Building Assertiveness, An Empowering Choice!
Assertiveness is important for your well-being but many of us hesitate to stand up for our needs. We are worried whether it would go the wrong way. Honestly, it is easier said than done but voicing out what you genuinely need sets you free.
Few instances when we are not assertive are taking the vacation that we need to take for a long time, saying no to overworking, not speaking up when we don’t like something, etc.
Assertiveness helps us in managing our stress better and being happier. Here are some ways that you can be more assertive at the workplace.
- Setting boundaries and saying an affirmative no
It is important to set boundaries around what works for you and what does not. It is important to know what brings your energy up and what brings it down which includes knowing what kind of work interests you, how many working hours are healthy for you etc. While there are times when things may not go the way you would want, it is important to know what your threshold is so that it doesn’t break you.
2. Creating a Win — Win
Being assertive does not mean being hurtful. No one wants to belittle you. Can you think of a solution that not just creates a win for you but also a win for others?
3. Creating Psychological Safety at Workplace
By enabling your peers to speak up, you can help in creating a workplace that values everyone’s opinion. By speaking up yourself, you help others stand up for what they need. We can help each other by creating a psychologically safe environment.
4. Recognize your value
Know what your strengths are, focus and build upon them. No one is perfect. There will always be improvement areas but we need to stop being too critical of ourselves. This is one of the crucial and starting steps for being assertive.
Hope this helps in shifting your perspective and standing up for what you need.
