The first step in becoming Assertive is to develop awareness around your perceptions of it, because these will very much influence your motivation to learn the skills. On Our Courses, participants are asked to identify their interpretation of Assertiveness. Although; responses will include positive associations, there are always negative ones too. It has been described as being:

Pushy, Loud, Annoying, Arrogant, Demanding, Domineering, Selfish, Getting needs met at all costs, Aggressive, Obnoxious, Forceful, In your face, Always right, Rude
If you share some of these common misconceptions, then of course, you would be inclined to steer well clear of These are actually all characteristics of an Aggressivee Communication Style. as opposed to Assertiveness.

Assertiveness? In a nutshell, is about expressing your wants/needs in a “Clear, Open, Respectful and Confident way” Research has shown that developing Assertiveness not only helps to improve relationships and Self Esteem, it aids in effective conflict Resolution, and helps to reduce anger, resentment and anxiety. Bearing all that in mind, it is a very important life skill to develop! Feedback from those who I have trained in assertiveness skills has been that it has literally changed their lives!

Over my next few posts, I will be discussing Assertiveness in more debt, by highlighting specific characteristics. My goal is so to provide you with a clear road map, that can help direct you towards this empowering communication style.