CBC1501 Assignment 2
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 - DUE 5
September 2025
For Further Assistance please
email:
, Question 7: Self-Assessment and Self-Reflection
1. What have you learnt (what knowledge have you gained) by doing this
assessment, and what shortcomings have you identified?
Completing this assessment has been an intellectually enriching and eye-opening experience that
allowed me to integrate theoretical knowledge with a practical workplace scenario. One of the
most significant areas of knowledge I have gained relates to the difference between hearing and
listening. Before working through the assignment, I tended to assume that the two processes
were interchangeable. However, the assessment—and particularly the case study of Saim Waqas
—highlighted that hearing is primarily a physiological process, while listening requires active
cognitive engagement, empathy, and interpretation. This distinction deepened my appreciation of
how important listening is in hybrid workplaces, where cues are often fragmented or lost across
different platforms such as Teams, Google Workspace, and face-to-face meetings.
I also gained extensive knowledge of the barriers to effective communication, particularly in
hybrid environments. The case study showed me that barriers are not just technological or
physical but can also be psychological. For example, Saim experienced difficulties due to
background noise interfering with his hearing aids, but he also faced psychological barriers such
as anxiety, frustration, and embarrassment when Andre publicly criticised him. These insights
helped me understand how communication barriers are multi-layered and often interdependent,
meaning that organisations need to adopt holistic strategies to address them.
Another valuable area of knowledge gained is the role of non-verbal communication in both
spoken and written contexts. Prior to this module, I had not fully appreciated how critical non-
verbal cues—such as gestures, facial expressions, tone, and even emojis in digital texts—are to
meaning-making. The case study made it clear that when these cues are absent or misinterpreted,
as with Saim not understanding emojis or missing lip-reading opportunities, communication
effectiveness drops drastically.
The assignment also enhanced my awareness of how communication styles—open, blind,
hidden, and closed—can shape teamwork dynamics. It became clear that each style carries
potential strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Priya’s open style promotes transparency but
can become distracting, while Lerato’s hidden style avoids conflict but risks information silos.
This has taught me that successful teams need balance and awareness of these styles to avoid
miscommunication and conflict escalation.
As for shortcomings, I identified a tendency in myself to focus too much on theoretical
definitions without always linking them back to practical workplace scenarios. At the beginning
of the assessment, I leaned heavily on textbook explanations, but as I progressed, I realised the
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 - DUE 5
September 2025
For Further Assistance please
email:
, Question 7: Self-Assessment and Self-Reflection
1. What have you learnt (what knowledge have you gained) by doing this
assessment, and what shortcomings have you identified?
Completing this assessment has been an intellectually enriching and eye-opening experience that
allowed me to integrate theoretical knowledge with a practical workplace scenario. One of the
most significant areas of knowledge I have gained relates to the difference between hearing and
listening. Before working through the assignment, I tended to assume that the two processes
were interchangeable. However, the assessment—and particularly the case study of Saim Waqas
—highlighted that hearing is primarily a physiological process, while listening requires active
cognitive engagement, empathy, and interpretation. This distinction deepened my appreciation of
how important listening is in hybrid workplaces, where cues are often fragmented or lost across
different platforms such as Teams, Google Workspace, and face-to-face meetings.
I also gained extensive knowledge of the barriers to effective communication, particularly in
hybrid environments. The case study showed me that barriers are not just technological or
physical but can also be psychological. For example, Saim experienced difficulties due to
background noise interfering with his hearing aids, but he also faced psychological barriers such
as anxiety, frustration, and embarrassment when Andre publicly criticised him. These insights
helped me understand how communication barriers are multi-layered and often interdependent,
meaning that organisations need to adopt holistic strategies to address them.
Another valuable area of knowledge gained is the role of non-verbal communication in both
spoken and written contexts. Prior to this module, I had not fully appreciated how critical non-
verbal cues—such as gestures, facial expressions, tone, and even emojis in digital texts—are to
meaning-making. The case study made it clear that when these cues are absent or misinterpreted,
as with Saim not understanding emojis or missing lip-reading opportunities, communication
effectiveness drops drastically.
The assignment also enhanced my awareness of how communication styles—open, blind,
hidden, and closed—can shape teamwork dynamics. It became clear that each style carries
potential strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Priya’s open style promotes transparency but
can become distracting, while Lerato’s hidden style avoids conflict but risks information silos.
This has taught me that successful teams need balance and awareness of these styles to avoid
miscommunication and conflict escalation.
As for shortcomings, I identified a tendency in myself to focus too much on theoretical
definitions without always linking them back to practical workplace scenarios. At the beginning
of the assessment, I leaned heavily on textbook explanations, but as I progressed, I realised the
