ASSERTIVENESS

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ASSERTIVENESS

• For Match Officials, Match Official Coaches and
  Assessors ARLB
• Steve Griffiths

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Objectives

• To introduce some models related to assertiveness
  made relevant for match officials
• To provide some practical processes that will
  allow match officials to
• Recognise behaviours
• Receive feedback on behaviours
• Change behaviours

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Change

• Personality
• Behaviours

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Change Behaviours

• Open Minded
• Willing to explore
• Willing to experiment
• Perseverance

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Assertiveness - Definition
Willingness to be forceful if a situation
requires it. Having or showing a confident and
forceful personality.
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Assertiveness

• Applies to
• Match Officials
• Referee Assessors
• Referee Coaches

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Continuum
Passive
Aggressive
Assertive
?
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Hierarchy
Assertive
Aggressive
Passive
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Examples of Referee Behaviours Outcomes from
brainstorm
Assertive
Aggressive
Passive
No empathy Arrogance My way or no way Refusing to
explain Shouting Excessive us of whistle Finger
pointing Too many 10 metres Red in your face In
your face
Ignoring Dust Ups Persisting with Whingers
Ignoring Offside No eye contact weak Whistle
Tone Not dealing with reset scrums Team runs the
match Timid Signals No energy
Smile Control Eye contact Confidence Able to
make difficult decisions Calm under pressure Tone
according to situation Pre match approach
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Effects of Referee Behaviours Outcomes from
brainstorm
Assertive
Aggressive
Passive
Lack of control Mayhem Danger to players Captains
referee the game Lots of chat Lack of
enjoyment Dangerous play
Lack of enjoyment High penalty count Unnecessary
stop start Over use of cards Player
frustration Player resentment Game out of control
Respect Good game Well controlled Consistency Mutu
al respect Lack of chat Lack of
frustration Enjoyment
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Examples of Referee Coach and Assessor Behaviours
Outcomes from brainstorm
Assertive
Aggressive
Passive
Not there before the match Feedback that is
untrue Does not say the things that were
wrong Great match BUT Report is worse than
the oral feedback
Gotcha Only the bad things mentioned The cause
of all your problems.. One way
traffic De-motivation
Gives you a chance Explanations Listens Open Good
and Bad Sincere Respect Encouraged Honest
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Effects of Referee Coach and Assessor Behaviours
Outcomes from brainstorming
Assertive
Aggressive
Passive
No learning De-motivating Frustration Scared Chanc
e of quitting Colour views
Coach varies behaviours and to the
situation Accurate feedback Both positive and
negatives mentioned Referee improves performance
No learning Unfair De-motivating Lack of
respect Lack of credibility Lack of
accountability Chance of quitting
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Where does it come from?
Reactions to others
Must be liked by others
Likes to be liked by others
Could not care what others think
Aware of others views but does what is required
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How do I know?
Joharis Window
A
B
Known to others
D
C
Known to oneself
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How to get into A

• Referee Coach
• Referee Assessor
• Referee Mentor

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Example 1
The XXXXX Captain had a predilection for asking
you questions after penalty awards particularly
at the breakdown. He is effectively slowing the
Game down. He was not talking to his team to help
you after the discussions. The pack leader and
the rest of the pack were aware so there was no
need for regular questioning. Coaching Point Do
not allow captains to discuss decisions on a
regular basis, find a polite a friendly way to
stop it. If it persists you would be entitled to
penalise.
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Example 2
You are thankfully a non effusive referee and
therefore remain cool under pressure on the
evidence of this game. You had time to genuinely
smile which showed you were enjoying yourself.
You noticed the change in temper in the second
half when the game became more competitive and
had to respond to more infringements. You were
not fazed by this and administered appropriate
sanctions including the temporary suspension.
You said last night that you had thought about
whether you should have ordered the player off
and we agreed if you had to think about it the
temporary suspension was appropriate. The only
comment that could be made is that you took a
long time to get round to dealing with the
miscreant. You did exactly the right thing at the
next scrum award and took the two captains to one
side who then spoke to their packs. This was a
good management technique.
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Example 2
Your oral communication is excellent both
explanatory and preventive. You do not shout and
you have a very calm disposition which must be
reassuring to the players. You managed the game
with 25 penalties and free kicks with there being
four free kicks making up the total. You had a
very good foul play call and dispensed the player
for ten minutes with no dissension at all. Most
of the penalties were breakdown related either at
the breakdown or offside associated with rucks
and mauls (19). You did have two situations in
the second half where a group of players from
both sides gathered together and it looked as if
a fracas might ensue. On one occasion you spoke
to the captains and on the other occasion you
just got on with the game. You might think of
using the next lineout or scrum award to get you
point across to all the players involved, you
cannot always rely on captains to get your
message across especially as you have an
authoritative voice they would believe you
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Example 4
You did have to admonish a player on one occasion
and when doing so you were pointing at his chest.
This is not best practice and as discussed it is
something that you would not like to have done to
you. Coaching Point - If you use your hands
try using both hand so that they are open with
the palms facing down or alternatively keep your
hands behind you back.
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Example 5
You appear very relaxed and got on well with the
players, downtime chats were invariably
accompanied by a smile and you were entirely
consistent with this approach throughout. Should
you have been consistent with your behaviours
throughout or should they have altered as the
temper of the match altered? Do you need to
change your body language, demeanour and voice so
that the players know you are going to have
nonsense from now on? Shortly after your
conversation with the captains and warning that
yellow cards would follow, yellow cards did
follow so it suggests that the message did not
get across. You talked to a player after the
first score after foul play from which you had
the ultimate compensation of a try. Did the teams
know you had talked firmly to the player. After
the occasion you told the captains that the next
offenders would go did the players know that
emphatically? Could you have gone to the
resultant lineout after the penalty and said
something to the 17 people who were becoming
involved in aggressive acts? Acts of foul play
should not be considered in isolation or
individual problems, it becomes a continuum that
you can affect by your behaviours. Your signals
were very clear for all non foul play penalties
the only time things were not clear was after
foul play. Your communication at the breakdown
was exceptional, you chose your words for each
situation and did not relentlessly repeat the
same words as seems to be the norm for many
referees.
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Example 6
You have a quiet disposition but also
authoritative. You do not over talk and your
preventative instructions are very clear and not
over vigorous or verbose. Your signals were very
clear and enabled all those watching to
understand what you were penalising. You had
good control and then the temperature of the game
rose and we discussed why this was and came to
the conclusion that it was due to the frustration
of XXXXX who were not getting much out of the
game despite playing well. You said that it did
get difficult and I could see that it was testing
you. Your voice became quicker and raised. This
is something for you to consider in that you need
to work on, as your body language and demeanour
will get across to the players and the will see
you less in control as the situation gets out of
control. As we discussed you must have been
relieved when the XXXX 6 decided to be so late in
the tackle you had to give him a yellow card
which totally lowered the temperature. You also
had to penalise XXXX on two occasions for back
chat and the Number 9 was very lucky not to
receive a yellow card after the first penalty
when he tackled the tap penalty taker within two
meters of the mark. Did you consider a yellow
there? It might have sent the message out no
messing today
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Continuum of Leadership Behaviours
Managers Authority
Employees Authority
Tell
Sell
Consult
Delegate
Managers interventions decrease
Tannenbaum and Schmidt - Harvard
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Continuum of Referee Behaviours
Referees Authority
Players Authority
Referees interventions decrease
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Situational Leadership
Adjusting Referee behaviours to achieve the
desired results Assertiveness
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Coaching Behaviours
PUSH
PULL
What? When?
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Situational Leadership
Adjusting Coaching behaviours to achieve the
desired results Assertiveness
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Changing Behaviours

• Self Aware
• Open Minded
• Willing to Explore
• Willing to Experiment
• Willing to Listen
• Wiling to Change

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Outcomes

• What have you learnt?
• What are YOU going to do?

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Message to Myself

• Dear Me
• I have learnt
• A
• B
• C
• I will
• A
• B
• C
• Those that completed letters will receive
  them in early December 2007

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Serious about change

• Help is available
• Cost immeasurable financial value
• 087 2498031

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And Finally

• BE
• Confident
• Positive
• Assertive
• Yourselves