Purpose

The purpose of this exercise is to provide an opportunity to assess your individual level of assertiveness through responses to sample situations. This will provide a basis for looking at your beliefs about assertiveness and your use of assertiveness in initiating action or responding to the actions of others.

The term “assertiveness” has been interpreted in many ways. For the purpose of this exercise, assertiveness is defined as declaring your wants, needs, or opinions openly and in good faith; acknowledging your personal responsibility; and respecting the rights of others.

Once current levels of assertiveness are clarified and assertiveness is defined, it is important to identify specific areas where you want to improve.

Instructions

This exercise will focus on these three areas: assessing your current use of assertiveness; clarifying the definition of assertiveness; and identifying situations where you want to improve.