Assertiveness Skills for Business Professionals

(WSP 42)

This practical workshop will help you learn methods for settling interpersonal problems in the spirit of good assertive negotiation. You will first learn specific differences among assertive, aggressive, and passive language. You will then learn the instructor’s four-step scriptwriting method, called DESC, to help you in any negotiating situation. You will also have an opportunity to solve typical interpersonal problems. Through role-playing exercises, your assertive body language and vocal expression will be strengthened, reducing tendencies toward either passivity or aggressiveness.

The aim of the workshop is to increase your confidence and communication skills in speaking up diplomatically and assertively in difficult situations. Lecture, demonstration, small-group problem solving, and role-playing will be utilized. Students will receive a copy of Sharon Bower’s book, Asserting Yourself: A Practical Guide for Positive Change.

Due to its short format, this course cannot be taken for Credit.

Sharon Bower, President, Confidence Training

Sharon Bower is a nationally known specialist in communication training. She has conducted communication workshops nationwide for more than thirty years and has trained many hundreds of public speakers and leaders. She received master’s degrees in theater arts from Northwestern and in counseling psychology from Stanford. Bower has written three books: Painless Public Speaking, Asserting Yourself, and The Assertive Advantage.