One Response

1. Take the chair
   Hi Jennifer,

   An exercise that I have used to great effect in assertiveness training is to ask a delegate to sit on a chair in the middle of the room. Advise them that they are to use all of the assertive behavior we have discussed in the preceding session.
   Ask for 4 volunteers and assign each of them a behavior type (Aggressive, Passive, Passive aggressive and assertive) Give them the task of getting the chair from the person in the centre of the room. If you choose wisely (delegates with a strong predisposition to each behavior type) it can be hilarious with a vivid demonstration of the power of assertive behavior. Usually the 2 assertive people will negotiate and agree to a chair share whereas the other behavior types get no where near the chair.
   Its worth advising delegates that the exercise is to be non contact in case your aggressive person gets carried away.