Last week we spoke about responsibility and its effects on a company’s success or failure. Today’s topic is similar! Assertiveness is another value that’s important for your person and your work life! Instead of something that is intrapersonal, like responsibility, which is something that has to do with oneself and one’s actions in the world.
Differently, Assertiveness is more of an interpersonal skill, something that has to do with your behavior towards others; be these your team members, employees, or clients!
What Does Assertiveness Mean?
First things first, we have to establish what assertiveness is, before diving into how it can affect business life. The best definition I could find comes once more from the root of all things, infancy, and the development of new generations.
A great post by the Behavioral Health Experts at KidsHealth gives us that Assertiveness simply is the ability to speak up for ourselves in a way that is honest and respectful.
That means being honest with oneself and one’s wishes, expressing them as they are. Yet also being mindful of the needs and feelings of others. As you might be able to tell, assertiveness has a lot to do with communication; and one might say we can view it as a style of communication.
Some people have a very soft, passive communication style. Someone with this style of communication often tends to let others decide things and prioritizes others’ needs over their own. On the other hand, aggressive communication styles are more up-forward. They’re sure about their own needs and wants, but disregard how others might feel about their words or actions.
In a said way, assertiveness is the style lodged in that sweet spot right in between those two. But it is my opinion that it is also different from the other because Assertiveness is less likely to be natural. I believe that you can be naturally passive or aggressive, and you develop assertiveness with willpower and training.
If you happen to be passive, then you need to be mindful to speak up more, and if you were to be aggressive, then you need to be more careful with other people’s feelings and desires. In both cases, placing everything in a balance is the correct choice and the path to becoming an assertive person.
The Assertive Leader
Assertiveness becomes valuable twice as much when shown in a leader. A position of power in a company can rise or fall thanks to these communication skills. A lot of good or harm can be caused by someone in a position of power: A supervisor, an executive, or the boss.
Should you find yourself described by these positions, be mindful of your team. It is comprised out of people, who have the feelings, needs, and wants you to do. The way you treat these people has a direct effect on their work performance.
Effective communication, often hailing from people who are high in assertiveness, can have several positive effects on your team. As we can read in Psychology Today, highly assertive people tend to experience fewer signs of anxiety, and depression, and gain a boost to self-confidence and self-esteem.
As the ancient Latin proverb says: Quid pro Quo. Give and receive, and this is especially true in team dynamics. A leader who treats their people correctly communicates assertively, and places value on their needs and wants… will earn the love and appreciation of their team. And said the team would work their best for their leader.
On the flip side, a leader who behaves more like a slave driver will obtain just the opposite results. A leader with poor communication skills, with no regard for the needs and wants of others, and only has a mind for results and numbers… said leader will not earn the loyalty and goodwill of their team, and they’re likely to desert him as soon as possible.
The Art of Negotiation
This is another field entirely where assertiveness is key. Negotiations, be they one-on-one or delegation-based; simply benefit immensely from the negotiators’ ability to express themselves clearly, honestly, and to the point, whilst respecting the other party’s position.
O’Reilly Media gives us a short profile of the complete negotiator. They communicate firmly and respectfully and focus on the possible, rather than the impossible.
Let me explain that. Something key in assertive communication is a positive focus. In a negotiation environment, this means focusing on what the two parties can reach or do together, instead of focusing on what they won’t do or agree to.
This positivity is pleasing to the human brain and is likely to incline the other party towards your favor as they see you, the assertive negotiator, as someone who’s trying their best to make things happen.
Only the Tip of the Iceberg
Assertiveness has much more area of effect. From Marketing to Interpersonal Relationships outside work. Explore and analyze the way you communicate. Be mindful of the needs of other people, and you will too reach true Assertiveness.
See more articles by Paola Rodriguez.
