve learned in the graphic design
field by joining workshops, attending events, and connecting with designers
online. I believe this will help me build a stronger network and prepare better
N for my future career.

.
8. PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION - SUFFICIENT
(improved to GOOD)
After talent factory course, I realised professional communication is about being clear and
respectful, and also paying attention to how others feel. It’s not just the words you say, but how
you listen and work with people. I’ve learned that good communication really shows your
professionalism, whether it’s in group projects, emails with teachers, or working with classmates.

From that I made a personal practice to myself to improve it before the end of semester.
Listen actively before responding
→ Focus on understanding others’ perspectives fully during discussions or meetings before
giving your input.
Ask questions to clarify understanding
→ Practice checking for clarity in instructions, project goals, or feedback to avoid
misunderstandings.
Summarize key points effectively
→ Develop the habit of briefly recapping discussions or decisions in emails or meetings to ensure
everyone is on the same page.
THANK YOU
’ve grow n
e ad how I
r time t o r
For you