Assertiveness at Work
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This is a learning journey.
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On-demand digital learning playlist
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Live session delivered virtually or in-person
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Supporting on-demand digital learning playlists | 30-minute follow up coaching session (optional extra for teams)
Course Code: OV-AAW
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2 x half-day live session delivered virtually or in-person | 6-8 hrs on-demand learning | 30-minute coaching session (optional extra for teams)
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This is available for groups and teams
This course will help you to understand what assertiveness is and how this type of behavior compares to aggression and passivity. You will learn and practice some tips, techniques and strategies for remaining calm and professional in the face of anger or hostility and managing your own response to difficult situations. You will also have the opportunity to practice responding assertively to requests made by others and making requests in a way that gives you the best likelihood of a positive response. You will leave with a plan of action to respond assertively to at least one personal workplace situation.
This course is suitable for people who would like to recognize and respond appropriately to different types of behavior and develop the ability to act assertively in challenging workplace situations.
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- Explain the characteristics of assertiveness and the positive role assertiveness plays in the workplace
- Recognize the fight or flight response and how to control your instinctive reactions
- Practice assertive body language and active listening skills
- Use assertiveness techniques to defuse aggression and regain control of a situation
- Choose an appropriate response to requests made of your time and say ‘no‘ positively and confidently
- Make assertive requests of others that are likely to be met with a positive response
- Implement a plan to deal with others more assertively
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Building Your Confidence
Bitesize Sessions
Available for delivery to groups and teams, our bite-size learning sessions are short bursts of knowledge covering the what, why, and how of a topic, and delivered at pace. Expert-led sessions can be delivered virtually, face-to-face, or you can choose a combination, and they can be run either standalone or up to three sessions in a day.
Assertiveness
Course Code: VILT-AS
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90-minute live session delivered virtually or in-person (Perfect for use as part of a blended learning programme)
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This is available for groups and teams
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Part of our Core Library
Being assertive is about finding a balance between your own needs and rights and other peoples’ needs and rights. We all have the right to express ourselves openly and stand up for our point of view, but at the same time, we have the responsibility to acknowledge and respect the rights and beliefs of others.
You can probably think of a time at work when you experienced the fight-or-flight response: your heartbeat quickened, you began breathing faster, and your entire body became tense. You are now primed for action, but what kind of action should you take? Stand your ground and fight back, or run away to safety?
The threatening situations we face in the workplace require a different kind of response. We must learn to control our instincts, choose a more rational response, and use this to our advantage.
Behaving assertively means finding an outcome where everybody wins and nobody is forced to fight or to flee.
- Does other peoples’ behaviour sometimes make you feel uncomfortable, but you’re not sure why?
- Do you too often find yourself saying ‘yes’ when what you really meant was ‘no’?
- Would you like to be able to express your point of view, confidently and clearly, and in a way that makes people sit up and listen?
- Are there certain situations where you look back and wish you’d handled yourself better?
- Have you ever struggled to remain calm and professional in the face of anger or hostility?
- Do you ever find it difficult to find the right words in a tricky situation?
- Describe the characteristics of assertiveness and the positive role that assertiveness plays in the workplace
- Recognise the key elements of assertive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and passive behaviour
- Apply an assertive response to some common workplace situations
- Determine when to say ‘no’ and do so positively and confidently
Online Learning
Our award-winning learning content library is expertly created, easy to consume, and visually engaging and it can be experienced through a range of modalities - Fluidbooks, videos, animations, podcasts, infographics, quizzes and more. Use our digital learning content to support on-demand or blended learning provision within your organisation. Hundreds of topics are available in multiple global languages.
Assertiveness
Core content
- Assertiveness Infographic
- Act Ethically Animation
- How to be Assertive Animation
- Working Assertively Fluidbook
- Assertiveness Quiz
- Assertiveness Thrive in Five
- Practical Assertiveness in the Workplace Podcast
See our engaging content in action
Explore more about our contentBuild a customized program
Use our building blocks approach to create a customized program to suit your specific needs and context, at the pace you need.
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Step 1
Choose the core blocks you want (from our content library)

Step 2
Consider what blocks you want to customize (to make it your own)

Step 3
Review any additional technology and support services we can help you with (to bring the truly bring the learning experience to life)

Step 4
We’ll create the optimum journey for your learners
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To help achieve the pace and agility you need, we encourage you to make use of what we already have (our core library) and make it your own. There’s no need to ‘recreate the wheel’ - build from what we have ‘ready to go’ and then customize what you need to.
Choose from across our range of 100+ core topic areas.
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- Live workshops - virtual or in-person training (1 x half-day live session in a day; 2 x half-day live session in a day)
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