|
Courses >
Personal Development > Get Assertive!
Syllabus:
All
courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two
lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course.
You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must
complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new
section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure
to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
This
first lesson will mark a turning point in your life. You'll begin by
measuring your assertiveness quotient, you'll learn about the many
surprising consequences of not being assertive, and you'll learn to
recognize the different behaviors of passive, aggressive, and assertive
people.
|
| Friday - Lesson 02 |
Before
you can begin to act assertively, you need to be able to identify your
self-canceling thoughts and change your inner script. In this lesson,
you'll learn why you have negative thoughts about yourself and what
those could be. I'll share with you several techniques for replacing
them with a positive inner script, including visualization,
affirmations, storytelling, writing a journal, and creating a collage.
|
| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
One
of the ways non-assertive people lose power is through the use of
certain types of language to either gain approval or avoid opposition,
criticism or disagreement. Today, you'll learn how to recognize when
you're doing this, and you'll discover some simple and painless
adjustments to the way you say things that can help you avoid this
problem.
|
| Friday - Lesson 04 |
Now
that you've learned what takes your verbal power away, it's time to
learn how to be verbally assertive. In this lesson, you'll learn how to
make the four types of "I" statements to tell others about yourself,
respond to others' requests, ask for cooperation and support, and
confront another person. You'll also learn about techniques you can use
to deal assertively with people who are angry with you or criticizing
you.
|
| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
Just
as an actor perfects the nonverbal aspects of a role, you need to pay
attention to the nonverbal nuances in your new assertiveness role. What
you'll learn in this lesson is how to use eye contact, facial
expressions, voice, body posture, gait and clothes to create an
assertive image.
|
| Friday - Lesson 06 |
In
order for you to be most effective, you need to be able to adjust your
assertive message to the personality of the person with whom you're
communicating and to deal with resistance. In this lesson, we'll study
four behavior types and five sensory types to help you understand which
assertive approach works best. You'll also find out how to identify
resistance in others by observing verbal and nonverbal clues and
various methods you can use to handle the resistance you may encounter.
|
| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
Most
people find it extremely challenging to be assertive with close family
members. Today, you'll learn about a variety of statements family
members use to manipulate you, and you'll discover the most effective
ways to respond to each of them. You'll learn how to act assertively
with your parents, siblings, and children to build more positive
relationships.
|
| Friday - Lesson 08 |
In
this lesson, you'll discover the four different emotional types of
people and how they come together as mates. We'll explore the
relationships these types have with each other, what problems tend to
arise, and how the partners can treat each other differently in order
to resolve any problems they may have. You'll also learn guidelines for
working out issues with your partner in an assertive but loving manner.
|
| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
Do
you find it difficult to say no to a friend who asks a favor that you
don't really want to do? Do you have difficulty having conversations in
social situations? If so, you'll really learn a lot from this lesson.
I'll show you how to use the assertiveness techniques you've been
learning to deal with your friends in a calm but strong manner. Next,
you'll learn techniques you can use to open up to other people and
carry on interesting conversations.
|
| Friday - Lesson 10 |
You
may approach the thought of being assertive at work with trepidation.
However, when supervisors and employees treat each other with respect
and act assertively with each other, both happiness on the job and
productivity increase. In this lesson, you'll learn how to be assertive
during job interviews as well as with your boss and subordinates, what
to look for to see if your workplace encourages or discourages
assertiveness, and how to advance assertiveness where you work.
|
| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
Often,
you encounter situations in which you deal with people as a consumer.
Today, you'll learn how to be assertive with waiters, salespeople,
government clerks, doctors, hospital employees, lawyers, and IRS
agents. We'll also discuss how to be assertive in everyday situations,
such as when a restaurant or movie theater is unbearably cold.
|
| Friday - Lesson 12 |
So
far in this course, you've gained a wealth of knowledge about how to be
assertive. You've learned skills and techniques to use with family and
friends, as a consumer, and in the workplace and everyday situations.
In this closing lesson, you'll learn some situations in which it's
better to not be assertive, how to give and receive compliments, and
how to be assertive in all parts of your life.
|
This
course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide
you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your
questions. The instructor for this course will be Vivian Harte.
 Vivian
Harte has been teaching people how to be more assertive for more than
10 years. She teaches a "Women in Society" class for a large college,
and also helps students at a major university learn how to express
themselves assertively in the classroom and in the workplace.
Requirements:
Internet access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.
Student Reviews:
"Bravo! I loved this course. I plan to use the many skills I
have learned to help me return to the work force. After reading the
section on interviews, I know I'll be confident to find a job."
"Great course. I really learned a lot about myself, family
and others. I learned many life lessons about becoming assertive with
family, friends,and on the job. I really apprecitate the information
and am applying it with great success to my life. I strongly recommend
this class to anyone but especially to women of all ages. It's never
too late to learn new tricks."
"Hi, I really enjoyed this lesson. I am an employer and I
was not as assertive as I could be. This class and especially this
lesson helped me to be more assertive with my employees. I have an
aggressive employee who just speaks what is always on her mind without
thinking. I now look her straight in the eye, relax my body pose and
address the statement instead of not saying anything at all. I used to
hold it in and say to myself she did not mean it that way, etc. But, I
would get angry as time went on because of it and would hold a grudge.
Now when I speak to her assertively, she now apologizes for her
behavior and lately now she has been trying to become my closer friend.
She respects me more now and actually likes when I stand up to her. It
feels awesome, and I feel so much more in control. She has even given
me a small office gift and card to thank me for being a great boss!
Need I say more???"
"I came to this class looking for ideas to help me learn how
to supervise at work…I have a great assertive boss and it can be easy
to push the blame onto her when I have to discipline or criticize the
people I supervise. I want to stand on my own and have my own
directions taken seriously, and this course has helped…Lots of helpful
ideas. I have saved all of the lessons and links and I know I will be
referring back to them."
"I found it very interesting of what type of person I was
and definitely found this course very helpful and will help me to use
this information to be an assertive person."
"I have enjoyed this class so much. What a wealth of
information! I had a limited view as to what assertiveness is. I
realize now it covers every aspect of my life. I am amazed, that in
this short period of time, I have a better self-image and am feeling
confident, even to the point of having been assertive about a situation
at work that had bothered me for years. Having all this information,
references, and different points brought out in the discussion area to
review from time to time will keep me progressing. Thank you so very
much, Vivian!!!"
"I have learned a lot from taking this course. I find myself
becoming more assertive in my daily life. Thanks to this course, I feel
that I am on the way to becoming a more confident person!"
"I have taken many courses and have never enjoyed a course
more. Every time I would finish an assignment I couldn't wait for the
next one to be released. I think more of these types of courses should
be offered. You are a great teacher and your lessons are very
interesting."
"I have used assertive behavior on two occasions within the
past couple of weeks. Before this class began, I would not have spoken
up for fear I was letting someone down, or maybe I was the one that was
wrong about the situation. I have really enjoyed the class and will use
the assertive techniques often.....Thanks!"
"I'll continue to use what I've learned in this course in my
job, with my family and in dealing with everyday experiences such as
talking with salespeople and doctors and school teachers. The course
was above average! I greatly enjoyed the clear explanations and detail
in Vivian Harte's lessons. I greatly value the lessons and kept copies
in a notebook for referencing in the future. I'm more optimistic and
I've gained confidence I've never had before. Thanks very much."
"I really enjoyed how the subject matter was presented and
how it is able to carry over to everyday situations. I plan to review
the materials again, and then go through it with my two teenage girls.
This has been very helpful to me as a person and as an educator. I wish
I had the course 30 years ago. But now I have completed it and I plan
to use the skills learned, and build upon them weekly. Thanks!!! I
didn't use the discussion area, I wished that I had used it more. I am
glad it was available."
"I've learned so much in the few weeks during this course
that my performance review on the job was above average! My manager's
boss noticed, as well as my manager, that I handle my responsibilities
in a direct way with clear communication. Thanks, Vivian, for your
lessons that are detailed. They make me realize some things that I've
never thought about. I will refer to the lessons often."
"Taking this course was the most important thing I have ever
done. I understand myself much better and I now know what I need to
work on to become more effective as a teacher and person. I felt like I
was enrolled in a private session with this instructor. She always
responded to my questions and comments quickly and with compassion. She
has been a tremendous help to me."
"Thanks! This was a great course for me. I have made improvements already, especially with family members."
"Thank you for this course! I feel that it's given me a new
lease on life! I can now say what I mean and mean what I say without
feeling guilty or wrong. By doing this, I can relieve a lot of the
frustrations I've had from holding things in and making them my problem
when they should have been someone else's problem all along. Thanks for
teaching me to stand up for myself instead of always being so passive
and taking the heat for things that I did not do. You've helped me
learn how let go of a lot of my resentment and bitterness about things
that I felt I had no control over. I DO have control over how I'm
treated and I have a right to speak my opinions without feeling
threatened or wrong. Thank you!"
"The course is excellent from learning what is to what to
do. The Instructor, Vivian, is the greatest and best teacher you could
ask for! Take the course, it will be worth your time and learning
experience. It is a road taken to a better ME. Recommend HIGHLY."
"This course gave me renewed confidence and provided great
resources and knowledge. The assignments and information gained will be
useful now and in the future. I am very glad I took this course from
this instructor, who was very insightful and helpful."
"This course has changed my life!!!!!!!! I have learned how
to become the person that always lived inside me but was afraid to come
out. Since starting this course I have landed the job I wanted and my
personal interactions have improved greatly. Thank you Vivian for
leading me down a new path to all that I desire."
"This course has taught me how use my power of assertiveness
to make changes in my life, making it happier and more fulfilling. I
now recognize my responsibility in the treatment from others that I
have unknowingly encouraged. I strongly recommend both this course and
instructor. Vivian's lessons as well as responses in the discussion
area were always clear, concise, instructive, positive, and helpful. I
enjoyed this course immensely."
"This course was very helpful to me in my passive life with
my work, husband, and children. I hope I will be more assertive with
them in the future, now that I know how."
"This is a truly life-changing course, and well worth taking
whether you're 16 or 60+. The approach to assertiveness is
multidimensional. The assignments and exercises work! My classmates
were informative and mutually supportive. Vivian Harte is an
outstanding instructor, and the thought that she has put into this
course is evident. She is supportive, informative, and instructive in
our discussions. I cannot praise or recommend this course too highly.
The tools I have learned are empowering. This course can change your
life!"
"Vivian Harte is a very good instructor, and I found the
course and her comments very helpful. I feel that I'm much more
assertive now than when I began the class. I would (and already have)
strongly recommended the course to some of my coworkers. Thank you so
much!"
"Vivian-I just wanted to say thank you for offering this
course and that I have truly enjoyed it. I have learned many new skills
from it and am able to use them for both my personal and professional
life. I have enjoyed the discussion areas and have learned more by
participating in them and reading what my fellow students had said. I
will also to be able to refer back to the lessons for any information
as often as I need or want to as I have used the printer friendly
option and have hard copies of all the lessons. You have been a patient
and great teacher. Thank you again, Vivian."
"Vivian, Thank you very much for teaching this course. I
feel that I have learn a lot about assertive behaviour and a lot about
myself. When I signed up for this course I was concerned that I would
not be able to learn assertive behaviour while sitting alone in front
of my computer, but thanks to you and the material you provided that
was not the case. I know that I have gained skills that will serve me
and the people around me well for years to come. I would certainly
recommend this course to anyone who would like to increase their
assertiveness skills. Thanks again for all of your help."
"Vivian, this class has brought me a happy and effective
living skill. I have learned about how to be assertive and gradually
emerged as a new person who can carry confidence, strength, and
willingness to communicate openly and honestly about myself, my
perspectives, my feelings and my wishes; now I can stand up for myself
and my rights without violating the rights of others. Thank you very
much for your teaching. I very much appreciate that."
"Vivian, When I signed up for this class I had no idea how
much I would learn about being assertive and especially how to apply it
properly. As I was waking up this morning I was thinking what a
profound impact the experience this class is having on me. Now I want
to see how the fruits of this class will affect what happens in my
life! You are a wonderful teacher. Each lesson goes deeper into the
process. Your comments to me and to all the students are so helpful and
positive. The discussion area, reading the other student's postings and
comments, is very helpful also and provides a wonderfully supportive
environment for each other. Thank you so much Vivian."
"What an intense course! Everytime I reread the different
lessons I end up highlighting something I missed before. I have made
the determination to use what I have learned from Get Assertive in my
everyday life. I wish I had had the opportunity to have taken this
course forty years ago when I was in my twenties. It would have made
positive changes in my relationships with family and friends. Vivian,
thank you for showing me how to get more enjoyment out of life."
To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
|
Are
you tired of being intimidated and treated badly by others? Get the
assertiveness training you need in order to be more confident and
powerful with family members, friends, bosses, co-workers,
professionals, service people, and even total strangers. Discover how
you lose your power when you talk and what you can do to get it back.
Learn how to deal with anger and criticism effectively. It's your turn
to speak out!