Think of a real situation in your life involving another person that you need to resolve by being more assertive. You can choose a situation involving a coworker, boss, friend, relative, partner, etc. Construct an assertive message using the five step format provided here: Assertive Message Format How to share legitimate concerns about a problem in your relationship. Behavior – an objective description of the event that causes you to react. Interpretation – a statement that assigns meaning to the other person’s behavior. Feeling – a statement of the actual feeling you are experiencing. Consequence – a statement explaining what happens as a result of the situation you described during “behavior” Intention – communicates three kinds of messages: where you stand on an issue requests of others descriptions of how you plan to act in the future Part 1: Give a brief background of the situation. Then list each of the steps of the assertive message format and actually write out what you want to say to that person in quotation marks. Part 2: Select an appropriate time to discuss your issue with that person. Yes, I mean actually talk to them! Then report back how it went. Give me the play by play. How did it go? What did you say? How did the person respond? Was the issue resolved? What do you think you did well? What do you wish you would have done differently? Assertive Message Format Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Background of situation Brief background explained 4.0 pts Background too vague to understand the situation 2.0 pts No information given 0.0 pts 4.0 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Assertive Message Format Quoted what would be said and labeled the steps 8.0 pts Gave incomplete quotes and/or missed labeling some steps 4.0 pts No information given 0.0 pts 8.0 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Report on conversation Explained and thoroughly assessed situation 6.0 pts Gave some information explaining the discussion and its impact 3.0 pts No information given 0.0 pts 6.0 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Spelling and grammar Contained no errors 2.0 pts Contained a few minor errors 1.0 pts Contained five or more errors 0.0 pts 2.0 pts
