ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR

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ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOURFLOW OF PRESENTATIONASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR: STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN

WHAT IS ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR?Assertiveness is about self confidence which means having a positive attitude towards yourself and others.

Behaviour which enables a person to act in his or her own best interest, to stand up for herself or himself, without undue anxiety, to express honest feeling comfortably, or to exercise personal rights without denying the rights of others, we call Assertive Behaviour.

Assertive behavior includes: Starting, changing or ending conversations Making requests and refusing requests if they are too demanding Addressing problems that bother you Being firm so that your rights are respected Expressing positive & negative emotions Questioning rules that don't make sense or seem unfair

BEING ASSERTIVEOne important feature of being assertive is to be able to take helpful criticism (as opposed to negativeinsults) as well as to give it. This type of criticism is often a chance to learn about yourself as others see you.

It is often helpful to simply listen to what the other person is saying and repeat back in your own words what they said.

FOR EXAMPLE:Criticism: Your desk is very messy. You are very disorganized.

Response: Yes, its true, Im not very tidy.

WHY DO WE NEED ASSERTION?Poor / inappropriate communicationPressure of workPersonality clashConflicting interestsConflicting valuesUnrealistic expectationsMisunderstandings / mistakes

Three types of assertive behaviour include:

1)Passive behaviour: Youre okay, Im not.

2)Aggressive behaviour: Im okay, Youre not.

3)Assertive behaviour: Im okay, Youre okay.

TYEPS OF ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOURPASSIVE BEHAVIOURThis involves failing to express our wants, needs or feelings or communicating them in an indirect or apologetic way

When we fail to communicate our concerns or wishes, or express them in a hesitant, joking or self-depreciating way, other people will not know how we feel or will misinterpret our actions.

We allow our rights to be violated in the belief that we have fewer rights, or more responsibilities than others, and that we have less personal worth than they do.

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOURHostile or coercive words or actions that communicate disrespect towards others constitutes aggressive behaviour.

It involves standing up for one's rights and expressing one's thoughts, feelings and beliefs in a way which is usually inappropriate and always violates the rights of the other person.

Superiority is maintained by putting others down.

ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOURStanding up for your own rights in such a way that you do not violate another persons rights

Expressing your needs, wants, opinions, feelings or beliefs in direct honest and appropriate ways

BARRIERS TO ASSERTIVENESS Sometimes people Do not believe that they have right to be assertive Are highly anxious/fearful about being assertive Lack the social skills for effective self expression Lack communication skills Cultural influence

IMPACT OF NON-ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR Perceived as lacking leadership potential Misunderstanding and conflicts Bottled-up animosity Employee dissatisfaction Huge employee turn-overBrain drain Increased HR cost Benefit to competition

FIVE STEPS TO ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR State the problem Explain how it affects you Listen to the other persons point of view and respect it Be prepared to negotiate Leave old grievances out of the conservation

NON-VERBAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR Receptive listeningDirect eye contact without staring Erect, balanced, open body stance Open hand movements Smiling when pleased Frowning when angry Features steady Jaw relaxed

VERBAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR Fluent, few hesitations, firm tone of speech Voice appropriately loud for the situation Co-operative phrases e.g. What are your thoughts on this Emphatic statements of interest, e.g., I would like to Suggestions without shoulds, but Constructive criticism without blame Seek opinions, e.g., How does this fit in with your ideas Willingness to explore other solutions, e.g., How can we get around this problem?

The best way to become more assertive is through practice.Stand up for your opinions and stick to them Speak up when you have an idea or opinionMake requests and ask for favors Refuse requests if they are unreasonable Accept both compliments and feedback Insist that your rights be respected Question rules or traditions that don't make sense or don't seem fair

TIPS FOR MORE ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOUR Better relationships with friends and family Completely change or introduce other aspects (such as personal or career opportunities) Improves your self-respect, earns you respect from those around you Change in your behavior can positively influence those around you, More positive and fulfilling interactions with friends, family, and coworkers Improve confidence of self & others Lesser resentment

A MORE REWARDING WORK-LIFE THANK YOUhttp://www.slideshare.net/mohammedsbahi/handling-difficult-situations-by-assertiveness-techniques