Assertiveness Training

no certificate
with CEU Certificate*
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11Lessons
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21Exams &
Assignments -
6,507Students
have taken this course -
8Hours
average time -
0.8CEUs
Course Description
This behavior creates resentment in the non-assertive person and confuses their co-workers, friends and family. For those who have difficulty in this area (and there are many), people who are assertive and confident seem to have been born that way. For all appearances, this quality comes easily to them. They naturally know exactly when and how to ask for what they want without seeming aggressive or hostile. While some people do have an innate ability to assert themselves, most do not, so if they were not "born" with this ability, how did they get it?
A good analogy would be learning how to drive a stick shift or manual transmission vehicle. If you have a clear understanding of the various gears, where the clutch is, and what speed you need to be at to shift up or down, you can then proceed to understanding how the car feels to you when it is at the correct speed for you to shift up or down.
There will be times, as you practice being more assertive, that you will be unsure whether you have struck the right balance in expressing your needs and wants to others or if you have been too passive or too aggressive. This course will help you achieve that perfect balance.

Introduction
A good analogy would be learning how to drive a stick shift or manual transmission vehicle. If you have a clear understanding of the various gears, where the clutch is, and what speed you need to be at to shift up or down, you can then proceed to understanding how the car feels to you when it is at the correct speed for you to shift up or down. This lesson will provide an excellent foundation of understanding for future reference as you begin to use the assertiveness skills you will learn later on in this course.
There will be times, as you practice being more assertive, that you will be unsure whether you have struck the right balance in expressing your needs and wants to others or if you have been too passive or too aggressive. In that regard, this is the most important lesson of the unit because it will be your point of reference in achieving balance.
Why Is Being Assertive So Difficult for So Many People?
There are many answers to this question, but the most common are:
- Insecurity: You lack an accurate, healthy appreciation for your own talents, abilities, and self-worth.
- Fear: You worry that you will not get what you want, that you will lose something you need or already have, or that you will be rejected.
- Shyness: You are unable to speak up or communicate because your personality is one of quiet reflector, or you are more of a laid back person.
- A desire to fit in with peers: Social pecking orders and group pressure do a lot to keep people "in their place." Everyone knows someone who has been ostracized from a group for disagreeing with the status quo or expressing a desire to have personal needs met if those needs conflict with the needs of those higher up in the hierarchy. The more dysfunctional the group, the more oppressed the individual becomes.
- Lack of self-direction: You do not know what to ask for because you do not really know what you want.
- Lack of knowledge: Knowledge is power. If you are ignorant of what you are capable of having and do not take the time to do your research or prepare well, you have nothing to back up your desires with.
- Inability to negotiate well: You do not know how to communicate the reasons why others should meet your needs and how they would benefit from doing so.
The later lessons of this course will address all of these roadblocks to assertiveness and self-confidence and help you overcome them with a little hard work and practice.
How Does Assertiveness Differ from Passiveness and Aggression?
From the time we are very young, we begin to assert ourselves. Listen to any toddler closely and you will hear the word "no" uttered often. You will also hear the same word, equally as often, coming from the parents of that toddler.
Here is an example of that type of dueling assertiveness: Little Jimmy is presented with a large helping of strained peas for lunch; he shouts "No!" and lifts the bowl to dump the peas on his head. His mother's eyes open wide in dismay, and she responds with a "No!" of her own. If Jimmy were a little older, he would understand how to better communicate his hatred of peas and negotiate some tasty strained peaches from his mother instead by explaining that peaches are just as healthy as peas and taste better, too.
Even at this early stage of life, Jimmy is learning a lesson about asserting himself. His mother, depending upon her reaction, is teaching him a particular lesson about what happens when he asserts himself, depending on her response. Let us not analyze the situation too much, or the parent-child relationship. Let us just use it for a point of learning reference. Like any new venture, starting the process of being assertive begins with baby steps. So, let us use the Little Jimmy example to compare assertiveness, passiveness, and aggression.
We will assume that Jimmy's mother is out of everything but strained peas. She has no choice but to feed him his least favorite meal, so she proceeds to spoon-feed him the peas, cajoling, cooing, and attempting all forms of persuasion to get him to eat them:
- If Jimmy eats his peas without a fuss, maybe even gags a little with each bite because he hates them so much but finishes them without protest, he is being passive.
- If Jimmy grabs the bowl from his mother's hand and throws it at her, making a mess all over her, the floor, and the walls, thereby upsetting her, he is being aggressive.
- If Jimmy takes a few bites, remembers why he hates the peas so much, and clamps his mouth shut, refusing to take one more bite, he is being assertive.
It really is that simple.
Passive people eat the hated peas and do what others want them to do to earn their approval without question, whether they like it or not.
Aggressive people overreact, making a mess and angering people to the point that no one wants to give them anything, or people give them what they want out of fear instead of cooperation.
Assertive people know what they want and do not want, make those desires clear, and refuse to budge unless a reasonable explanation or alternative is offered from the other person.
Later on we will cover avoiding another behavior, passive aggression, in more detail; but it is important to understand what that behavior is as well. It is used by many people who do not know how to get what they want from others in a direct manner. It is not healthy and does not help develop happy, trusting relationships with others.
Passive aggression is when people use covert, sneaky, and indirect methods of being aggressive. They do this because they cannot express anger or be direct about their real emotions, wants, or needs. Often, passive aggressive behavior becomes a response to dealing with another passive aggressive person or from continually not getting what one wants and needs from another regularly. Fear is at the root of passive aggressive behavior: fear of being rejected or having to deal with another's anger, or fear of the consequences that will result if they assertively ask for what they need. The fear of asking for what they want, expressing their true emotions, or admitting they need the other person is very profound. Passive aggression is used often to retaliate against others for real or perceived slights by using or displaying some of following behaviors:[ii]
- Forgetfulness: I forgot your birthday, or I forgot to finish my assignment, call the client, take out the garbage, call you, etc.
- Blaming: It is not my fault I am late; it is the traffic every night. It is not my fault I get fired every few months; all my bosses are unreasonable. I have no faults; nothing is my fault.
- Lack of anger: While never or rarely showing anger externally or directly, passive aggressive people retaliate in an underhanded way.
- Obstructionism: This behavior involves never really giving others what they want or need; in fact, going out of the way to deny others what they want, while pretending all the while to have intentions of fulfilling those wants and needs.
What Does Assertive Behavior Look and Feel Like?
Since Little Jimmy was such a good example of simple assertiveness, let us use him again to get a handle on what assertiveness looks and feels like. Taking the stance of firm refusal to accept what he does not want, peas, it appears externally that Jimmy is being confident and self-assured. To people who may be controlling or inflexible themselves, it may appear that he is being stubborn, willful, or bratty. Wrong! He was clearly asserting himself and not being defiant. Throwing the peas? That is another story.
- Completely Online
- Self-Paced
- Printable Lessons
- Full HD Video
- 6 Months to Complete
- 24/7 Availability
- Start Anytime
- PC & Mac Compatible
- Android & iOS Friendly
- Accredited CEUs

Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Assertiveness Defined
Lesson 1 Video
Review Article: What Does It Mean to be Assertive
Review Video: Assertiveness scenarios: 10 examples
Take Survey: Reasons for Taking this Course
Complete Assignment: An Introduction
Complete: Lesson 1 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 1 Exam
Lesson 2: Methods of Assessing and Developing Healthy Self-esteem
Lesson 2 Video
Review Video: To Be Assertive, Change Your Thinking
Complete: Lesson 2 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 2 Exam
Lesson 3: Your Personal Level of Assertiveness
Lesson 3 Video
Review 2 Articles: Personality Test; The Assertiveness Quiz
Review Video: Assertiveness - Tips for being assertive and saying 'No'
Complete: Lesson 3 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 3 Exam
Lesson 4: Improving Communication
Lesson 4 Video
Review 2 Articles: Deciding When to Speak Up and When to Shut Up; Persuasion and How to Influence Others
Review 2 Videos: 4 Things to Practice daily to Improve Communication Skills; Communication Skills - The 6 Keys Of Powerful Communication
Complete: Lesson 4 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 4 Exam
Lesson 5: Conflict Resolution
Lesson 5 Video
Review 2 Articles: Association for Conflict Resolution; The Types of Conflict in Communication
Review 4 Videos: Conflict Resolution in 6 Simple Easy Steps; Verbal Judo: Diffusing Conflict Through Conversation; TED Conflict Negotiation; Managing Conflict In Your Workplace
Complete: Lesson 5 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 5 Exam
Lesson 6: Appropriate Workplace Assertiveness
Lesson 6 Video
Review Article: Assertiveness Techniques that Work
Review 2 Videos: How to Be More Assertive at Your Job : Workplace Etiquette and Tips; Assertiveness Techniques: These are the only 3 you will ever need!
Complete: Lesson 6 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 6 Exam
Lesson 7: Appropriate Personal Assertiveness
Lesson 7 Video
Review Article: Four Ways of Understanding Passive Aggressive Behaviors, while Keeping your Sanity!
Review Video: How to Be Assertive: 4 Assertive Communication Secrets
Complete: Lesson 7 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 7 Exam
Lesson 8: Combating Fear of Assertiveness
Lesson 8 Video
Review Article: Barriers to Assertiveness
Complete: Lesson 8 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 8 Exam
Lesson 9: What Do You Really Want?
Lesson 9 Video
Review Article: How to Make an Action Plan to Achieve Any Goal
Complete: Lesson 9 Assignment
Complete: Lesson 9 Exam
Lesson 10: Achieving Balance
Lesson 10 Video
Review Article: Achieving Life Balance is Essential to Your Health
Complete: Lesson 10 Exam
Course Conclusion
Lesson 11 Video
Take Poll: What do you think about this course?
Take Survey: Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course)
Complete: Final Exam
Learning Outcomes
- Define assertiveness and understand how it differs from aggression.
- Summarize defined methods of assessing and developing healthy self-esteem.
- Identify your own personal level of assertiveness and determine what improvements may be needed.
- Describe basic techniques for improving your communication skills.
- Describe methods to use in peaceful conflict resolution.
- Summarize and establish appropriate assertiveness techniques to use in the workplace.
- Determine your own personal level of assertiveness that is appropriate for you.
- Recognize the fears you have associated with assertiveness and define techniques to combat them.
- Determine and describe what it is you really want and identify how assertiveness can achieve this goal.
- Identify ways to balance the level of assertiveness to use in everyday life.
- Review your own personal level of assertiveness and identify how you will use it in the future, and
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information

- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

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Student Testimonials
- "I think this whole course was very helpful. There is no one part that was more helpful than the other. It all made a lot of sense and will help me in my personal and work life." -- Donna B.
- "The instructor is excellent. I found it very informative." -- Irene K.
- "It was an unexpected surprise to learn so much about myself and how to improve certain areas of my life. Thanks." -- Roxana V.
- "Well done." -- Michael P.
- "As I mentioned this course was amazing and I appluad the instructor on how well she pulled the information together. There is so much to learn and to apply." -- Johnett R.
- "I very much enjoyed the assignments that helped us make personal application to the material." -- Jared N.
- "Lessons were well structured and focused on one area at a time!" -- Abhijeet C.
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