Assertiveness Training Classes
The goal of our Assertiveness Training
class 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
class 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
classes
contact us
here.
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As a manager, by definition you are in the middle.
You’re the glue. A manager who doesn’t manage is worse
than no manager at all. Your employees need you to
lead and manage or get out of their way.
Did you know that exceptional managers are the main
reason good employees stay where they are, and bad
managers are the main reason good employees leave?
Author Marcus Buckingham tells us people don’t quit
their jobs – they quit bad managers. They quit
managers who don’t recognize their contributions. They
quit managers who ignore slacker coworkers. They quit
managers who don’t provide clear direction. In other
words, they quit managers who don’t manage and lead
assertively.
That’s why your words are so important. As a manager
your words matter more to your employees than anyone
else’s. However, if you’re like most leaders (and like
me), you’ve delayed hot button conversations because
you didn’t know what to say or you didn’t want to rock
the boat. And (like me) you’ve probably also initiated
hot button conversations with reckless abandon and
later regretted your words.
Here are some management skill training tips to help
you be the assertive manager your employees want to
produce results for.
1. Establish your role from the beginning
Don’t: be afraid to be the boss. When you take charge,
don’t assume everyone will automatically fall into
their roles.
Why not: In the beginning, employees aren’t sure about
your authority, and neither are you. It’s easier to
set the tone up front than to change the tone
afterward.
Do: conduct a new supervisor interview and put your
best foot forward. Take the initiative to set
boundaries and define roles from the outset.
PowerPhrases: What to Say: “I need your help, support
and feedback on my new role as your manager.” “Now
that I’m your manager, our roles will change. Do you
have concerns about that?”
Poison Phrases: What not to say: We’re all friends
here. It will work out fine.
2. Hold people accountable for expected results
Don’t: indulge slackers.
Why not: It’s unfair to the good performers who are
doing their jobs – and often picking up the slack. It
encourages slacking from everyone.
Do: clarify expectations and document and address
problems as they arise.
PowerPhrases: What to Say: “Your job requires that
you… Instead you are… Here’s why I need you to meet
expectations.”
Poison Phrases: What not to say: Oh well, it’ll get
done. It always does.
3. Create a system to consistently acknowledge good
employee performance
Don’t: leave acknowledgement to chance or dismiss good
work as an expected part of the job.
Why not: Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated.
Behavior that is ignored drops off. If you don’t have
a system to acknowledge employees, it probably won’t
happen and you’ll lose a performance enhancement
opportunity.
Do: set reminders or other systems to ensure you let
employees know exactly what they do that you
appreciate and how it affects you in a positive way.
PowerPhrases: What to Say: “I love your attention to
detail in how you… That’s important because…” “…was a
powerful initiative because…”
Poison Phrases: What not to say:that’s what they get
paid for.
4. Be clear in delegation and providing directions
Don’t: assume understanding.
Why not: There are too many variables in every project
to assume anything.
Do: specify deadlines, budget, specs, authority and
follow-up.
PowerPhrases: What to Say: “I need …by (when) to the
following specs. Make your own decisions about X but
please forward questions to me about Y. “
Poison Phrases: What not to say: I don’t know what I
want, but I’ll know it when I see it.
5. Tie each employee responsibility into the bigger
picture of company mission, vision and department
goals
Don’t: treat individual tasks as mundane.
Why not: mundane tasks don’t motivate. Activities that
are a part of a bigger mission do.
Do: remind employees continually about why you’re
there and how their achievements help move the mission
forward.
Power Phrases: What to Say: “This list you completed
is a good step forward toward our mission of…”
Poison Phrases: Oh, you made a list. That’s what we
pay you for.
6. Apply prepared assertive management phrases and
leadership phrases for every step of the management
process including:
The new supervisor interview
Building strong managers and leaders
How to coach employees
Meeting facilitation
Announcing change
Motivation
Providing positive feedback
Providing negative feedback
Performance review phrases
Termination
This article offers dos, don’ts, Power Phrases and
Poison Phrases for five management conversations. In
the course of your management career you’ll need to
initiate conversations for hundreds of employee
conversations. Let the experience of others guide you.
The management process is a communication process.
It’s not enough to be right. It’s not enough to know
what you’re doing. It’s essential that to have to
words to successfully manage your employees and to be
the assertive manager your
employees want you to be.
Source: Meryl Runion
link
Related: Assertiveness Training
For more information on our assertiveness training
seminars contact us here. |
