The goal of our Assertiveness Training is to enable participants to learn to express their rights, requests, opinions, and feelings honestly, directly, and appropriately without violating the rights and self-esteem of others.

Each Assertiveness Training Institute training seminar begins with a self-assessment that enables individuals to understand their personality. We delve into each person’s strengths, weaknesses and stress areas to help people understand what makes them “tick.” We then begin the process of enabling participants to understand how to communicate more effectively with others. Through various activities and assertiveness training exercises, participants then begin to recognize other communication styles and the best way to communicate to them. Here is when the process of becoming more assertive truly takes shape – by understanding the needs of other communication styles, participants learn how to express their opinion and stand up for their interests regardless of who they are dealing with.

For more information on our assertiveness training courses contact us here.

Assertiveness Training: How to Be More Assertive in Business Meetings

Essentially, there are three levels of communication. These are passive communication, assertive communication and aggressive communication.

If you are having trouble getting the balance right, then you may need to take the following steps.

Make firm decisions about what you want

In order to be assertive you need to have something to be assertive about! So, be sure that you have decided, in any situation, what is your outcome.

Ask and answer this question: What do you want to happen next?
Passive people are passive, because they tend not to be goal focused so they tend to drift with the tide, and go with the flow. Assertive people however know exactly what they want. So, to be assertive, think about what it is that you want.

Explain your ideas with a prepared message.

Prepare your message in advance. Don't go into the meeting ill prepared. Assertive people are assertive because they already know what they are going to say (and NOT say). To be assertive, do the same things: figure out and decide what you will say and what you need to avoid saying.

Listen for the others message and critique it if necessary.
Assertive people listen carefully to other people and point out:

1. Contradictions in the other person's argument
2. Flaws in their facts.

And suggest their own answers instead.

So, to be more assertive, be ready to critically analyze the opinions of others through the lens of your own intelligent observations. Don't assume that "he must know". Note that: Passive people tend to overestimate the intelligence of others and UNDER estimate their own intelligence.

Emphasize your voice and body language.

Passive people tend to speak too quietly.

Speak up!

Let your volume come up 10%, and you will make yourself and your ideas appear more assertive.

In terms of body language

Passive people tend to be passive in their use of body language: i.e. not much use of gestures and facial expression.

So, if you wish to be perceived as more assertive, reverse this trend and

1. Move more!
2. Use more hand and arm gestures
3. Use your facial expressions to greater advantage

If you are having trouble getting the assertiveness balance right, then take the following steps.

1. Make firm decisions about what you want.
2. Explain your ideas with a prepared message.
3. Listen for the others message and critique it if necessary.
4. Emphasize your voice and body language.

Simple!

Source: Chris Farmer link

Related: Assertiveness Training

For more information on our assertiveness training seminars contact us here.

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