First Step Marketing

For people like me at work, assertiveness has particularly important significance, as it is a quality which helps me to communicate more effectively and hopefully achieve my goals.

It is very important to be able to stand and be heard, whether the situation is a promotion interview or a refusal to an unfair request. To remain silent under these circumstances can create strong feelings of anger inside and erode the individual’s self-confidence. Some other situations which often require assertiveness at the workplace are:

• Communicating your thoughts and feelings directly and honestly.
• Saying, Yes to new work opportunities and possibilities which you wish to try.
• Giving compliments to others.
• Receiving compliments from others.

Dealing effectively with reprimands.

Having listed some assertiveness situations which might be relevant to you, how can you go about becoming more assertive? Perhaps the following five steps will help to fix the process in your mind and assist you in putting the process into action:

Step 1 Plan your words and actions

Having sensed that your rights are being infringed in a particular situation, think through what you will say and do when you are next in the situation. Keep your statement short and to the point and use appropriate gestures, eye contact and other body language to emphasise what you are saying. For example, ‘Mr. James, I feel annoyed that I am always asked to do the photocopying for others when it is really not part of my job.’

Step 2 Ponder the other person’s response

Think how your message is going to affect the other person and how they will then respond. Step into their shoes and see and hear yourself from their perspective. Make any readjustments to your planned approach.

Step 3 Practice your message

Even if you are actually in the confrontation, take a brief pause to run through mentally what you will say and how you will say it. If you have more time, try practising your message while looking into a mirror so you can see and hear yourself as you will be perceived by the other person.

Step 4 Perform!

Having planned, pondered and practised your response, now perform. Don’t hesitate or procrastinate, do it! Yes, it does take courage, but once you have learned the fine art of being more assertive, you will not regret your actions.

Step 5 Perfect your performance

The chief benefit from trying something new is that you have the opportunity of learning from your experience. Even if your first attempt is not successful—perhaps even an outright failure—look back upon the experience and identify the aspects which can be improved. Practice will make a difference.

By becoming more assertive, you are off to a new quality in your worklife. Speak out honestly (but tactfully) and directly when you sense that your rights are being infringed. As stated above, your early attempts are likely to be learning trials, but don’t lose hope or drive. Keep at it and try that much harder. If you become disenchanted, speak with a clincial psychologist who is skilled in communication training. Some additional help will soon get you back on to a positive and more confident course.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Dealing Office Crisis: Advancing assertively

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am and is filed under Promotion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.