Assertiveness Icebreakers and Energisers

Time:
This exercise will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 20 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To give participants an opportunity to describe their role at work and where they fit into the organisation.
• To explore how assertively participants describe their role.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

You'll Need:
A sheet of A4 paper and plenty of colourful pens or pencils for every participant.

Time:
This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 25 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To define assertiveness and identify the characteristics of assertive behaviour.
• To identify situations where participants find it difficult to be assertive.

Group Size:
Suitable for use with groups of almost any size.

You'll Need:
• A piece of string/rope that is approximately 4 metres long.

Notes:
You will need a clear space for your participants to move along the ‘Assertiveness Spectrum’.

Time:
This exercise will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 15 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To help participants identify some of the key themes they’ll be exploring in the forthcoming training around assertiveness.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of almost any size.

Useful For:
Anyone attending a course or workshop that focuses on assertive behaviour.

You'll Need:
• A printed copy of the large (A3) Trainer version of the Word Search grid provided, affixed to a flipchart.

Notes:
A small prize for the winning team would be nice, though not essential.

Time:
This exercise will take about 25 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To welcome the participants.
• To introduce the facilitator(s) and participants to each other.
• To introduce the facilities.
• To agree the course objectives and timetable.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of almost any size.

You'll Need:
Nothing, other than the materials provided.

Time:
This exercise will take about 5 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 15 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To explore the positive impact of assertive communication when working with others.
• To describe how communication helped or hindered their problem solving.

Group Size:
Suitable for use with groups of almost any size.

You'll Need:
• A length of rope. (We suggest around 1 metre per participant.)
• A blindfold for each participant.

Notes:
If using this exercise with very large groups, you will need volunteers to take part and the remaining participants act as observers.

Time:
This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 25 minutes for completion.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to think about the behaviours exhibited by assertive people.
• To encourage participants to think about the characteristics of submissive and aggressive behaviours.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

You'll Need:
• Flipchart paper and plenty of post-it notes.

Notes:
A great follow up for this is ‘What is Assertiveness?’ in Course Modules.