What kind of
Situation
1. You’re finding it difficult
to start a project. You
say to a colleague:
2. A colleague hears you
handling an awkward
situation. Afterwards
she praises the way you
handled it. You say:
3. Your boss asks you for a
lift home. It’s
inconvenient for you as
you are late already and
it would take you out of
your way. You say:
4. Your boss asks what
went wrong with a lost
order from a customer.
You say:
5. A proposal has been
made to install a new
piece of equipment,
which you don’t think is
right for the job. You
say:
6. A colleague has
produced a work plan
for his department.
You’d like his help with
one for your
department. You say:
7. A colleague agreed to
come to a meeting but
failed to turn up.
Afterwards, you ring him
and say:
8. You sat in on a
presentation given by
one of your staff. You
feel it was highly
successful. You say:
9. The date is being fixed
for a meeting; it is
convenient for
everyone except you.
10. A member of your
team has asked for
time off to visit a sick
Response Assertive Response
Response?
I’m pretty useless at getting Passive
going. I can never see how
to start.
Well, I’ve dealt with that sort Passive
of thing before – I didn’t
really do anything.
Assertive
I’m late already, and I have
an engagement tonight. I
won’t be able to take you
home, but if it helps I can
drop you off at a bus stop
The stupid man doesn’t Assertive
know what he wants. I told
him what he should have,
but he wouldn’t listen,
It might be alright, I suppose, Passive/Passive
if that’s what you think is Aggressive
best.
I like the work plan you Assertive
produced. I think my
department could benefit
from a similar approach.
Will you spend half an hour
with me, so that I can see
how you developed it?
George, I understood you Assertive
were coming to the meeting.
I would have liked to have
had your contribution. What
happened?
My goodness, that was good. Passive
I could never have put it over
so well.
'Well alright, as it seems Passive/Passive
to be OK for everyone Aggressive
else.'
'I hope you don't think I'm Passive
being mean, but the