THE BMZ ACADEMY
THE BMZ ACADEMY
053 8213
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 1 of 18
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Table of Contents
QUESTION 2: ESSAY..................................................................................................... 3
QUESTION 3: MEMORANDUM WRITING [25] .............................................................. 6
QUESTION 4: OUTLINE OF A TALK [25] ..................................................................... 11
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION QUESTIONS [5] .............................. 13
7.1 Reflection on Learning ............................................................................................ 13
1. Strengths Applied in Future Life and Work Environment ........................................... 13
2. Shortcomings Identified in Business Communication and Writing ............................. 14
3. Skills, Abilities, and Values Acquired......................................................................... 14
References .................................................................................................................... 15
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 2 of 18
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
QUESTION 2: ESSAY
Planning / Brainstorming
Main Topic: Communication Challenges Faced by Saim Waqas in a Hybrid
Workplace
Key Focus Areas:
1. Overview of Saim’s communication challenges
2. Distinction between hearing and listening
3. Two barriers to listening (physical and semantic)
4. Non-verbal communication (spoken: paralanguage, facial expression; written:
layout, emoticons)
5. Functions of non-verbal communication (complementing, regulating interaction)
6. Practical strategies for improving communication and teamwork
Goal: To demonstrate an understanding of communication theories and apply them
to the hybrid work scenario to promote inclusive teamwork.
Key Theorists / Sources: Adler & Elmhorst (2016), Robbins & Judge (2022),
Rothmann & Cooper (2022), Keyes (2005), Nwoye (2021), Gamble & Gamble (2019),
UNISA Study Guide (2025).
The Critical Need for Inclusive Communication: Navigating Challenges in Saim
Waqas’s Hybrid Workplace
Effective communication is the cornerstone of collaboration, productivity, and inclusion
in today’s hybrid work environment. Communication in such settings extends beyond
verbal exchanges to include listening, understanding, and interpreting non-verbal cues
that foster connection among diverse team members. The case of Saim Waqas, a
junior marketing coordinator at Accenture Accounting, illustrates how insufficient
listening skills, inconsistent communication practices, and ineffective non-verbal
behaviours can hinder participation and teamwork. This essay explores Saim’s
communication challenges, clarifies the distinction between hearing and listening,
examines barriers to listening, analyses non-verbal communication, discusses its
3|Page BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213
THE BMZ ACADEMY
053 8213
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 1 of 18
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Table of Contents
QUESTION 2: ESSAY..................................................................................................... 3
QUESTION 3: MEMORANDUM WRITING [25] .............................................................. 6
QUESTION 4: OUTLINE OF A TALK [25] ..................................................................... 11
SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION QUESTIONS [5] .............................. 13
7.1 Reflection on Learning ............................................................................................ 13
1. Strengths Applied in Future Life and Work Environment ........................................... 13
2. Shortcomings Identified in Business Communication and Writing ............................. 14
3. Skills, Abilities, and Values Acquired......................................................................... 14
References .................................................................................................................... 15
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 2 of 18
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
QUESTION 2: ESSAY
Planning / Brainstorming
Main Topic: Communication Challenges Faced by Saim Waqas in a Hybrid
Workplace
Key Focus Areas:
1. Overview of Saim’s communication challenges
2. Distinction between hearing and listening
3. Two barriers to listening (physical and semantic)
4. Non-verbal communication (spoken: paralanguage, facial expression; written:
layout, emoticons)
5. Functions of non-verbal communication (complementing, regulating interaction)
6. Practical strategies for improving communication and teamwork
Goal: To demonstrate an understanding of communication theories and apply them
to the hybrid work scenario to promote inclusive teamwork.
Key Theorists / Sources: Adler & Elmhorst (2016), Robbins & Judge (2022),
Rothmann & Cooper (2022), Keyes (2005), Nwoye (2021), Gamble & Gamble (2019),
UNISA Study Guide (2025).
The Critical Need for Inclusive Communication: Navigating Challenges in Saim
Waqas’s Hybrid Workplace
Effective communication is the cornerstone of collaboration, productivity, and inclusion
in today’s hybrid work environment. Communication in such settings extends beyond
verbal exchanges to include listening, understanding, and interpreting non-verbal cues
that foster connection among diverse team members. The case of Saim Waqas, a
junior marketing coordinator at Accenture Accounting, illustrates how insufficient
listening skills, inconsistent communication practices, and ineffective non-verbal
behaviours can hinder participation and teamwork. This essay explores Saim’s
communication challenges, clarifies the distinction between hearing and listening,
examines barriers to listening, analyses non-verbal communication, discusses its
3|Page BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213
