You may have already heard about the term “assertiveness”, and if you haven’t, it’s the perfect time to learn more about this amazing communication skill! It helps individuals express themselves effectively, stand up for their point of view firmly and fairly, without being rude or aggressive.
Becoming a strong and confident communicator is important in a work environment, as assertive behavior offers numerous benefits that can help you in team communication. For example, assertive leaders and coworkers have the power to motivate a team and handle the crisis efficiently.
Since it’s a skill, it can be learned with a bit of practice.
Let’s explore the power of being assertive in team communication.
- Nurtures “we can win” attitude
When you are assertive, feelings and opinions can be honestly shared, and everyone on the team feels respected. Listening to your coworker’s ideas and suggestions on a certain project or another work-related topic can even help you strengthen your original strategy.
If an issue emerges, an assertive leader doesn’t focus on judging or blaming other people, but rather on coming up with an effective solution. They nurture a flexible win-win approach and a frame of mind that says both sides can win.
By establishing an environment where expressing an individual point of view is encouraged, working together as a team gets prioritized, and it leads to increased productivity.
- Builds up your confidence
It is not unusual for team leaders and managers to struggle with communicating their opinions and thoughts confidently, especially if they are newbies. Occasionally, you’ll have to handle difficult conversations, complex situations, and challenging decisions.
Assertiveness can help you confront these situations confidently, stick up for your rights, set clear boundaries, and handle aggressive or submissive team members more effectively.
Adopting assertive behavior encompasses being authentic to yourself, overcoming self-imposed limitations, and changing from negative to supportive and positive thinking. This way, you get to enhance your self-esteem and develop a confident and assertive behavior style.
- Improves your time management
Although it may seem unrelated, being assertive is important for time management. If you have a hard time saying “no” and setting boundaries, that lack of assertiveness will lead to taking on excessive amounts of work.
Another important tool for enhancing time management and achieving maximum productivity is adopting digital time and attendance solutions in work environments. With full team visibility, it’s much easier to manage staff proactively and check who’s working and where they are at all times.
The right management tool will provide your team members with an insight into your workload and your deadlines. Advanced technology solutions like these increase transparency within a team and as a result, employees feel encouraged to be assertive and avoid overworking themselves.
- Boosts team motivation
Occasionally your team’s morale may go south. Instead of pressuring your employees to perform, communicating assertively can help them get inspired and spark a passion within them. Allowing everyone to participate and contribute to a certain project is a great way to get your team back on track.
Start with setting a good example by sharing your thoughts and being positive, and then listen to your colleagues carefully. Don’t forget about the quiet and passive individuals. Give them a chance to speak and express what’s on their mind.
Assign different responsibilities to different team members, and make sure to give them the freedom to experiment with various solutions. If your team members are scared of making a mistake or getting something wrong, it will prevent them from communicating creative ideas and solutions.
- Enhances conflict management
Avoid conflicts is impossible, as we all get frustrated and angry from time to time. But with assertive behavior, we can better manage conflicts and as a result, we may see positive changes both in productivity and relationships.
Whether you are in a position of authority or not, you need to manage your interactions with people in the workplace.
Being assertive means that you can better manage your anger, use positive language to express feelings and ideas, listen during conflict situations, and negotiate win-win solutions. These communication skills are invaluable for dealing effectively with people in conflict with us.
- Helps control stress and negative feelings
Mastering verbal communication strategies can help you reduce stress and negative feelings like anger in your work environment. For starters, individuals who have learned to express their feelings and assert their rights directly, openly, and honestly tend to have fewer conflicts with people they interact with.
Since they express themselves effectively, stand up for themselves, and prevent others from taking advantage of them, they get their authentic needs met more frequently too. Both of these result in less stress when working in a team.
Besides, people who communicate assertively develop healthier and quality relationships with their coworkers, so they have support and people they can count on when they find themselves in a bind.