Assertiveness Exercise: Chair Hopping

Purpose

This exercise shows the importance of different communication styles. In particular, it shows the effect of assertive request in obtaining a desirable outcome.

Objective

Delegates will try to persuade other people to sit on the chair next to them.

Setup

• Delegates sit around in a circle and are separated from each other by one empty chair.
• Delegate’s aim is to fill the empty chair on their right as soon as the exercise starts. They can use any method of communication such as eye contact, shouting, pleading and hand gestures to persuade others in sitting on their right. As soon as a chair on someone’s right becomes available that person should try to get someone to sit on it.

Timing

Explaining the Test: 5 minutes.

Activity: 5 minutes

Group Feedback: 15 minutes.

Discussion

Ask delegates which method of communication they found most useful in this task. Was it aggressive persuasion or assertive approach that paid off more? Does assertive request always works or sometimes it is better to be more aggressive in getting what we want?