Assertive Communication

Any type of communication must have some sort of an assertive degree to it. Assertive communication is the ability to reason out for oneself without acting more passive or more aggressive. It is the ability to stress out your point but maintaining respect and proper decorum to others. Assertive communication requires one to communicate in an open and a direct way. It allows persons to find solutions in conflicts and other seemingly difficult situations. Assertive communication must be practiced and lived by for it is very useful in every situation.

Assertive communication enables one to change unwanted behavior, improve personalities, provides a more harmonious working relationship for all employees. This way of communication helps persons swap old behavior into more positive ones.

Assertive communication has advantages which a person could benefit from to bring his person to a more positive light. It makes people feel good about themselves because this type of communication enables them to express what they wanted. It creates mutual respect among peers both within at the workplace and outside the workplace. Assertive communication builds confidence and self-esteem. It helps in the achievement of goals. It also helps in decreasing the possibility of hurting other people. Assertive communication also reduces anxiety and protects the person from being unduly taken advantage of by others. What is good about assertive communication is that it helps the person to make free choices and make decisions.

Some people do not approve of assertive communication because of some reasons. They see assertive communication as a means to step on the rights of others and therefore do not practice it. This type of communication just helps you express what you think and this does not men sticking to what you need to do.

Assertive communication involves the body directly. There are a lot of bodily gestures which adds more weight in practicing the proper way of assertive communication. These bodily gestures are eye contact, expressions, body posture, voice, timing, and content. Putting it more succinctly, a good assertive communication is highlighting and using “I” statements that focus on your own personal expressions and ideas.

Assertive communication is the ability to express one’s needs and feelings in an appropriate manner. Using “I” statements, indicate ownership, focus on behavior, doesn’t attribute the blame to others, and takes responsibility. assertive communication is always direct and honest.

Assertive communication does not come overnight to anyone, rather it is learned. There are a few techniques that you could use to achieve a successful assertive communication.

There are some techniques used in practicing assertive communication. These techniques are behavior rehearsal, repeated assertion, fogging, negative enquiry, negative assertion, and workable compromise. These techniques when used properly would give you a greater edge at asserting your opinions, ideas, and thoughts in the workplace and everywhere else.

Assertive communication should be a part of one’s daily routine. In society today where everything is very competitive, assertion must be practiced all the time. This doesn’t mean you would go out looking for a fight, rather, you just have to say what you need to say. Don’t hesitate. After all, men are given equal chances to exercise their right of speech. Make sure that in everything you do, assertive communication must not be forgotten.