Aim: Getting results efficiently and effectively

1) What's it all about?

Assertion is a key skill which ensures that you can get your point over and that others have understood your position. If you can't be assertive you simply won't perform as well as your peers. This workshop is designed to develop your skill. We'll use in-house scenarios as well as structured simulations to help achieve this.

2) Why iOpener?

Assertion is a skill that all the iOpener team has to use. And it requires thought and practice to get it right. As a team we all have relevant and grounded expertise in this topic. We lead this workshop at London Business School, Tetra Pak and Vodafone. And we coach this skill on a 1:1 basis too.

3) How?

Each participant will practise a minimum of 2 scenarios. These will include but not be limited to getting a point over, getting buy-in, gaining commitment to follow-up, delivering tough messages etc. Participants will develop and use various assertion techniques through different methods and media including video clips, group and individual work. Everyone will develop a personal learning log.

4) Participants

A maximum of 8 participants allows us to focus and ensure that we meet individual needs. Participants should think about situations which they would like to have handled better in the past or that they will need to handle in the future.
This is a 1 day workshop.

5) Outcomes

• Understand why assertion is important
• Know what assertion is and isn't
• Gain an awareness of their own capabilities and needs
• Develop the tools for an assertive approach in typical tough situations
• Enable others to move ahead in any project

6) What will you learn?

• Why assertion is important for you, your team and the business
• How assertion builds self-esteem and self-efficacy
• What assertion is - and isn't (passive vs. assertive vs. aggressive)
• The importance of values, limiting beliefs and assumptions that help or hinder assertion
• How to be assertive - the tools which help:
  • Ownership and what this means
  • Power talk and power phrases
  • Power gestures
  • Power mind
  • Closing hijacks e.g. interruptions, dealing with 'yes...but'
  • Handling objections
• Influencing and persuading: Cialdini's 6 levers
• Convincer strategy
• Testing for closure and ensuring buy-in

7) Target group

Everyone who wants to enhance or develop their assertion skills for maximum performance.

8) Duration

1 day