Choose a player to play a colleague. You need their help on a specific project. They are resisting your requests saying that they are far too busy to help. Be firm and get their support.

Choose a player to be a team member who has been regularly turning up late for work without any valid reasons. Let them know that this behaviour is unacceptable moving forward. The other player may resist.

Choose a player to be your manager. They have asked you to stay late to work on a crucial project but you have a family event that you want to attend. Get your manager to agree that you do not have to stay. Do not use Persuading.

Choose another player to act as your manager or supervisor. Tell this person that you deserve more money. Get a commitment.

Choose another player to be your parent. Tell him or her how you want to be treated as an adult.

You have telephoned three times to get your TV repaired—nobody has come. Choose a player to be the person in the repair shop as you call for the fourth time.

Choose a member of the group to be your manager. Demand respect and acknowledgment for your loyalty and service.

Choose another player to act the role of someone who forced you to abandon your goals or objectives in a past incident. Replay the scene and emerge as the winner.

You are in an unfamiliar city and have left your money and credit cards in your hotel. Choose another player to be a stranger you meet. Get this person to give you enough money to take a taxi back to the hotel. Do not use Persuading.

Choose another player to be your manager or supervisor. Give this person constructive feedback on how he or she handled your last performance review. Be realistic, firm, and direct.

Stand in front of each player in the group, one at a time. State a way in which each person could improve his or her use of the “Push Energy.” Do not use Persuading.

Choose a player to be a real-life work colleague. Tell that person exactly what you like and dislike about the way he or she works with you.

Choose another player to be a direct report. Give him or her detailed constructive feedback on an inadequately completed task. Use the Asserting Style. The other group members will call out “Persuading” whenever they feel you have slipped into that Style.

Face each player in the group, one at a time. State what each has done that you respect, and what each would have to do to earn increased respect from you.

Choose the player whom you see as having taken the greatest risks so far in this exercise. Tell him or her exactly what you noticed and admired.

Choose a player to be your manager. Tell this person one thing you enjoy about the way you work together, and one thing you want to see changed. Do no use Persuading.

Tell another player three ways in which you see him or her as an outstanding person. Be sincere and direct.

Face another player in the group. State two things about this person that make you want to get to know him or her better. Use the Asserting Style. The other group members will warn you if you use Persuading.

Choose another player to be a real-life close friend or colleague. State exactly why this person is important to you. Be specific, sincere, and direct.

Choose another player to be a real-life close friend or colleague. State one thing this person does that detracts from your friendship. Be specific, sincere, and direct.

Choose a player to play your manager or supervisor. Tell this person why you should be promoted. Be strong and sincere. Do not use Persuading.

Take two minutes to describe your own most positive traits and characteristics.

Choose a player in the group to play the role of one of your parents. Tell this person three ways in which you have greatly exceeded his or her early expectations of you through your own successful efforts.

Stand up for a full minute. Take a non-verbal posture that conveys strength and self- confidence. The rest of the group should stare at you while you do this. Do not weaken.

Tell the group why you are a person worth getting to know. Be sincere and direct.

Tell the group how you have overcome important hardships or handicaps in your life.

Tell the group how you overcame a personal weakness and turned it into a strength.

Tell the group how you intend to be more assertive in the future with your manager or supervisor.

Tell the group about a courageous action you took that very few people know about.

Choose one player to be your manager. Tell this person why you should be the person assigned to tackle a difficult, major task.

Tell the group something about you that is worthy of their considerable respect. Be honest and direct.

A report that your manager is expecting from you is overdue by one hour. You need two to three hours of work time from a colleague in your department to help you finish this report. Choose a group member to play your peer. Ask for what you need, and use realistic Incentives and Pressures to obtain this person’s assistance.

Select a group member that you would genuinely like to work with in another exercise during self-directed learning but have not managed to influence to do so. This person should resist realistically. Offer something in exchange that will deal with the resistance you encounter. All agreements are real, and must be honoured before the end of the programme.

A twelve-year-old child (played by another group member) is painting graffiti on the public pavement in front of your home. Use three Pressure statements to stop this activity. (Do not involve any third parties.)

Choose a group member to play your manager or supervisor. Demand a ten percent salary increase. Your manager believes that you deserve this raise, but is not permitted to give any salary increases this year. Get an agreement that satisfies your needs, even if you cannot get the money.

You want the group member seated to your right to actively use Asserting at least twice this evening, and to report the results to the entire group first thing tomorrow morning. Use Incentives and Pressures to get this person to do what you want. Agreements must be honoured.

Without touching, another group member will silently stand 12 inches or less from you. Offer two Pressure statements that will make this person move back at least 36 inches (one meter). You may not touch the person.

Choose a group member to be your manager. You want to be assigned as leader for a challenging new project. Your manager will resist. Offer realistic Incentives and Pressures to overcome the resistance. Be strong.

You have been shopping for a new stereo system, and you have just found the one you want. The price is £150 over your spending limit. Choose a group member to play the sales manager. Offer three different Incentives that will help close the deal if you reach an agreement. It must not exceed your spending limit.

You are at the supermarket. The fast checkout lane (maximum six items) is empty. All other lines are crowded. You have nine items. Use Incentives and Pressures to convince the fast lane checkout assistant that you should be allowed through anyway.