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Assertive Communication and Influencing Skills for the Workplace

Many capable South African professionals struggle to voice a view, push back on an unreasonable request or influence colleagues without authority. This course builds practical assertive communication skills that hold the line between passive and aggressive, helping delegates state needs clearly, handle disagreement calmly and gain buy in from peers, managers and clients across our diverse workplaces.

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Register for this course

What you will be able to do

  • Recognise passive, aggressive and assertive communication styles and their effects.
  • Express opinions, needs and boundaries clearly and respectfully.
  • Apply techniques to say no and manage unreasonable requests professionally.
  • Use questioning and listening to understand and influence other people.
  • Handle disagreement and pushback without damaging working relationships.
  • Adapt an influencing approach to different personalities and cultural contexts.

Course outline

  1. 01Passive, Aggressive and Assertive Styles
  2. 02The Foundations of Assertive Behaviour
  3. 03Stating Needs and Setting Boundaries
  4. 04Saying No and Managing Requests
  5. 05Listening and Questioning to Influence
  6. 06Handling Disagreement and Pushback
  7. 07Influencing Without Authority
  8. 08Adapting to People and Cultural Context

Who should attend

This course suits team members, supervisors, technical specialists and anyone who needs to communicate with confidence and influence others without relying on formal authority.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendarRegister
28 to 30 Sep 2026Mbabane3US$1,500Closed
29 Sep to 1 Oct 2026Lusaka3US$1,500Register
30 Sep to 2 Oct 2026Harare3US$1,500Register
5 to 7 Oct 2026Lilongwe3US$1,500Register
6 to 8 Oct 2026Blantyre3US$1,500Register
7 to 9 Oct 2026Mozambique3US$1,500Register
12 to 14 Oct 2026Nairobi3US$1,500Register
13 to 15 Oct 2026Dar es Salaam3US$1,500Register
14 to 16 Oct 2026Kigali3US$1,500Register
19 to 21 Oct 2026Kampala3US$1,500Register
20 to 22 Oct 2026Accra3US$1,500Register
21 to 23 Oct 2026Lagos3US$1,500Register
26 to 28 Oct 2026Cairo3US$1,500Register
27 to 29 Oct 2026Mauritius3US$1,500Register
28 to 30 Oct 2026Dubai3US$1,500Register
2 to 4 Nov 2026Online3US$900Register
25 to 27 Nov 2026Johannesburg3R13,000Register
30 Nov to 2 Dec 2026Cape Town3R13,000Register
1 to 3 Dec 2026Durban3R13,000Register
2 to 4 Dec 2026Pretoria3R13,000Register
7 to 9 Dec 2026Windhoek3US$1,500Register
8 to 10 Dec 2026Gaborone3US$1,500Register
9 to 11 Dec 2026Maseru3US$1,500Register

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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