Being assertive has become de jure where the workplace is concerned. That’s why you may want to read up on “What are assertive skills?” Being assertive allows you to communicate clearly with your colleagues and superiors, especially regarding responsibilities assigned to you.
As an assertive person, you can communicate with your middle-level managers and others about what responsibilities you can handle. Moreover, you can provide them with a clear-cut timeline for when you can accomplish the task.
While most companies often do not list “being assertive” as one of the job requirements, most will nevertheless expect their job applicants to be ” assertive ” to a certain degree.
And that’s why you need to carefully review the query, “What are assertive skills?” since these skills are bound to play a prominent role in your career. Some of the critical assertive skills are listed below for your reference.
- Respect:
More often than not, people often mistake ‘being assertive’ with being ‘downright hostile’ when it could not be farther from the truth. Being assertive is more about clearly stating your expectations and expectations from the job assigned to you.
While you are free to state the same clarity to the management, you need to ensure that you show them a certain degree of respect.
You had just joined a firm, and the manager immediately assigned you several responsibilities. You need to approach the management, request a meeting and even request the HR to be present. Then, you need to state your background clearly, and why you feel uncomfortable handling tasks you need to become more familiar with.
You must ensure that you convey an adequate amount of respect to your superiors during this meeting. It cannot be stated enough but showing adequate respect is often the best way to get the management to take your concerns seriously.
And make sure that you listen to any counter-points or suggestions offered by the management, since it may enable you to handle these new tasks adeptly.
- Honesty:
This may come as a surprise, but regarding assertive skills, honesty and integrity often figure front and center. Remember that any official discussions you have at the workplace must be conducted openly and honestly with a certain modicum of integrity. As mentioned earlier, being assertive is not about blowing your top and telling the other person to take a hike.
Instead, you are in a firm, and you have a certain degree of responsibility that you will act professionally at all times. To that end, when discussing specific issues with the management or your other office colleagues, they expect you to hold honest and open discussions. To that end, you will be expected to be honest, frank and forthright.
Remember, you are meeting with your team/ management regarding your concerns. And you need to state your opinions assertively while being frank and honest at the same time. You are not here to boost others’ confidence, and if you feel that you cannot handle a specific task successfully, you need to state that outright.
- Self Control:
It may surprise you to learn that self-control is a key ‘assertiveness’ skill that you need to exercise whenever you are at the office. As a professional, the management will expect you to exercise self-control over your emotions and rein in your stress busters.
And when it comes to being assertive, you will be expected to do the same. There are certain instances when you feel you are about to lose self-control and your temper in the bargain. When addressing another employee, you must always maintain the required decorum, never lose your temper or even raise your voice in a raised pitch.
By retaining your self-control, you can communicate your thoughts clearly to the other side. You will be able to state your viewpoint rationally and make your case.
Moreover, by exercising self-control, you will be more than able to deal even with unhappy clients while asserting that you will respond to the issue promptly. Self-control is crucial in assertiveness, and that’s an understatement.
These vital assertive skills are bound to be more than functional in your career. By responding to all situations rationally, without losing your temper – you can show the management that you are more than capable of a management post.
Moreover, they are bound to realize that you are adept at collaborating with others and can even lead multiple teams successfully. Assertive skills are, in a nutshell, indispensable when it comes to your career.
