Confidence and Assertiveness Training Course

Participants can communicate needs, limits and expectations using assertive language and non-verbal cues.

• Assertive rights and responsibilities applied to professional service commitments
• Passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and assertive communication patterns compared
• DESC script: describe, express, specify and state consequences clearly
• Broken-record technique used when requests exceed agreed boundaries
• Fogging responses acknowledge valid points without surrendering a position
• Non-verbal congruence: pace, volume, eye contact, stance and pauses

Participants can clarify needs and communicate requests in direct, respectful and specific terms.

• SBI feedback model separates situation, behaviour and observable impact
• Active listening uses paraphrase, summary, minimal encouragers and clarification
• Open, probing and closed questions selected for service conversations
• Message framing links requests to standards, priorities and customer outcomes
• First-person statements express boundaries without blame or accusation
• Plain-language explanations replace jargon, hedging and unnecessary apology

Participants can respond to complaints and challenging conduct while protecting service standards and personal boundaries.

• Complaint conversations structured through acknowledge, clarify, resolve and confirm
• Emotional labelling reduces defensiveness while preserving accountability and service standards
• De-escalation language separates unacceptable behaviour from legitimate customer concerns
• Limits stated calmly when requests breach policy, safety or authority
• Escalation decisions follow defined authority levels, evidence and response times
• Written follow-up records commitments, ownership, deadlines and outstanding questions

Participants can decline, defer or renegotiate requests without creating unnecessary conflict.

• Request triage distinguishes urgent, important, delegated and declined work
• Refusal formula combines acknowledgement, clear boundary, reason and alternative
• Priority trade-offs discussed using workload, risk, deadlines and service commitments
• Conditional agreement clarifies scope, resources, authority and acceptance criteria
• Boundary statements address interruptions, unreasonable availability and role ambiguity
• Stakeholder expectations reset before missed commitments become service failures

Participants can address disagreement constructively and seek workable agreements under pressure.

• Thomas-Kilmann modes matched to importance, relationship and time pressure
• Interest-based negotiation distinguishes positions, needs, options and objective criteria
• Conflict facts separated from interpretations, assumptions and personal judgements
• Two-column preparation identifies their interests, your interests and shared interests
• Assertive challenge questions test unclear claims, risks and proposed actions
• Agreements document decisions, concessions, owners, review dates and escalation routes

Participants can raise performance concerns and respond constructively when receiving difficult feedback.

• Feedback requests specify observed behaviour, desired change and review point
• SBI model structures corrective feedback without character judgement
• Feedforward converts recurring criticism into future-focused behavioural requests
• Defensive reactions managed through pause, clarification and partial agreement
• Receiving feedback separates useful data from tone, intent and emotion
• Performance concerns raised early with evidence, standards and support

Participants can contribute confidently, challenge assumptions and secure clarity in meetings and virtual discussions.

• Meeting contributions framed as point, evidence, implication and request
• Assertive interruption restores agenda control without dismissing colleagues
• Disagreement language challenges ideas while protecting working relationships
• Decision rights clarified using RACI roles and delegated authority
• Speaking time managed through preparation, concise statements and purposeful silence
• Remote communication uses explicit turn-taking, chat signals and camera presence

Participants can adapt assertive communication to telephone, email, face-to-face and internal service interactions.

• Telephone assertiveness uses pacing, signposting, silence and confirmation checks
• Email boundaries use clear subjects, concise requests, deadlines and escalation
• Face-to-face service recovery balances empathy, policy and realistic commitments
• Internal customer conversations address handoffs, delays and competing priorities
• Senior stakeholder requests tested against remit, risk and decision authority
• Cross-cultural directness adjusted without weakening clarity, respect or accountability

Participants can prepare for demanding conversations and maintain an individual plan for continued assertiveness development.

• Stress signals recognised before avoidance, over-explaining or reactive communication begins
• STOP technique creates pause between trigger, emotion and response
• Pre-conversation planning sets outcome, boundary, evidence and fallback options
• Personal assertiveness plan targets two recurring workplace conversations
• Implementation intentions define cue, response, support and review date
• Progress measures track boundary adherence, response quality and confidence ratings