The Assertive Agency

© 2014 NeoCortex Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Changing agency/client dialogue to stand up for the

value of our work

Discussion: How do clientstake advantage of

agencies?

© 2007 NeoCortex Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2007 NeoCortex Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

What to do? James Madison

had a good idea

Agency Bill of Rights

We, the Agency, have the right to…• Payment for our work• Ethical treatment• Respect• Fairness• Clarity• Truth

What should we do when clients violate these

rights?

“Delivering a difficult message is like throwing a hand grenade. Coated with sugar, thrown hard or soft, a hand grenade is still going to do damage….

Choosing not to deliver a difficult message is like hanging on to a hand grenade once you’ve pulled the pin.”

—Stone, Patton, Heen, Difficult Conversations

Silence is rarely a good option

Useful ways to speak up

1. Respond, don’t react

2. Explore conflicts appreciatively

3. Say “yes, and…”

4. Assert your interests

5. Use objective standards

6. Create mutual-gains solutions

What is assertive self-expression?

• Exercising personal rights without denying the rights of others

• Expressing feelings honestly and comfortably

—adapted from Alberti & Emmons, Your Perfect Right

© 2007 NeoCortex Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Assertive language choices reduce aggressive conflict

Assertive choice Aggressive choice

“This is what we can do…” “We can’t do that.”

“Let’s look for solutions we can all feel are clearly fair”

“That choice is unfair”

“With that option would come some undesirable consequences…”

“If you do that, we’ll do this (threat)”

Role-play exercise 1

Situation: Client calls asking for another round of revisions, but she’s used up the three rounds included in the rate card. You call to ask her to authorize a new purchase order for the additional hours needed.

© 2007 NeoCortex Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions to ask yourself• What’s at stake?

• Does the client see himself/herself as the victim?

• Is this negotiable?

• What happens if I move hours to another job?

• Will I be setting a precedent?

• What outcome can we both live with?

The next time it happens…

• Remember your Bill of Rights

• Respond, don’t react

• Choose assertive, not aggressive language

• Create mutual-gains options

• Feel good about how you’ve dealt with it

© 2007 NeoCortex Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.