How to Use the DVD's

How we use the 'Communicating Assertively' DVD

In our training courses, we use the DVD as part of a session to encourage people to understand and identify the more common behaviours people display when communicating in the workplace, and the problems that can create for them. By this time in the course we have already introduced them to definitions of aggressive, passive and assertive behaviour.

• Initially we play the ‘non-assertive’ first scene from a scenario (aggressive, aggressive manipulative or passive)
• We ask course participants to identify the types of behaviour they are seeing during the short role-play, recognising verbal and non verbal aspects of the behaviour shown.
• We lead a discussion about whether these are common behaviours, asking if anyone has examples of similar experiences they have had in the workplace.
• Participants can then be asked to role-play a similar scene, but this time trying to improve the situation by changing how they deal with the situation.
• The final scene or scenes can then be played and lessons are drawn from the DVD through discussion

Remember the role-plays are not perfect, they represent real life. Ask the participants what they think of the situation, and then you may want to make comments on other options or approaches the player has open to him or her in order to manage the situation shown in a more assertive way.

On most courses we select 2 or 3 scenarios which we think are most suitable for that business, or that people have identified as problems they have faced before.

You may, of course, just want to show the more positive examples on the DVD, and you may want to use the bullet points on the slides following the scenarios to lead further discussions.

This DVD is designed to assist you, not replace you!

How we use the Appraisal Scenarios DVD

In our training courses, we use this DVD as part of a session to get people to understand and identify the more common mistakes managers make when conducting appraisals, and to identify and practice better ways of dealing with difficult people or issues.

• First we play the ‘getting it wrong’ scene from a scenario
• We ask course participants to identify 10 things the manager gets wrong during the short role-play.
• We lead a discussion about whether these are common mistakes, asking if anyone has examples of similar experiences they have had in the workplace.
• Participants can then be asked to role-play a similar scene but this time trying to improve the situation shown.
• The final scene or scenes can then be played and lessons are drawn from the DVD through  discussion.
Remember the role plays are not perfect, they represent real life. Ask the participants for their views, and then you may want to make comments on other options or approaches the manager has open to him or her in order to manage the situation shown.

On most courses we select 1 or 2 scenarios which we think are most suitable for that business, or that people have identified as problems they have faced and would like to work on ways of dealing with those should they come across them again in the future.

You may, of course, just want to show the more positive examples on the DVD, and you may want to use the bullet points on the slides following the scenarios to lead further discussions.

This DVD is designed to assist you, not replace you!