Centre for Continuing Education

Assertive Communication and Conversation Skills: Practical Training Course

View Course Times

Business Communication. Sharpen your communication skills.

COVID-19 update: arrangement of our courses

We are now delivering courses online and in-person. Please check the delivery format of each class before enrolling.

Please note that course materials (excluding prescribed texts) are shared electronically within 48 hours of course commencement. Printing is not available.

This one-day practical training course will give you the confidence, skills, tools and techniques to handle tough conversations with less stress and more success.

You will learn and practise how to be assertive, conversationally without being forceful or defensive. Deal constructively with disagreement, criticism, conflict and bullies in a calm and professional manner. Set boundaries, push back, and become more influential and persuasive in your personal and workplace conversations.

This experiential day enables you to work on your assertive language, your emotions, your mind and your physiology to courageously handle ‘difficult’ people and ‘difficult’ situations successfully.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • use techniques and tools to handle tough conversations
  • respond ‘in the moment’ calmly and professionally
  • demonstrate a positive growth mindset
  • use clear direct honest assertive language
  • frame your conversations for best results
  • adopt the most appropriate mode of behaviour for a given situation
  • create more collaboration with others
  • negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes.

Content

This course covers the following topics:

  • mindsets, emotions, physiology and language – an integrated approach
  • behavioural / communication styles using Yvonne’s LAFFe to Success model
  • frame the conversation for a positive outcome
  • build rapport to engage others
  • how to respond rather than react
  • how to confidently have a ‘difficult’ conversation
  • set boundaries
  • ‘push back’ and say No respectfully
  • collaborate for agreed best mutual outcomes
  • ethically influence others
  • negotiate win/win/win solutions.

Intended audience

Suitable if you have completed Getting What You Want Course: Assertive Communication Skills and Assertive Communication Skills Course: Advanced.

This course is also perfect for busy professionals, managers and team members who want to improve their skills to manage challenging conversations with confident respectful behaviours at work and in life.

Delivery style

Delivered as an interactive and experiential workshop including self-assessment, quizzes, demonstrations, skills practice, coaching, feedback and other activities to embed the learnings.

The uniqueness of this course is that it is focuses on your specific challenges and how to have real effective conversations to address the issues and misunderstandings. ‘What to say’ and ‘how to say it’ depends on many factors; the situation, history, experience, culture, mood, outcomes . . . so you explore respectful assertive alternatives for each ‘challenging’ situation.

Recommended reading

The following reading is recommended but not essential:

Features

  • Expert trainers
  • Central locations
  • Course materials – yours to keep
  • CCE Statement of Completion

What others say.

  • The presenter was fantastic and was great at working through practical examples with an engaged group, making us all feel comfortable and building rapport very quickly. So many actionable out-takes from this course, thank you!

  • Alongside the great advice and feedback that I received from the tutor, this workshop provided me with an excellent opportunity to network with the other participants from a range of professional sectors.

  • The tutor was absolutely inspiring and gave me a new lease on my work life. It was very nourishing and the growth achieved in one day was AMAZING!!!

  • The tutor was enthusiastic and a practical teacher and provided me with tips for many assertive issues.

  • The tutor was an enthusiastic and informative facilitator who recognised the skills and backgrounds of each participant quickly. Working this into an effortless day, it was full of highs where key points were taken in. Well done.

Assertive Communication and Conversation Skills: Practical Training Course

<p>{block name:“Course Tagline - Business Communication”}</p><p>{block name:“Course Message - Business and management”}</p><p>{block name:“Block - COVID 19 updates”}</p><p>This one-day practical

...
2021-03-19 Fri 19 Mar 2021 2021-03-19
1 session, 8 hours total
9am - 5pm (UTC+11:00)
Online via Zoom
Course added to cart. Checkout now.
Close this message
Assertive Communication and Conversation Skills: Practical Training Course

<p>{block name:“Course Tagline - Business Communication”}</p><p>{block name:“Course Message - Business and management”}</p><p>{block name:“Block - COVID 19 updates”}</p><p>This one-day practical

...
2021-05-13 Thu 13 May 2021 2021-05-13
1 session, 8 hours total
9am - 5pm (UTC+10:00)
Face-to-face (venue TBA)
Course added to cart. Checkout now.
Close this message

If there isn't a class to suit you, please join the waiting list.

Related content. Further your learning.

What others say.

  • The tutor was absolutely inspiring and gave me a new lease on my work life. It was very nourishing and the growth achieved in one day was AMAZING!!!
  • An excellent course. The learning enviroment was comfortable which enabled me to talk openly about my concerns. The structure of the course was also very good due to the open discussions throughout the day. Our tutor was the best! Always smiling and made everyone feel important and comfortable.
  • Alongside the great advice and feedback that I received from the tutor, this workshop provided me with an excellent opportunity to network with the other participants from a range of professional sectors.

Subjects

We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law of the Country on which the University of Sydney campuses stand. We pay our respects to those who have cared and continue to care for the Country.