The Sunday Times Develop Your Assertiveness

by Bishop, Sue

• ISBN13: 9780749448219
• ISBN10: 0749448210
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-11-01
• Publisher: Kogan Page Ltd

Summary

Being assertive is all about being able to express yourself with confidence, so that you don't have to resort to being passive, aggressive or manipulative. By developing your assertiveness and becoming aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you can learn how best to modify your behaviour in social and business interactions, thus improving your career prospects and enhancing your social life. Develop Your Assertiveness offers simple techniques to enable you to become more assertive. Simply reading Develop Your Assertiveness will not make you more assertive, but if you work through the exercises and activities it includes, practising face-to- face dialogue with friends, colleagues or a group, you will be able to measure your progress and reach your goal.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(2)
To be, or not to be?	3	(6)
Conditioning	3	(1)
Appropriate behaviour choice	4	(5)
Prepare to assert yourself	9	(4)
Tension control	10	(2)
Inner calm	12	(1)
Positive thinking	13	(14)
Self-awareness and self-esteem	13	(3)
Positive self-image	16	(2)
Positive language	18	(2)
Positive affirmations	20	(3)
Positive outcomes	23	(4)
Rights and wrongs	27	(6)
Everyone's basic rights	28	(5)
Now and then	33	(4)
How assertive are you?	33	(4)
Now see hear	37	(10)
Listening	37	(2)
The art of small talk	39	(3)
Conflict resolution	42	(5)
Body talk	47	(8)
Body language	47	(8)
Relationships	55	(12)
Matching	56	(2)
Mirroring	58	(1)
Why bother to match and mirror?	59	(1)
Relationships with relatives	59	(8)
Words and phrases	67	(12)
Direct, assertive communication	67	(6)
Honesty	73	(2)
Spontaneity	75	(4)
Power	79	(10)
Confident delivery	79	(1)
Volume and intonation	80	(3)
Projection	83	(1)
Position and status	83	(6)
Yes and no	89	(10)
Making and refusing rquests	89	(2)
Broken record technique	91	(8)
Problem people	99	(14)
The irate	100	(1)
The stayer	101	(1)
The rabbit	102	(1)
Your boss	103	(3)
The critic	106	(7)
Tricky situations	113	(16)
Giving criticism	113	(3)
Compliments	116	(1)
Asking for a rise, promotion or career move	116	(2)
Being interviewed	118	(2)
Presentations	120	(2)
Meetings	122	(7)
Conclusion	129