FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED LEGAL STUDIES

Communication Skills 1: UNIT 1 & 2 (2025)

TUTORIAL: 35 MARKS
This tutorial covers the work in Unit 1 and 2 and will assist in your preparation for
your first test.
SURNAME AND INITIAL
STUDENT NUMBER
SURNAME AND INITIAL
STUDENT NUMBER

QUESTION 1: 6 Marks
Read the scenarios below and match it to the most appropriate barrier
to communication. Motivate your answer.
1.1 Kim from the human resources department is conducting a job interview via
zoom, then the internet signal is suddenly interrupted and the candidate can no
longer be seen/heard. (2)
1.2 A mechanic tells the customer that there is a problem with the automatic
transaxle and bi-level purge valve of his car.
(2)
1.3) Jaime has a terrible hangover on Monday morning and finds it difficult to
contrate while drafting a report.
(2)

QUESTION 2: 9 Marks
Read the case study below and then answer the questions that follow:
The Human Resource Manager of Paralegal Assist NPO, Jackson Mthuli, noticed a
worrying trend among staff members over the last month. There was a high rate
of absenteeism. He decides that staff need to be informed that it is on the
Human Resource Department’s radar. After discussing the idea with senior
managers, it was agreed that he would send out an email to all staff regarding
the high rate of absenteeism.
The following email was sent to all employees:

Paralegal Assist NPO

To: @allemployeesparalegalassist.co.za

Subject: High rate of absenteeism

Dear Colleagues,
 The high rate of absenteeism over the last month is of a worrying concern
among management. Please note that being absent without leave will result in
you not getting paid for that day. Also please note our policy regarding sick
leave where you have to provide a doctors note if you are off sick.

Failure to adhere to the rules of the organisation will result in disciplinary

processes being followed.

Kind regards
Jackson Mthuli
Human Resource Manager

Identify the:
1.1) Sender ________________________________________________________
(1)
1.2) Receiver________________________________________________________
(1)
1.3) Message ______________________________________________________
(1)
1.4) Channel________________________________________________________
(1)
1.5) Context________________________________________________________
(1)
1.6) A possible medium for conveying feedback to the message __________
(1)
1.7) The system did not work out the way Mary had hoped. The staff got quite
upset by the email as most of them come to work every day. The staff were
aggrieved and did not perceive the email in a positive way. Explain, with
reference to any 1 factor affecting perception, why the staff saw the email from
Jackson as unnecessary. (2)

QUESTION 2: 10 Marks
Read the case study below and then answer the questions that follow:

Thandiwe Murata is an office manager in an advice office. She is responsible

for supervising all paralegals and additional staff members, e.g. the
administrators, cleaners. The staff range in age from 18 to 55 years and are
English, Sesotho, Xhosa, Sepedi and Afrikaans-speaking. Thanidwe herself
speaks isXhosa at home. Recently, a Portuguese immigrant also joined the
staff.

Due to COVID 19 and its effects, health and safety protocols had been updated
at the advice office and it is one of Thandiwe’s most important responsibilities.
She has to make sure the health and safety protocols are appropriate and
followed by all staff, that hands are washed regularly or sanitised, spills are
 cleaned immediately and that surfaces are kept clean and germ free. The
office is very popular as it assists all people who are unable to afford the
services of attorneys, the waiting room gets very hot and staff are often
rushed off their feet. Even though they are so busy, it is important that the
hygiene rules are adhered to at all times.

Thandiwe conducts staff training sessions in health and safety but these
training sessions are often rushed or not attended by staff. Because of this,
Thandiwe has signs prominently displayed in the offices, reading: WASH
YOUR HANDS REGULARLY, LET A CLEANER KNOW OF ANY SPILLS and
WIPE DOWN SURFACES REGULARLY.

On Friday afternoon, Thandiwe arrives at the office after having the morning
off. As is usual by the end of the week, she is tired. Furthermore, because she
has extensive family responsibilities at home she is worried and depressed.
When she arrives at the office, to her horror, she sees that her clothes has food
stains down the front. As she walks into the office carrying two bags of
cleaning supplies, all eyes are on her clothes. Thandiwe’s eyes, however, are
on all the clients and staff in the waiting room that is dirty with chips and
sweet wrappers all over the floor, the counters are sticky with coffee stains all
over and the waiting room is over full.

Thandiwe throws up her hands. Despite her best efforts, the message about
health and safety is clearly not getting through.

2.1) Describe the intended audience for Thandiwe’s message about health and
safety. What particular challenges can you identify for Thandiwe regarding
this audience? (2)
2.2) What media does Thandiwe use to convey her message about health and
safety? (2)
2.3) From the information in the case study, does Thandiwe view
communication as a one-way or two-way process? Give reasons for your
answer. (2)
2.4) Name and explain a possible perceptual barrier that might cause the
people above to not understand the message about health and safety
protocols. (2)
2.5) Identify another barrier to effective communication in the scenario above
between Thandiwe and the staff. How can this barrier be overcome?
(2)

QUESTION 3: 11 Marks
Read the scenario below and answer the questions that follow.

The three Abrahams brothers – –Bandile, Litho and Tumo decide to open a
small advice office with approximately 15 staff members. The three have
completely different management styles. Tumo like to do things his way. As a
result, he tends to give orders without much give and take and is therefore
often regarded as rigid, unbending and demanding. This sometimes results in
 the staff not being happy. Bandile believes that co-operations and shared
decision-making is the key to a successful business and happy, satisfied
employees. Staff tend to feel valued and appreciated when working with
Bandile. Litho, however, feels that as long as you hire motivated, eager
employees that can get on well without guidance, you don’t need to involve
yourself too much in the day to day management of a business. As this is a
fairly new business, the brothers would have to come up with ways to
distinguish themselves from the competitors.

3.1) Name three external characteristics that may provide the Abrahams
brothers’ company with a unique personality that will distinguish it from the
competitors. (3)

3.2) which one of the brothers is:

(3)
3.2.1) an autocratic leader?
3.2.2) a democratic leader?
3.2.3) a laissez-faire leader?
3.4) Which formal communication channel will be found in the business when:
3.4.1) the brothers have a management meeting among themselves.
(1)
3.4.2) the brothers give instructions to their employees.
(1)
3.4.3) a paralegal provides the office manager with a budget for the
company social. (1)

3.5) Imagine there has been a workplace incident which requires an incident
report to be filled out. Would you use a formal or informal communication
channel. Motivate your answer. (2)