Benefits of Being Assertive
When you are assertive you able to say ‘no’ with confidence and not feel guilty and give the other person an alternative for when a particular job, for example, can be discussed.
Benefits of Being Assertive
To some degree, we all need to influence others at times, which makes assertiveness a key communication skill for everyone.
Table of Content
- Assertive Communication: Key to Better Business
- Promoting Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem through Assertiveness
- Increase Effectiveness
- Being Assertive Reduces Stress and Improves Communication
- Resolving Conflict
- Being Proactive
- Benefits of Being Assertiveness
1. Assertive Communication: Key to Better Business
Assertiveness is a core life skill and key business tool. When we feel that we are unable to assert ourselves it can affect our mental health and we can then begin to feel
- Anger and a sense of helplessness
- That others are taking advantage
- That it is our fault
- A need to lash out inappropriately
- A sense of failure
In some situations, it’s easier to be assertive than in others. It is for instance easier to stand up for yourself with someone you don’t know and may never meet again. Whereas in a relationship with a friend, a loved one, or a work colleague who you see every day being assertive can prove more difficult.
Assertive behavior has some major benefits. It leads to a true sense of self-worth, which in turn will result in increased mutual respect with others
This article looks at the benefits of using assertiveness techniques.
2. Promoting Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem through Assertiveness
One of the biggest benefits of using assertive communication skills is the ability to build confidence and reduce stress in a wide range of situations.
It is not just about changing behaviour, but about changing beliefs and feelngs.
Negative Beliefs
- We will never sort this out
- They are just a difficult group
- They always interrupt me
Positive Beliefs
- Where there’s a will there’s a way
- This group is committed to results
- The best way is to include interruptions in the discussion
By modifying your beliefs and the group’s beliefs you enable changes of behaviour to become possible.
As you develop a more assertive use of words and body language, you will feel more confident about saying no, standing up for your rights, and expressing your own feelings.
For example, assertiveness can help you stand firm against a more aggressive person who is trying to intimidate you into being quiet.
As your feelings change your body language will change and you will begin to seem more confident to others. This will encourage them to give more weight to your ideas and thoughts as you appear assured of the outcome.
3. Increase Effectiveness
A lack of assertiveness can cause fruitless discussions in which nothing is ever agreed upon, often because people are too concerned about treading on the toes of others.
We can feel like we are walking on eggshells. We can’t decide if this is the right time to bring up a concern. Is now the moment to say what we really think?
Perhaps it’s better to bottle up our feelings, stay silent and keep a low profile and wait until things have settled down, wait until the time is right.
Assertiveness benefits everyone as they can express exactly what they believe is the right course of action. From there the group can arrive at a consensus and then helpful decisions can be agreed upon.
Working with assertiveness also improves communication, and goal setting and decreases the risk of teams wasting their efforts on activities that some members of the group know will be unsuccessful.
4. Being Assertive Reduces Stress and Improves Communication
Assertive communication skills improve productivity because contributors can give honest and objective feedback without worrying about upsetting others. This includes feeling comfortable about giving praise as much as providing criticism.
There are many studies like this one – Effect of assertiveness training on levels of stress – which show that individuals who undergo assertiveness training experience less stress than individuals who don’t.
Assertiveness can even help you to stress-test your own opinions, which has the added benefit of ensuring anything you say is constructive and delivered in a positive manner.
5. Resolving Conflict
When we are involved in a workplace conflict we have three standard approaches
We can be Passive
- Don’t express your opinions
- Don’t tend to disagree
- Avoid confrontation
- Try to please everyone
We can be Aggressive
- Ignore others’ opinions
- Impose your ideas
- Intimidate and blame
- Get angry
Both these approaches are likely to entrench conflict rather than resolve conflict.
Or we can be Assertive
- Explore opinions
- Disagree respectfully
- Be inclusive
- Look for solutions
The assertive ability to disagree and express opinions while respecting other people’s points of view is good for the self-esteem of everyone involved.
Assertive communication tends to be more satisfactory for everyone involved.
Assertive behaviour is particularly useful in conflict situations as it enables you to express your thoughts and feelings without arousing or increasing defensiveness.
Using assertiveness techniques correctly will also keep you positive and cooperative, which are essential traits for resolving conflict. These ensure you are always working proactively towards a solution.
6. Being Proactive
By definition, assertiveness will make you a more proactive person because it means you are happy to move the conversation along by saying exactly how you really think and feel.
That said, bear in mind that assertiveness isn’t simply a case of being blunt with your friends or colleagues.
Our article on how and when to use assertiveness will help you use it effectively to build better relationships.
Also understanding how the seven barriers to communication can affect our interactions with others could be useful.
This article was originally contributed by Gloria M Hamilten.
Check out Impact Factory’s courses
Tailored Assertiveness Training
One-to-One Assertiveness Skills Training
We also offer One and Two-day Assertiveness Skills Courses – designed to help people recognise the patterns of thought and behaviour they have acquired that leave them feeling disempowered.
