Post Graduate Programme in Management

2016-17
TERM: VI
TITLE OF THE COURSE: ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION
CREDITS: 2
Instructor:
Prof. Swatantra

COURSE: Elective Course

Email:
swatantra@iimidr.ac.in

Tel. Number
576

No. of Section: 1
Faculty Block and Room No.
C-103

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Communicating assertively helps in reducing stress, resolving problems (more quickly)
and enhancing productivity. The course Assertive Communication intends to develop
assertiveness skills of the participants. After providing a better understanding of their
current dominant styles, the course will pave their path towards Assertiveness. It will
also highlight the effective ways of handling other not-so-positive communication styles,
and hence will enable them to present themselves in a more positive and professional
manner.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
After completing this Course, the participants will have:

Recognized the three main categories of behavior, their advantages and

disadvantages; and effective ways to respond to them

Tried a wide range of techniques to become more assertive in the workplace

PEDAGOGY/TEACHING METHOD
Discussions, Role play, Lecture
EVALUATION
Class Participation
Individual Assignment
Group Assignment
Total

Weightage
20%
40%
40%
100%

SCHEDULE OF SESSIONS
Module I
Assertiveness Essentials
Module Objective
To discuss verbal and nonverbal aspects of basic communication styles, i. e., Aggressive,
Assertive and Passive.
Sessions and Objective
Session 1: Modes of Interactive behavior
Objective: To identify the basic kinds of communication styles, i. e., Aggressive,
Assertive and Passive
Reading: Monippally, Matthukutty M. (2013) Assertive Communication, Chapter 8 in
Business Communication : From Principles to practice, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi,
pp. 113 - 129
Session 2: Nonverbal Aspect in Interactive behavior
Objective: To understand underlying nonverbal cues in different communication styles
Reading: Wood, Julia T. (2006) The Nonverbal dimension of Communication, Chapter 6
in Communication in Our Lives, Thomson Wardsworth, Australia, pp. 146 - 170
Module II
Types of Assertion for different Communication Styles
Module Objective

To understand the root causes of different Nonassertive communication styles

To witness and practice concrete ways of handling them.

Sessions and Objective
Session 3: Understanding Popular Nonassertive Communication Styles
Objective: To understand the roots of difficult communication styles
Readings:
1.
Stone, Doug and Karen Christensen (2011), Difficult Conversations: How to
Address What Matters Most, Product No. ROT137
2.
Clawson, James G., Gerry Yemen and Maria pazFigini (2004) Listen up! How to be
appropriately assertive, Harvard Business Review, Product No. UV 0123
Session 4: Handling Aggressive Communication Style
Objective: To understand variations of Aggressive Communication Styles and the
appropriate way to handle them.
Reading: Grenny, Joseph (2016) What to do if a conversation is turning loud and
aggressive, Harvard Business Review, Product No. H02QRL.
Session 5: Handling Passive Communication Style
Objective: To understand variations of Passive Communication Styles and the
appropriate way to handle them
Reading: Baron, Sally J. F. (2013) Inaction speaks louder than words: the problem of
passivity, Business Horizon, 56, 301-311.

Session 6: Handling Passive-Aggressive Communication Style

Objective: To understand variations of Passive-Aggressive Communication Styles and the
appropriate way to handle it
Readings:
1.
Bregman, Peter (2016), 3 ways to stop yourself from being Passive-Aggressive,
Harvard Business Review, Product No. ROT137
2.
Gallo, Amy (2016), How to deal with a Passive- Aggressive Colleague, Harvard
Business Review, Product No. H02LQP
3.
Davey, Liane (2016), Reduce Passive-Aggressive behaviour on your team, Harvard
Business Review, Product No. H028AL
Module III
Polishing Assertiveness
Module Objective
To understand contextual variations of assertive communication
Sessions and Objective
Session 7: Routine Conversations and Assertiveness
Objective: To understand one's assertive rights and using them in routine conversations
Reading: Back, Ken and Kate Back (2005), Assertiveness at Work: a practical guide to
handling awkward situations, Tata McGraw-Hill, London, pp. 56-68.
Session 8: Dealing with Persistence: Saying and accepting "No"
Objective: Understanding the right and ways to say "No"
Readings:
1.
The Gentle Art of saying No at work, Notes from Cornell University, available at
www.fsap.cornell.edu/cms/fsap/.../The-Gentle-Art-of-Saying-No.pdf
2.
Saunders, Rebecca (2000), Asserting Yourself: How to Say "No" and Mean It,
Harvard Business Review, Product No. C0007D.
Session 9: Assertion in Persuasion
Objective: To understand basic principles of persuasion and apply them in an assertive
manner
Reading: Williams, Gary A. and Robert Miller (2002) Change the way you persuade,
Harvard Business Review, Product No. R0205D
Session 10: Receiving and giving Feedback
Objective: To hone up Feedback skills
Reading: Jackman, Jay M, and Strober, Myra H (2003) Fear of Feedback, Harvard
Business Review, Product No. R0304H.
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