ASSERTIVE SKILLS
As a Monitor, you have a responsibility is to the State and Federal contractual and regulatory agencies Bethel and PRI represent, therefore, you occasionally have to assert your authority when you need to change or enforce a requirement or regulation.
The first step is to know your own personality. There are three basic personality types with many combinations in between. Think about where you fit. If you are naturally a passive person, you can learn assertive skills. Likewise, an aggressive person can learn to be less aggressive and more assertive.
Passive ← →Assertive ←→Aggressive
What type of person are you?
PASSIVE: You don’t feel you have the right to be heard. You often feel uncomfortable expressing yourself, fearful that you will not like the response you receive. You are usually willing to back down easily to avoid conflict.
ASSERTIVE: You are comfortable expressing what you think. You can express your views without stepping on others, without anger or attack. Your goal is to find a resolution that works for everyone.
AGGRESSIVE: You stand up for yourself, even at the expense of others. You use tactics like a loud voice, sarcasm, and forcefulness to get your way.
Step back and think about your personality.
When using aggression, you may feel satisfied that you’ve achieved your goal. You need to think about how the other person is feeling; using aggressive tactics makes the client feel uncomfortable, angry, or intimidated. Instead of focusing on the importance of your message, the other person is usualy concentrating on her own hurt feelings.
The follow are keys to conducting a successful visit.
BE PREPARED:
—Know what you want to accomplish —Clearly define your objectives —Prepare for a variety of outcomes and perspectives
—Prepare your response for different reactions
—Prepare mutual goals
—Examine your past history with this person
—Is the provider chronically out of compliance?
—Does the provider try to make you responsible for the solution?
—What is the history and severity of her noncompliance?
DOCUMENTATION:
Make sure you have all the documentation and paperwork you need to support your position. If necessary, show the person the documentation.
Have you ever heard, “I didn’t know you wanted me to...”? Occasionally misunderstandings occur. The other person may have misinterpreted previous concerns or requests you have expressed. BE AWARE, however that the provider may also use what you perceive as a misunderstanding as an excuse for not correcting a noncompliance. Therefore, it is important to document your visit, clearly outlining what action is expected and when. Both should sign the document and each have a copy