Assertiveness for Effective Management

 Management is not improvised. It's a daily set of attitudes that allows a group of people to produce results, or not. In professional (but also personal) relationships, there are generally four ways to deal with the reactions of others: avoidance, aggression, manipulation or self-assertion, also called assertiveness. This last attitude gives the best results when you want to manage effectively. Here are some "assertive" techniques that will allow you to assert yourself in your professional environment and obtain better results in your daily management while respecting the person in front of you.

1- Be precise and dare to say "I"
All words that can create doubt in your interlocutor's mind must be banished from your language: be factual and precise. Identify all the characteristics of your request, leaving little room for your interlocutor's imagination and doubt. Formulate your requests in the present tense and banish the conditional and imperfect from your language. Remove the vague and imprecise "one" from your speech and dare to speak in the first person singular. Anticipate, get straight to the point, and be simple.

2- Don't argue at all costs
Assertiveness is the ability to communicate by stating what we think. Asserting oneself requires respecting oneself enough to give oneself rights in front of one's interlocutors (right to contradict, express, respond, ask, etc.). It is also taking the risk of displeasing. Don't argue all the time for everything and don't justify all your decisions. The important thing is to know what you want and how you can get it, from whom, and especially what it will bring you later.

3- Listen and above all "manage negative reactions"
In assertiveness, we dare to speak, but in return, we must also know how to remain present to listen and to manage (if necessary) the feedback that the other person gives us. If your interlocutor responds negatively to your request, keep your cool and know how to accept the refusal. Don't get into conflict; they have the freedom to say no without disrespecting you as a professional. Whether you have received a favorable response to your request or not, always thank your interlocutor, either for their time, for their listening, or for the nature of the response given.


4-In summary
To effectively manage your teams:

• Be authentic and honest,
• Trust others and be trustworthy,
• Keep your cool in case of conflict.

An assertive manager knows how to assert their rights, give their opinion openly in a constructive way, and is responsible for their actions and decisions. Their relationships with others are relationships of trust, and they are comfortable in face-to-face interactions. Thus, they are more listened to because their authenticity shines through. Their messages are audible, therefore remembered, and often applied. They don't hide behind anything or anyone; they are "themselves." Being assertive is daring to be yourself! It's also gaining more and more self-respect, respecting others, and therefore getting respect. So, for harmonious relationships at work, but also in everyday life, "assert yourself" a little more. You will only benefit from it.


Philippe Montant CEO ExeKutive.biz