Assertiveness and Team Work* (1-2 days)

The source of difficulties in teams and poor team performance is often due to a non assertive group culture that has been established. This is characterised by anger and negativity, rivalry, lack of effective co working, resistance etc. One way of dealing with this is to change the group culture.

This powerful course aims to improve communication and thus effectiveness at work. As a result of attendance it is envisaged that the team culture will change and combined with Supervision and Assertive management strategies shift the team dynamics.

A range of Assertiveness techniques are taught and practiced by participants and there is the opportunity to seek solutions to current interpersonal challenges. The course is also useful for those who have difficulty speaking up in meetings, reviews, challenging others, and saying “no” when reasonable to do so. This course is largely experiential and there is some use of role play. Facilitation is highly supportive.

This course is suitable as a base for team building programmes.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course participants should understand:

• The difference between:
        -Passivity
        -Passive Aggression
        -Aggression
        -Assertiveness
• The sources of non-Assertiveness behaviour
• What makes an effective team
• How teams tend to form a ‘culture’
• How teams often compose of subcultures
• What would be the characteristics of an non-Assertive team
• The team’s non-Assertive mantra
• Behaviour and language that would be used in a non-Assertive team
• The Life Position of the non- Assertive team
• How poor Assertiveness skills impact on the individual and their performance; particularly stress
• The philosophy of the Assertive team
• What behaviours and language we would expect to see in an Assertive team
• Exploration of the components of being Assertive:
        -Body language
        -Posture etc.
        -Words
        -Tone
        -Volume etc
        -Body language
• The Assertiveness Charter of Rights
• Making a reasonable request
• Saying 'No'
• Receiving a compliment
• Giving a compliment
• Giving positive feedback
• Giving constructive negative feedback
• The use of broken record
• How to use negative enquiry
• How to assert the right to be heard
• Giving and receiving feedback in a respectful way
• How to develop more assertive and respectful relationships with colleagues and service users

Training methods:

• Discussion
• Tutor presentations
• Demonstration
• Role play
• Exercises
• OHP/PowerPoint

CP161/5.9