Assertiveness Skills and Managing Conflicts

Are Singaporeans assertive? To the many I posed this question to, it appears there is no clear answer. Most felt that assertiveness should be comprised especially so in a family context but agree that employers do reward employees for being assertive in various scenarios at the workplace. There were however many different definition to being assertive, from being outright rude and demanding to being polite but clear and firm on their communication.

How important are ‘assertiveness skills’ then, valued in today’s business world? How essential is assertive skills considered in our business communication between different hierarchies as well as amongst peers?

Definition of ‘assertiveness’:

'The ability to communicate our thoughts, feelings and ideas, both positive and negative, in an open and honest way which does not abuse our rights or the rights of others’.

Benefits of Being Assertive

What are some of the benefits of having a good grasp of assertiveness skills? Firstly, one can expect fewer conflicts in our dealings with our peers as we are better able to understand and not assume each other’s feelings and emotions. Indirectly, this will result in less stress in our career lives. Being skillful in honest and open communication will allow a more efficient way to achieve our business needs and goals and at the same time, help others get their needs met as well. We will enjoy stronger, more supportive business relationships and perhaps the most important of all, lead a healthier lifestyle.

So why are we not communicating in an ‘assertive ‘manner?
So if being ‘assertive’ is such a good thing, why are so many of us afraid of being assertive? From a casual survey with my colleagues and business associates, the number one reason is the fear of displeasing others or not being liked. One of our basic human instincts is the need to be wanted. As such, we try as much as we can not to jeopardize the possibility of being ‘unwanted’ or better put, ‘unloved’. Other reasons for not being assertive would include avoiding immediate confrontation and unpleasantness. Interestingly, many also attributed it to low self-esteem and/or lack of confidence.

Consequence of non- assertive communication at the workplace

So what happens when a person is unable or prohibited to communicate his/her thoughts openly at his/her workplace? Informal surveys indicate that the common consequences would be depression, resentment and frustration amongst the person and his/her immediate colleagues. Studies have also shown that it can lead to violence, anxiety and poor relationships of all kinds. Psychologists even go so far to attribute that severe inhibition to open communication is the likely cause of physical complaints and parenting problems.

How can we be ‘assertive’?

Amongst the various ways to be assertive, one of the most effective yet often overlooked methods is the exhibit non verbal assertive behavior. What is non verbal assertive behavior and how does one manifest such behaviors at the workplace? Here are some typical examples:

1. Look directly at the person you are talking to, eye to eye.

2. Sit or stand up tall with a straight back. Speak clearly, audibly, and firmly.

3. Emphasize your most important points with gestures and facial expressions.

4. Avoid mumbling, whispering, or sounding as if you are asking a question when you are not.

5. Do not whine or use an apologetic tone of voice.

It is said that effective non verbal behaviors communicates up to 70 percent of the speaker’s intended message.

How do I know if I possess good verbal assertive skills?

In other words, how can I assert verbal behavior without offending others? Here are some simple pointers:

 Always ask questions to find out thoughts, requirements, etc. of others

 Offers suggestions and ideas, not advice

 Never blame others

 Speak with a steady voice, clear, well pitched, warm and sincere

 Use the ‘I’ statements. E.g. ‘I prefer’, ‘I’d like’

 Speak with clear concise statements, to the point.

 Focus on what can be done, not what can’t be done

 Offer problem solving statements

 Be able to give and receive feedback, both developmental and motivational

Keep it Cool

I am often asked the question “is being calm and assertive on the opposite behavioral spectrum?” So what happens when one finds it a challenge to be assertive while maintaining cool head? Here are some ‘cool’ tips:

 Tell the person you'll take up the subject again at another time, and leave.

 If you decide to stick it out - Remain calm, steer the conversation back to the original point

 Try to understand the other person's point of view.

 Appreciate there may be other issues motivating the behavior of the other person

 Don't take heat-of-the-moment criticisms to heart

 Learn from the experience and try to think up better ways to negotiate a similar scenario

Summary

Assertive skill can be learnt and acquired. With the above tips, there are no excuses on being a master in effective communicating, except the excuse one creates to excuse oneself from being a excellent manager.

Article Contributed by Alvin Yapp, Associate Director of Training Edge International
Email : Alvin.Yapp@trainingedgeasia.com,
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com

From Transactional to Transformational Leadership

A quiet revolution has been taking place over the past few decades. Significant global economic change such as rapid technological change, heightened levels of competition, volatility in oil pricing, and changing demographic structures have created a turbulent, unstable and highly competitive environment in which significant organizational change is imperative. Retrenchment, downsizing and new organizational arrangements have taken their toll on the old social contract of long term employment in return for employee loyalty. With the need to resolve the apparently contradictory challenge of finding new ways of implementing and managing change, while simultaneously building employee morale and motivation, new approaches to leadership have been needed .

Two basic categories of leadership have evolved, the old style transactional leadership has quietly been challenged by the newer concept of transformational leadership. The distinction was first made in the early 70’s but the idea gained little currency until James McGregor Burn’s work on political leaders was published in 1978. Burns distinguished between ordinary (transactional) leaders who exchanged tangible rewards for the work and loyalty of followers, and extraordinary (transformational) leaders who engaged with followers focusing on higher order intrinsic needs and raised consciousness about the significance of specific outcomes and new ways in which those outcomes might be achieved

Transformational leaders seek to alter existing structures and influence people to buy into a new vision and new possibilities. They use their authority and power to inspire and motivate people to trust and follow their example. Ultimately transformational leadership is a process that motivates people by appealing to higher ideals, defining and articulating a vision of the future and forming a base of credibility. Conversely, transactional leadership is based on bureaucracy and organizational standards. One could argue that it is ultimately a distinction between traditional management and the new ideas of managerial leadership. The differences between transformational and transactional leadership styles can be defined by denoting the transformational style as a leader of innovation and the transactional style as a manager of planning and policy.

Much has been written about the qualities of transformational leaders but for simplification the classification given by Bass and Avolio has been used here. They described four key qualities, the first being “idealized influence.” Here the ability of the leader to establish confidence and appreciation amongst followers forms the basis for accepting radical change. They perform their job well and demonstrate that to lead people you must first make them ready to follow you. The leaders with idealized influence are honoured and appreciated, the followers admire and identify with them. Most of all they are imitated within the organization. Leaders do “the right things” demonstrating high moral and ethical behaviour.

The next quality described is “inspirational motivation” which is the ability of transformational leaders to inspire and motivate the followers to appropriate behaviour. They show enthusiasm and optimism, stimulating team work, pointing out positive results and advantages giving praise and showing appreciation

Thirdly comes “intellectual stimulation”. Transformational leaders stimulate the efforts of their followers as regards innovativeness and creativity, stimulate permanent questioning of existing assumptions, stimulate change in the way of thinking about problems, plead the use of analogy and metaphor. They encourage new and creative ideas from their followers and do not seek to impose their own ideas at any cost.

Finally “individualized consideration” is the phrase given to the ability of the transformational leader to consider the needs of the followers. Namely, inclusion of followers into the transformational process of an organization implies the need to diagnose their wishes, needs, values and abilities in the right way. A transformational leader must know what motivates any of his followers individually; some want certainty, some want excitement and change, some prefer money and others some free time.

Ultimately transformational leadership is about change and four stages of change under transformational leadership have been identified. First it is necessary to make a compelling case for change. The transformational leader helps bring about change by making a convincing case for it. Second it is important to inspire a shared vision, seeking broad input and encouraging everyone to think of a new and better future. Third, change needs to be led. A sense of urgency must be instilled. Collaboration has to be encouraged and the self confidence of followers must be increased. Finally, change needs to be embedded. This is achieved by, for example, monitoring progress, changing appraisal and reward systems and hiring staff with a commitment to empowerment and collaboration. Transformational leaders articulate their vision in a clear and appealing manner, explain how to attain the vision, lead by example and empowers followers to achieve the vision.

In summary, transformational leaders promote new possibilities and generate a compelling vision of the future. They manifest passionate inspiration and visibly model appropriate behaviours. Their goal is change and their energy, enthusiasm and vision opens up new and exciting possibilities within their organizations.

Article Contributed by Chris Fenney, Co-founder and Director of Training Edge International
Email : chris.fenney@trainingedgeasia.com
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com

Losing It – Understanding Our Irrational Anger

In our private lives many of us will have experienced that flash of anger, often with one’s marital partner, that drives us to say and do hurtful things. At that very moment a part of our consciousness is saying, stop, don’t say this, yet we are trapped into a pattern of behavior that is endlessly repeating itself and we watch on as helpless victims of our own actions. In the corporate world a four second outburst can tarnish a manager’s career forever. It is what becomes chiseled in others mind about you. How does this happen and what can we do to prevent this loss of rational thought and reputation.

Daniel Goleman has put forward an elegant explanation for this process. All our sensations, sight, sound, etc are routed to part of the brain called the thalamus. The thalamus acts as an “air traffic controller” and in typical situations directs these sensations or impulses to the cortex– the thinking part of the brain – for processing. The cortex “thinks” about the impulse and reaches a decision, This decision or signal is then sent to the amygdale where a flood of peptides and hormones are released to create emotion and action

In what Daniel Goleman labeled the “Hijacking of the Amygdala” the thalamus has a different reaction. Like any skilled air traffic controller, the thalamus can quickly react to potential threat. In that case, it bypasses the cortex -- the thinking brain -- and the signal goes straight to the amygdala. The amygdala is the emotional part of the brain, which regulates the fight or flight response. When threatened, it can respond irrationally. A rush of stress hormones floods the body before the prefrontal lobes (regulating executive function) can mediate this reaction. The amygdale, while a much faster “processor” than the cortex, can only react based on previously stored patterns

The stimuli comes in from the eyes or ears and goes immediately to thalamus and it then goes right to amygdala before a signal reaches the cortex. This survival mechanism lets us react to things before the rational brain has time to mull things over. It has been found the amygdala in animals can respond to a perception in as little as twelve thousands of a second. So the antennae are up in the amygdala to constantly scan the environment for anything that may hurt us or things to fear.

Any strong emotion, anxiety, anger, joy, or betrayal trips off the amygdala and impairs the prefrontal cortex’s working memory. The power of emotions overwhelms rationality. That is why when we are emotionally upset or stressed we can’t think straight. Sometimes this kind of reaction can save our lives. More frequently it leads us to say something harmful, to escalate the situation, or even to violence.

To minimize the damage from hijacking, it is important to practice patterns which lead to de-escalation. From that hijacked state, that condition where your brain is flooded with electro-chemicals, you still have options. You do not need to stay hijacked -- you still can choose actions. After all, the chemicals do not persist -- they will dissipate in three to six seconds.

Matthew Lieberman, a neuroscientist has found an inverse relationship between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s executive function where rational thought and judgment sit. When the amygdala is active with blood and oxygen, there is less activation in the prefrontal cortex. Our thinking power is disrupted and there are deficits in our problem solving, because the blood and oxygen are in the amygdala versus the prefrontal cortex. It is like losing 10 to 15 IQ points temporarily, which explains “what was I thinking?” So we are thinking but with less capacity and brain power.

In the pre emotional hijack stage, the biochemicals such as adrenaline are just beginning to kick in. There is still some 'wriggle room' to use stress management techniques and listen to the signals coming from your body in order to manage the angry response more effectively. At this stage self-awareness is critical because this is what enables the student to understand what their body is saying to them. If they pick these messages up they will be able to buy themselves time to keep the biochemical soup from becoming too concentrated. At this point they can use counting to 10, asking someone else for help, visualizing, humor and other methods that break the cycle.

In the post-emotional hijack stage when the brain has become flooded with emotional charges, it is important to take at least 20 minutes to calm down before starting on any negotiation, reparation or other conflict management techniques. At this point, the important skills are active listening and empathy, after that comes conflict resolution


Article Contributed by Chris Fenney, Co-founder and Director of Training Edge InternationalEmail : chris.fenney@trainingedgeasia.com
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com

Inspire Your People - A Self-Assured Leader Does Not Manage, He Motivates His People To Be Like Him

“I HATE managing people!” was my client’s opening comment, before we greeted one another in our usual friendly manner. “Great. Time to stop trying,” was my reply. My client gave me an uncharacteristically blank look. “People cannot be managed,” I said. He gave me another blank look. After many years of observing and interacting with people, I reached the following conclusions: The problem with people is that they create their own problems People can only solve their own problems. You must let them! You can lead people, but not manage them.

Leadership is the art of inspiring people to bring everything they are to everything they do. In my view, management is the science of making this easy for people. Leadership is therefore about people and influence. Management is about systems and processes. People who bring everything they are to everything they do rarely have problems they cannot solve. On the surface, less than desired performance occurs through lack of skill, willpower, circumstances beyond your control, or a combination of all three. The underlying reason, however, for unsatisfactory performance is a lack of self-assurance. When you are self-assured, you have the will and can learn the skill. Self-assured people never bother about circumstances beyond their control.

Be self-assured

Having heard all of the above, my client said: “So my real role is to be self-assured and to inspire others to be the same.” “Exactly,” I said. “So what are the characteristics of self-assurance?” my client asked.

Here are the thoughts that I shared with him. Self-assured people:

• Demonstrate confidence that rarely spills over into arrogance


• Are committed to lifelong learning, and are willing to let go of favoured ways of doing things if new ones are more effective


• Live their values


• Make decisions that are often unpopular and follow these decisions through


• Turn information into insight


• Articulate insights with clarity and passion and inspire others


• Fulfil responsibilities and deliver on promises


• Accept responsibility for their own feelings, thoughts and actions


• Never blame or shame others; and


• Continually improve themselves.

Systems and processes

If you can’t manage people, then what is it that you manage? You manage systems and processes.

Systems

The most important systems are:

• Performance management (recruitment, induction, engagement, succession)


• Finance (cash flow) Delivering value (understanding what all stakeholders demand, desire and feel they deserve, and designing systems to deliver such value)


• Innovation (the journey from information to insight to inspiration to idea to implementation)


• Technology (the hardware and software that supports us in consistently performing our best)

Processes

The most important processes are:

• Decision-making (the processes you follow to arrive at decisions and how decisions are communicated)


• Appreciating people and holding them to account (the processes, techniques and tools you use to appreciate people when they do well and hold them to account when their performance is less than desired.)


• Operating procedures (the standard policies, procedures, and practices) you must follow to remain efficient and effective.

The art of leadership must be supported by the science of management. When that happens, everyone in the organisation will be pulling together in the same direction.

The self-assured leader says what he means and means what he says. And he inspires his people to do the same, and to accept that their primary quest is to be the best one-of-a-kind beings they can be.

When the workplace culture is one where everyone is on such a quest, organisations will be the remarkable places they should be. Stop trying to manage people. Lead people. Manage systems and processes. Execute it and you will find that your challenges and their underlying causes will disappear.

Article by Ian Berry, an international business speaker, workshop leader and author with Training Edge International.

E-mail: ian.berry@trainingedgeasia.com ,

Website: www.trainingedgeasia.com

Developing High Performance Leadership

Many organizations today are undergoing a rapid transition from the old rather authoritarian management style based on command and control to a newer more participative leadership style based on influence rather than use of authority. This, coupled with the fact that the reality of modern organizational life is about achieving more with less, has led to a demand for a new form of managerial leadership - high performance leadership. High performance leaders empower others to venture into unknown territories, inspiring colleagues and staff to make difficult decisions and are able to move their organizations forward in new ways to achieve better results.

The term managerial leadership recognises the subtle switch over the past decade from the role of manger to that of leader. This is not to decry the traditional management activities such as planning, organizing and controlling. Rather it is to acknowledge the transition from control to empowerment that has taken place. Managerial leadership is a way to encompass both sets of activities and high performance leadership is a way of recognizing the leadership attributes needed to achieve long-term organizational success.

One of the key distinguishing features of this type of leadership is the ability to initiate, drive and constantly encourage change. High performance leaders are pioneers – people who are willing to step out into the unknown in order to achieve innovation. These leaders search out opportunities, experiment and take risks. Leaders lead by their own example, being a role model for others to follow, acting in ways that are consistent with their beliefs. They model the way.

High performance leaders acknowledge the power of working collaboratively and concentrate their efforts in building peak performance teams. This involves developing vision and values, establishing direction, and persuading others to see, understand and believe in their vision through developing shared goals and plans of action. As the team develops and matures the leader must also change the leadership style to best suit the stage of development the team has reached – Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing- being able to diagnose and trouble shoot at every stage.

This ability to change leadership style, not only during the stages of team development, but when leading and managing staff at every level, is the hallmark of high performance leadership. By analyzing the “maturity” of the subordinate and the varying levels of support and direction needed in any given situation then the leadership style can be varied between direction, coaching, support or delegation matching the most appropriative style with the given circumstances.

Sharing vision and setting goals as mentioned above, lies at the heart of managing performance, which is the natural domain of a high performance leader. Involving others in creating smart goals and setting performance standards and expectations leads to a clear understanding of what is needed from the team. Being able to spot performance problems early and developing the ability to coach and council are now an integral part of the leadership role.

High performance leaders develop the key interpersonal skills to lead others. They understand their strengths and weaknesses as a leader, acknowledging their preferred behavioural style when dealing with other people, developing the ability to change style if appropriate. They understand the power of effective communication encouraging others to give constructive feedback and praise when appropriate. They have learnt to empower and delegate. Above all they are honest – in the majority of surveys asking about the most admired qualities of leaders the top four qualities identified in rank order are: honest, competent, forward-looking and inspiring.

To summarise, one can do no better than to refer to Warren Bennis’ now classic book, Leaders. He describes leadership as “heading into the wind with such knowledge of oneself and such collaborative energy as to move others to follow” His book offers four major strategies that seem to form the essence of high performance leadership. Attention Through Vision – “I have a dream” (Martin Luther King) The leader must set a vision for others to follow. Meaning Through Communication – “If you can dream it, you can do it” (Walt Disney) The leaders vision must be communicated to the people who can make it happen. Trust Through Positioning. The accumulation of trust is a measure of the legitimacy of leadership; trust is the emotional glue that binds followers and leaders together. The Deployment of Self Through Positive Self-Regard. Leaders must have persistence and self-knowledge, be willing to take risks and accept losses, make and honour commitments, be consistent and willing to learn constantly.

To paraphrase a quote from Collin Powell “High Performance leadership is about achieving more than the science of management says is possible.”

Article Contributed by Chris Fenney, Co-founder and Director of Training Edge International
Email : chris.fenney@trainingedgeasia.com
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com

The Changing World of Work and Its Impact on Careers and Mobility

“The battle to remain employed has been lost – the new battle is to remain employable” Welcome to the brave new world of the 21st Century. All around us the old certainties are fast disappearing to be replaced by the new, the unknown and the uncertain. Consider some of the paradoxes. The economy is changing. The iron rice bowl is no more. Jobs for life have gone, unskilled, low value-added added jobs are fast disappearing, full-time jobs are being replaced by contract or part time working. We are rapidly transforming into a knowledge based economy driven by information technology, research and development and the provision of advanced services. Organisations are changing. They are flatter, leaner and more flexible having to respond to the changing environment, customers and clients faster. It means there are fewer people being employed and they have to work harder, faster, smarter, be multi skilled and creative with a new more open mindset. The market is changing. Consumers are older, greener and wiser demanding sophisticated added-value products and services. If you can’t deliver a better product or service at a cheaper price in a fast changing market place – your competitor will!

“There is no such thing as a career path any more – it’s crazy paving and you lay it yourself” The old employment paradigm has shifted forever. In the past organizations were paternalistic, offered job security, had defined career paths, practiced succession planning and had focused job descriptions and titles with narrow and specific responsibilities and clear reporting lines. The new organizational reality is very different. The company is no longer responsible for your job security. No employer anywhere, in any organization, can guarantee you a job. The old psychological employment contract has been replaced by a looser less structured working relationship. The emphasis is on employability not employment. Careers must be self-directed and highly flexible. You must be prepared for total mobility – upwards, downwards, sideways. People must take more responsibility for their own development building a portfolio of skills and talents, capable of switching roles rapidly and multi tasking with ease.

Career resilience is the new mantra of our times. You must be responsible for yourself adopting a “self-employed” mentality even if working for a large organization. Knowledge is the new currency of business and lifelong learning and unlearning is no longer an option – it has become mandatory for survival.
All employees must know the skills they have and how these skills can be marketed to other employers. They must continually update and upgrade their skill and be aware of new roles they may be required to fill. They must push to the outer limits and enjoy doing it, developing a radical mindset change to become not a career hunter but a career creator. Employees must develop skills aligned to the business needs, an attitude that is focused yet flexible, a dedication to continuous learning and personal excellence, and deliver a solid performance in support of the organisation’s goals

It is vital that you discover, or rediscover yourself through self-awareness. Understand your personality and work style, what drives you, what your preferences are in a work situation. Invest in yourself through developing an understanding of your work behavior. Complete a proven personality profiling tool such as DISC or Myers Briggs and reflect on the feedback.

Be aware of the key characteristics of employability. What is it that employers value in the people they hire and promote. There is a new emphasis on effective communication and interpersonal skill with a growing awareness of the need for EQ as well as IQ. Good teamwork is required from people with positive and flexible attitudes. There is a growing demand for creative and innovative thinking and problem solving with an increased willingness to take risks. Continuous learning is a necessity together with a commitment to personal excellence
Employees developing a managerial career must be aware of the new managerial realities. Managers need to become coaches, to nurture and develop the skills and abilities of their own staff. They must learn to delegate and empower, to manage transition and change and to develop managerial leadership based on influence not power.

Article Contributed by Chris Fenney, Co-founder and Director of Training Edge International
Email : chris.fenney@trainingedgeasia.com
Website : www.trainingedgeasia.com

Get what you want - nicely

ARE Singaporeans assertive? To the many I posed this question to, it appears there is no clear answer.


Most agreed that employers reward employees for being assertive in various scenarios at the workplace. There were, however, many definitions of assertiveness — from being demanding to being polite but firm about the outcome one wanted to achieve.

Assertiveness is defined as the ability to communicate our thoughts, feelings and ideas, both positive and negative, in an open and honest way that does not abuse our rights or the rights of others.

Benefits

What are some of the benefits of being assertive? First, you can expect fewer conflicts in your dealings with your peers.

Being skilful at honest and open communication will help you achieve your business goals without hindering others from meeting their needs as well.

Indirectly, this will result in less stress in your work life. You will enjoy stronger, more supportive business relationships and lead a healthier lifestyle. If assertiveness is such a good thing, why are so many of us afraid of being assertive? From a casual survey of my colleagues and business associates, the number one reason is the fear of displeasing others or not being liked.

One of our basic human instincts is the need to be wanted.

As such, we try very hard not to jeopardise our likeability. Other reasons for not being assertive would include avoiding immediate confrontation and unpleasantness.

Interestingly, many also attributed not being assertive to low self-esteem and/or a lack of confidence.

Consequences

So what happens when you are unable to or prohibited from communicating your thoughts openly in the workplace? Informal surveys indicate that the common consequences are depression, resentment and frustration. Studies have also shown that an oppressive environment can lead to violence, anxiety and poor work relationships.

Psychologists even go so far as to attribute severe inhibition to open communication as the likely cause of physical illness and parenting problems.

How to be Assertive

Among the various ways to boost assertiveness, one of the most effective yet often overlooked methods is to exhibit non-verbal assertive behaviour in the workplace. Here are some typical examples:

Look directly at the person you are talking to, eye to eye;

Sit or stand up tall with a straight back. Speak clearly, audibly and firmly;

Emphasise your most important points with gestures and facial expressions;

Avoid mumbling, whispering or sounding as if you are asking a question when you are not; and

Do not whine or use an apologetic tone of voice.

Effective non-verbal behaviour communicates up to 70 per cent of the speaker’s intended message.

You can assert yourself without offending others. Here are some simple pointers:

Always ask questions to find out other people’s opinions and requirements;

Offers suggestions and ideas, not advice;

Never blame others;

Speak with a steady voice in a clear, well-pitched, warm and sincere tone;

Use “I” statements. For example, “I prefer”, “I’d like”;

Speak in clear, concise statements that are to the point;

Focus on what can be done, not what can’t be done;

Offer problem-solving statements; and

Give and receive feedback,

both developmental and motivational.

Keep it cool

Do you find it a challenge to be assertive while maintaining a cool head? Here are some “cool” tips:

Tell the person you will discuss the subject at another time, and leave;

If you decide to stick it out, remain calm and steer the conversation back to the original point;

Try to understand the other person's point of view;

Appreciate there may be other issues motivating the behaviour of the other person;

Don't take heat-of-the-moment criticisms to heart; and

Learn from the experience and try to think up better ways to negotiate in a similar scenario.

Assertive skills can be learned and acquired. Use these tips to master the art of effective communication and become an excellent manager.

Article by Alvin Yapp, associate director of Training Edge International. He has designed and delivered programmes on assertiveness, team-building, emotional intelligence, problem solving and decision-making. E-mail: Alvin.Yapp@trainingedgeasia.com  Website: www.trainingedgeasia.com