What are the four types of behavioural responses, and what does each mean (in your own words)? - Aggression- someone that is not happy and only thinks negative about every situation, passive- someone that doesn't like confrontation and is very quiet, indirect- they get other people to complain about things instead of themselves, assertive- these people always take in other peoples opinions, thoughts and feelings as well as expressing their own.
What is the definition of Assertive Communication? - Assertive communication is expressing your thoughts, feelings and opinions without putting anyone else's down.
What are the three ‘describes’? When should you use them? - Describe the situation, Describe your feelings, Describe the changes you want. You should use these when you are having a conversation with someone about what you want to happen with whatever the situation is.
List and explain 5 of the ‘Assertive Communication Tools’. Think of your own example for each. - Acknowledge their feelings- think about others opinions, thoughts and feelings, thank them- thank the person for listening to you and being so kind, be positive- don't think negative about the topic or subject you are talking or thinking about, focus- focus on the subject you are talking about and don't go off-topic, use 'i' statements- you explain the way you feel.
List and explain in your own words 3 barriers to assertive communication. - Cultural- when there is a female in charge and people think that since she is a woman that she doesn't have an opinion and isn't strong enough to run something, gender- people may think that since this person is a female she cannot lift heavy things and help in the workplace, age- when your supervisor is younger than you and you decide not to listen to them because "they don't know anything".
What does assertive communication look like? - Maintain eye contact, sit up straight, face the person, relax arms don't cross them, do not smile or giggle, lean forward slightly and nod your head to show you are listening.
What does assertive communication sound like? - polite but firm, your voice should vary levels, clear speaking.
What does it mean to act like a scratched record when it comes to your boundaries? - You keep talking about whatever it is until everyone understands and hears you.
Think back to a time when you or a friend used a behavioural response that was not assertive. What type was it? What did you say? What happened as a result? What could you have done differently? - When someone has said something that I don't agree with I was very passive and didn't voice my opinion, thoughts and feelings. What happened was that they thought that I agreed with them which I definitely did not agree. I could have used my voice and been assertive but I didn't.
Reflect on your behavioural responses until now. How do you usually respond to tricky situations? Do you want to change the way you respond, moving forward? What will you try to remember in the future when difficult situations arise? - When I am in a tricky situation depending on what it is I am usually passive towards the situation. Yes, I do want to change the way I respond I would like to be more assertive towards people and different situations. In the future, I will try to voice my opinion as much as I can and keep others opinions, thoughts and feelings in mind.
