While having assertive communication, you must opt for the right toning skills when you put forward your opinion. It prevents misunderstanding between you and others. Having a tone that sounds irritated, exhausted or aggress is a big NO for effective assertive communication. Assertiveness implies acting in a confident manner. The Importance Of Assertive Communication 2263 Words10 Pages Communication is a process of sending and receiving information among people. To understand this phenomenon better, I am going to take you through the kinds of communication styles regularly used. You gain respect for yourself, have more time for your priorities, and develop authentic and healthier relationships.”. Assertiveness is a communication style that is clear and firm in intent, but also respectful. The healthiest communications style everyone aspires for and generally the most underused is Assertiveness. While addressing the power of being assertive, Doreen Virtue once said-, “Once you have a major success with assertiveness, you learn that it’s a much healthier path than being a doormat to the insensitive folks. Let us now go through some of the critical tips of assertive communication-. You need to say ‘NO’ certain things. Not being assertive may appear to be harmless but in the long run, it can do significant harm to self-esteem and may even cause depression. Let's stay in touch :), Your email address will not be published. Therefore, assertiveness is an important aspect of nonviolent communication. Organizational Growth. Have you identified which style you tend to lean to? Following are some of them: Assertive communication boosts up your confidence level. Such gestures and postures should never translate into passive or aggressive forms of communication. Now, in the next section, we will be covering some of the characteristics of assertive communication-. Alberti and Emmons3 identified assertiveness as a behavior that enables individuals to act in their own best interests, t… Assertive mode is a method of communication which enables a person to maintain self-respect, clearly communicate and pursue their needs, and … With Assertive communication, you will be able to resolve both of these issues with quite ease and effectiveness. This is because they are unable to express themselves with clarity and confidence. What Is Assertiveness And How To Be Assertive? The word “because” is a powerful game -changer in communication. Here we hope our article has helped you enough to improve your assertive communication. Gesture, posture, body language, reactions, listening cues, etc. In this technique, you need to stick to your point with calm repletion and staying focussed. An assertive person other’s limits, needs, desires, and opinions. * An important element of assertiveness is that people take responsibility for their own needs. Assertive communication equips us to cope with the increasing demands and stress of our work. Assertiveness is an important personality trait that everyone should develop. What according to you, are the most important benefits of using assertive communication in discussion or debate? It makes you a better stress-free person with high self-esteem. March 11, 2020 By Hitesh Bhasin Tagged With: Management articles. • Passive communication cab be helpful when you are receiving information, or trying to avoid rocking the boat. Another devaluing technique is prefacing words with phrases like: “I could be wrong but…” or “This might sound crazy but…”. Thank you for going through the article, and we hope you visit us soon again. A third way is putting a question mark sound at the end of your sentences makes it sound like you’re questioning yourself. Using ‘I’ statements will help you to your betterment. It is better to compromise until your personal feelings for the compromise. Once you recognize your response pattern, think about an effective, tactful, fair and assertive response to a specific situation. Assertive communication leads to better communication and less misunderstanding in life. Assertiveness in the workplace is a very important skill says Lizanne de Jong. Share with us and make this post the best place to master assertive communication skills. We have all been raised using communication skills that, until we migrate, make perfect sense in our native environment and cultural background. These three points collectively determine what assertive communication is. It helps you achieve your goals without hurting others. Everyone wants to feel acknowledged and empowered in his or her workplace, but research states most people feel powerless and subjugated. Let us first understand what it is-. Importance of Assertiveness in Leadership and how it affects Leadership capabilities. Assertiveness in Leadership is an ability which magnifies its qualities to a great extent. Your email address will not be published. It is important to be aware of what you are saying nonverbally. It enables people to communicate honestly but appropriately, to stand up for their own rights and feelings without trespassing on those of others. It also means believing in the right to stand up for these needs. And hey, if you’re not sure about what you’re saying, why would anyone else be? Assertiveness isn’t about being rude or aggressive. There you should learn to avoid things prioritizing your work. Being Assertive in the workplace is a frequently misunderstood concept as there is many of us who confuse assertiveness with being aggressive and domineering. It is the best-balanced way to communicate with others. Let’s face it, aggressive communication is stressful (as can be passive); one of the people involved generally ends up feeling humiliated or threatened. We usually feel a little sad and disappointed when we are not assertive because our rights have been violated. ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION. Contributions of nonviolent communication Empathy, the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, is also part of this type of communication. * Honesty is vital when using this form of communication. With the following skills and a little practice, you can master the assertive communication. The importance of being assertive can be understood due to the fact it helps you improve your confidence level and self-esteem. This is according to Lizanne de Jong, Course Assertiveness is a vital ingredient of leadership skills. Firstly, you need to express your needs and wants and secondly be aware of your rights in expressing these needs and claiming your power. When it comes to assertive communication, self-esteem is one of the most critical factors, as such a form of communication rates self-esteem quite high. Page 13 The Importance of Body Language . It takes a great deal of effort to become assertive and it does not happen overnight. This allows you to accept criticism from others positively. Positive body language increases the listener’s interest also. It’s about clarity and being your own advocate. Let’s read the following and see what these three mean more broadly. Have will to continue the discussion to find the solution, 3. Less stress. Page 14 Assertive Body Language . Assertiveness offers many benefits. There are main three main points of assertive communication that defines it. Do you have any experience with such sorts of communication? Behavior helps in expressing their feelings better. A discussion or conversation can only productive and constructive if it reaches the final solution. Assertive communication Assertive communication is seen as an integral skill for nurses and midwives. Specific characteristics make assertive communication different from the aggressive and passive communication. If you act assertively whenever needed, then you will short-circuit this accu… Even in some of the cases, your nonverbal communication becomes more critical in comparison to the verbal communication. Being assertive is usually viewed as a healthier communication style. Communicating in an assertive manner can help you to: minimise conflict; control anger; have your needs better met; have … Be non-assertive too often, and you end up feeling unable to say no. It improves your managing skills too. You can follow me on Facebook. Required fields are marked *, Copyright © 2020 Marketing91 All Rights Reserved, Assertive Communication – Importance, Characteristics and Improvement, What is Rapport? Changing from a passive to an assertive approach to communication is one way to limit the frustrations associated with hearing loss. Assertiveness is the ability to honestly express your feelings, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes while respecting the other person’s wants, needs, and feelings as well. Anti-bullying programs such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) have been implemented in school settings (Hall, 2005). Along with teacher and parent involvement, PBL teaches children assertiveness skills. There are 4 distinct patterns in communication styles: One of the common devaluing techniques is using language that reduces the importance of what you’re saying. This leads you to talk to the opposite person directly with a clear vision and demonstrates sincerity. Right toning and clear voice pull in the attention of the opposite person. The Importance of Assertive Communication Humans are social creatures, and the connections we make in our interpersonal relationships play an important role. Assertiveness and Behaviour. 1. • Aggressive communication can be helpful when there is an urgency and importance to the message that is being sent. Following are some of them: The first question that comes in mind when we first tell you that you should start practicing assertive communication is why I should practice it? Assertiveness is an excellent skill both for managing your relationships with others and managing your relationship with yourself. Even a brief moment of checking your email during someone's presentation conveys a nonverbal message. Assertive communication important, especially when you work in a consultancy. Using assertive communication style, you earn the respect of your peers and be able to communicate more confidently for career success and happiness. The good news is that this skill is learnable, as we mentioned before. A confident upright body posture helps the expression of confidence and self-esteem. Accepting responsibility for your own communication is the first step in improving communication with others. Assertiveness is the quality of being self-assured and confident without being aggressive. The basis of … Intercultural communication: the importance of being assertive We arrive in our adoptive country with luggage full of different social rules and expectations. A lack of assertiveness leads to employees feeling disgruntled, being treated unfairly or their rights being ignored. A person who is persistent in expression is always a happy person with fewer regrets in life. It is taking a stand for your own while not undermining the needs of the other. Each study underscores how important communication skills are and highlights the surprising benefits of using communication skills effectively. Assertive communication teaches us one more thing that it is not harmful to accept what you cannot change about others. Their traditional roles of being peacekeepers and of keeping harmony in their environment leads to passive behavior that in turns results in missed opportunities or being overlooked. This might mean rejecting things you decide are not a good fit for you, but then explaining exactly why you rejected them. This keeps getting worse as you climb up the ranks and do not find solutions earlier in your career. Unfortunately, a large proportion of human struggle and suffering is a result of communication difficulties … Assertive communication involves clear, honest statements about your beliefs, needs, and emotions. This technique allows you to check for the comments you get. Assertive communication means being okay with saying exactly what you want, but doing it in such a way that it doesn’t hurt the other person’s feelings . In sociology and psychology, self-esteem reflects a person's … If you are interested in learning more about communication breakdowns and different strategies that can help improve communication, sign up for one of our monthly Communication Strategies classes. It helps you keep people from taking advantage of you. Final Thoughts about Assertive Communication! It is better to practice role-playing with your colleagues. The aggressive form of communication hurts feelings and fractures relations while on the other hand, a passive form of communication leads to stress, negative feel, and resentment. It is the best type of communication which helps you to put forward your opinion without being misunderstood by the person in front. And it helps to express your views clearly. So here are some benefits that can be your reason to practice assertive communication. Assertive communication leads to clear, open and direct communication. We practice self-respect when we honour our own needs, which can … Background Being able to speak up is a prerequisite for establishing safe communication in healthcare settings. It helps to draw the opposite person’s attention. Makes others feel valued and respected; Builds team players; Opens the door to collaborative solutions; Minimizes stressful situations; Improves relationships; The Assertive Communication Model and Non-verbals Few people have perfect communication skills that they implement 100% of the time, and many people could brush up on their assertiveness communication skills. Humans communicate with others not only by face-to-face communication, but also by giving information by the internet and printed products such as books and newspapers. You check the comments and judge it they are informative to accept them. Assertive communication is a skill that is useful for deterring such behavior before it escalates. I am a serial entrepreneur & I created Marketing91 because i wanted my readers to stay ahead in this hectic business world. 2. Assertiveness training has recently been drawing renewed interest in relation to patient safety in health care because communication failure has become one of the major causes of adverse incidents.1,2 Assertiveness is an essential interpersonal behavior that aims to minimize power differences between individuals. If people try to disguise their meanings, it puts the other person on the defensive because they feel they are being manipulated. Let’s see what six of the essential features. Assertive communication has the significance of its own. And if they are manipulative then reject it. Your assertive behavior is great for both parties. It makes you a better stress-free person with high self-esteem. Increasing your assertiveness can help you both personally and professionally. 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