Assertiveness in the Workplace

Being assertive means standing up for what one believes in. It also means taking into consideration feelings and rights of others while doing what is right. Displaying assertiveness in the workplace has many advantages, such as it helps in amicable conflict resolution and it helps in reducing stress and anxiety. A person who is assertive is able to express his feelings to others easily and hence, nothing is left unspoken which can otherwise cause stress.

Being assertive is often confused with being aggressive, although both of them are completely different from each other. In order to be successful, a person has to inculcate and display assertiveness in the workplace, at the same time eliminating any tendency to be aggressive. Below are some real life examples which will help to differentiate between aggressiveness and assertiveness, followed by useful tips on how to be assertive in the workplace.

Examples of Assertiveness in the Workplace

Example # 1
You have just joined an organization and your manager asks you to do his personal work. You do it once cause he is your senior. But this does not end here, he again asks you to do some more work. This time you put your foot down and very politely tell him that since this is not organizational work so you will not be able to do it for him. You give him reasons that since you are already hard pressed for time, doing his personal work is affecting your productivity in the workplace.

Example # 2
You and your colleague have different opinions on how to do a particular work in the office. Your colleague insists that the procedure he is suggesting should be followed. He very forcefully tries to intimidate you and have his way. Instead of losing your cool, you listen to him patiently, and once he is done, you put forth your views on the matter. Two of you discuss various options and then arrive at the best solution.

Tips to Maintain Assertiveness in the Workplace

Be Well-groomed
In order to be assertive in the workplace, the first thing that a person needs to do is to take care of his outward appearance. If a person is well-groomed, wears clean and ironed clothes, has his hair in place and his shoes polished, he is more likely to be taken seriously than someone who comes to the office in crumpled clothes with uncombed hair.

Act Confidently
Assertiveness in the workplace can be acquired if the person believes in himself and acts with confidence. And what better way to be confident than by increasing one's skills, knowledge and experience. Try to know as much as possible about the work, office procedures and contact persons in different departments. A person should acquire knowledge about the whole industry that he is in so that if anyone at the workplace wants to know of the latest happenings or how to do a particular job, they know whom to come to. It is easier for a knowledgeable and experienced person to be assertive rather than somebody who lacks in both these departments.

Learn to Say "No"
In order to be assertive, a person needs to be precise and to the point, when talking to someone about professional issues. Even if it involves communicating to someone about their incompetencies or short comings, one need not hesitate or beat around the bush. Another thing that helps in being assertive is learning to say "No". Often times, people feel that if they say no, they will become unpopular or unlikeable, on the contrary saying no directly saves a lot of time for both the parties involved. Lastly, when talking to a person, always maintain eye contact.

Master your Emotions
Assertiveness in the workplace can be displayed by maintaining one's cool in all situations. Even if there is a deadline to meet or there has been a disagreement with a colleague over some work related issue, keeping the emotions in check and by being level headed, a person displays his control over himself. When a person is in control of his emotions, he communicates with others in the right manner without being rude or derogatory or sarcastic, and thus, is able to display his assertiveness.

Be a Good Listener
Someone who lends their ears and listens to them when they talk, is much more likely to be reciprocated the same way. So, displaying assertiveness in the workplace is easier for people who are good listeners as people respect them much more and are willing to listen to them too. Assertiveness in the workplace is a trait which can be acquired by constant practice and implementation. By giving respect to oneself and others, by learning to listen patiently to what people have to say and then confidently putting forth one's opinions, a person can learn how to be assertive.