Our open Assertiveness Courses

Our Assertiveness Courses are all about helping you to communicate with impact and sensitivity. You will feel more confident about your ability to be assertive and know how to be influential in your work and personal environment.

Venues	Next Assertiveness Course
London	7 Jul, 10 Aug, 23 Sept, 3 Nov	£249	click here to reserve a place on-line
Bristol	2 Jul, 17 Sept, 21 Oct, 2 Dec	£249	click here to reserve a place on-line
Birmingham	9 July, 9 Sept, 14 Oct, 25 Nov	£249	click here to reserve a place on-line

		Useful information about booking
		Call 01364 649155 to reserve a place
		Download a course overview
		See our special offers
		View our client list
		See our venues and download a map

Why do you need to attend an Assertiveness Course? Do you answer YES to any of the following questions?

Have a look at what we cover on our open Assertiveness Course

		Do you find it difficult to influence a situation by acting assertively?
		Are you shy or do you think you lack personal impact?
		Do people think you are too aggressive or insensitive?
		Do you have difficulty saying No?
		Do your nerves get the better of you on occasions?
		Do you feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar environment?
		Do you sometimes feel that others are more assertive then you?
		Do you waffle too much?
		Do people find you boring?
		Do you find it difficult to deal with conflict?
		Are you a bad listener?

		Understanding the meaning of assertiveness.
		Gaining an awareness of your ability to be assertive.
		Seeing yourself and discovering how others see you (filming optional).
		Exploring different ways to be assertive.
		Focusing and knowing what you want to achieve by preparing properly.
		Knowing how to adapt your assertiveness style to influence a situation.
		Proving how clear communication can improve your assertiveness.
		Breaking out of your personal comfort zone and looking confident.
		Learning how to say No when appropriate.
		Demonstrating assertiveness (practical exercise).
		Establishing whether your natural inclination is to talk or to listen.
		Using meetings as a focus for adopting assertive behaviour.
		Managing and dealing with conflict assertively and sensitively.

Would you like to know a more about assertiveness? We hope the following answers to some FAQ's about assertiveness helps

What is real assertiveness?

Assertiveness is having the ability to influence others. It is having the ability to put your point of view across confidently; this could be about making someone aware of your needs or your concerns or it could just be standing up for yourself.

Can being more assertive help me to say 'No' rather than 'Yes' all the time?

Our Assertiveness courses tackle this problem. You will learn how to say 'No' when appropriate. You will be amazed at what a difference this will make, not just in terms of your confidence levels but also in terms of your personal effectiveness. Learning to say 'No' on our Assertiveness Courses also improves your time management - you end up doing your own job rather than everyone else's.

What is the difference between Assertiveness and Confidence Building?

We often get asked - should I attend an Assertiveness Course or a Confidence Building Course? Our Assertiveness Courses focus on your ability to influence other people or situations. For example; they are about your ability to present yourself with more personal impact in front of a group of people whether that be at a business meeting or at a social engagement. Assertiveness can also be about dealing with conflict situations and learning how to adapt the way you communicate with people to best influence a situation. Our Confidence Building Courses help you to develop your inner confidence. Confidence is something hidden within you. You will find out why you lack confidence. Once we know the reasons for this we can develop a personal action plan which will help you to develop your self-belief and therefore increase your confidence levels, enthusiasm and motivation.

Can you be assertive if you are a shy person?

Some of the most assertive people are quiet, calm and measured. You'll have to speak though! You can't stay silent - that's how our Assertiveness courses can help you. We help you to come out of your shell confidently and to be more influential when necessary.

Can you be 'over-assertive'?

Some people come across as aggressive but don't realise that's how people are perceiving them. We'll tell you if this is the case and give you tips on how to calm your behaviour and communication style. You'll find it a lot easier to be sensitive when you are trying to be assertive after the course.

Is it important to understand how people see you?

It is very important to know how you look and sound to others. On our Assertiveness courses we give you the chance (optional) to be filmed. There's no better way to see how you come across. You will benefit from the feedback we'll give you about yourself and your style throughout the day. Verbal and non-verbal communication is a key aspect of assertiveness. We can help you to adapt your style so that you can come across more assertively by sounding and looking more professional and confident.

Our top tips for improving your assertiveness

Voice - Your tone of voice will make a big difference to your level of assertiveness. 38% of the way that your message is perceived comes from the tone of your voice. One way to control your tone is to take deep breaths. Taking a few long deep breaths if you feel ‘wound up’ or ‘panicky’ will help you to feel calmer. Being calmer when you talk makes you sound more assertive. Secondly, have a look at the way you speak; How fast do you talk? Talking quickly can be construed as submissive or aggressive. Do you shout or whisper? Do you have a high pitched voice? Assertiveness is associated with a normal-paced message at a normal pitch.

Slow Down - Have you ever said something that you've regretted immediately afterwards? If you need to be assertive, the worst thing to do is rush in and say the wrong thing. If you find yourself in a situation where assertiveness is called for, stop and pause for thought; make sure you assess your situation fully before you respond.

Interruptions - Do you find that people don’t always listen to your opinions and that some people interrupt you before you havefinished speaking. If someone interrupts you while you are speaking - this is an excellent opportunity to show your assertiveness. Stop and pause and then say something along the lines of 'Just a minute please, I haven’t finished yet'.

Positive thinking - How you think will make a huge difference to your assertiveness. If you tell yourself that you are nervous, afraid or angry for example – your brain will start a chain reaction to set up behaviour that supports your belief. To overcome this and be more assertive, tell yourself that you are strong, safe and capable. Do not use negative or aggressive language when you do this. For example if you say to yourself 'I am not angry' your brain will pick up on the word angry. Instead, try saying something positive to yourself for example 'I am confident.' Practise regularly and you will be amazed at how assertive you will become.

Using 'I' language - It is often difficult to be assertive and not to sound aggressive. You can often sound bossy or patronising when using statements that start with 'you'. For example 'You should do that' or 'You must do this'. Non- assertive people often start their sentences with 'Don’t you think ...'. Change the way you start sentences by using 'I' for example; 'I appreciate how you feel' and 'This is how I feel'. Using 'I' language is especially useful when expressing negative feelings. It helps you to focus your anger and therefore act with more assertiveness.

Body Language – Do you cross your arms? Avoid eye contact? Clench your fists? These are some of the actions that could give the wrong message across. Remember, your body communicates 55% of your message. To look and act more assertively, try to limit your hand movements to soft and flowing movements to support your words. Try to retain eye contact. Try to be on the same physical level as the other person – for example if they stand up, don’t remain seated. All these things will go a long way to helping you to look and act with lots more assertiveness.

Training Hand Ltd : Avebry House : Church Walk : Avonwick : Devon : tq10 9ej : Registration number 3228999 : Email info@traininghand.com