Assertiveness at work is often confused with other concepts, such as aggression or hostility, but this could not be further from reality, because it is based on respect, that is, asserting itself means knowing and defending the rights we have. as individuals and citizens, without harming others. As we can see, self-affirmation is the opposite of passivity, which leaves the decision in the hands of others.
When applied to the work environment, self-affirmation has important benefits for both the worker and the organization in which the worker performs his work, so it is important to develop and implement it, how can we do that?
- Sometimes bosses take credit for the work of their employees.
- Which is very frustrating for subordinates.
- Who consider their efforts un recognized.
- For example.
- Imagine that you’ve been working on a report that’s been important to the company for weeks when it’s time to expose it to customers.
- Your supervisor doesn’t even mention it or even call you at the presentation.
Assertiveness at work motivates us not to remain silent and to pass on our discomfort to the boss. So, once the meeting is over, we can go and talk to him and ask him to value our work. It is not a question of disturbing or speaking to him in a provocative tone, but of expressing our lack of motivation, which is the result of an unrecognized right.
A meeting is convened from the entire department in which you work, this is a key tip: future decisions will be made that directly affect you, so the opinion of all employees of the plant is requested. most workers adopt two attitudes: aggression or passivity.
Let’s say the question is: do you think the company should increase the budget allocated to your department, how would you respond?
As we see, the first and the second generate conflicts, the third emphasizes that assertiveness at work is a social ability that allows us to communicate more satisfactorily with others, with it we express our needs, understanding the possible reluctance that the other may have. and trying to satisfy them and even facilitating intermediate exits in case our requests don’t have exactly the answer we want.
If you can already assert your opinion bluntly, be careful not to make a beginner’s mistake: devalue your message: “I don’t know if it will work”; “Was it just an idea?” “In any case, it’s too soon”; “It may sound silly. ” Try to avoid these phrases made: they are not good allies. Quite the opposite. They show that you don’t feel safe and have little confidence in yourself. In addition, your suggestions are unlikely to be adopted if there are indications that even you are not betting firmly on them.
Subjective communication is based on the first-person expression of what we feel or think, it is what allows us to speak without blaming, judging, criticizing and seeking the responsibilities of others.
For example, given the results the company achieves with our effort and dedication, we may think it would be fair to receive a pay increase. There are two ways to communicate this to the boss:? Would you like to talk about my salary?or “Should we talk about my salary?”
The first is much less aggressive than the second, which is more impersonal. A simple detail adds respect, naturalness and importance to what you say.
To use self-affirmation at work, it is necessary to clarify two aspects: on the one hand, the objectives to be achieved. And, on the other, the central idea of your message.
If you know what your goal is, you will be able to approach it gradually, otherwise the practice of this skill will be much more difficult and, in some cases, you can even get the opposite effect, in fact, a very common mistake among people who want to assert the most is to start saying “no?”to all that is offered to them. Reject only when what you are told is in conflict with your rights; not because I want to look stronger.
Also, avoid talking about rodeos. If you can say in a minute what you would say in five, better, do it, because if you talk a lot about rodeos, people present can stop paying attention to you and what you propose will have its value reduced.
Studied using the 5-factor model, self-affirmation is part of the personality trait of extraversion. No one asserts itself by nature, but, as we see, it is a social skill that we can practice; something that requires effort and knowledge about what this concept really means.