The benefits of assertiveness need to be carefully balanced with respect for others. The world is comprised of basically two types of people, those that are not afraid to speak up for themselves and those who would rather sink into the ground than bring attention to themselves.

There is a misconception that assertiveness means that a person is pushy, aggressive, self-centred, or even downright nasty. There are people who demonstrate these qualities but it is important to note these people are not assertive they are aggressive or self-serving.

What are the benefits to being assertive? The answer will vary from one individual to another. Speaking as a person who has trouble being assertive I can definitely see the benefits to learning how to become assertive. In fact, I am considering the possibility of taking a course that will teach me the skills associated with assertiveness. Yes, you heard that right, being assertive is a skill set that can be learned.

Perhaps the most important benefit to being assertive is educating others on what your needs are without being pushy or bossy. People who have this skill developed are more ready to tell other what will facilitate their job or tasks. On the other-hand, those who are afraid to tell others what they are thinking may lose out on the possibility of being provided the very tools they need to make their jobs easier.

Here is a situation with which you can evaluate your style, assertive or non assertive. You have been given a deadline to have a project complete and returned to your client by 5:00 p.m. on April 18th. When you look at the project you notice that a key software tool is missing and without the software it is most unlikely that you can meet the deadline. How do you handle the situation?

An assertive individual may approach the situation in a fashion very much like this:
"I want to help you get the project done by April 18th, but I do not have the software I need to get the work completed. Do you or someone else you work with have access to the software? Would I be able to make use of your copy of the software so that I can get the project finished? If the tool is not available would you consider extending the deadline by a day so that I can use the tools I already have at my disposal, it may take a little longer but the project will be done."

A non assertive type would be more likely to sit anxiously at his/her desk and try to figure out a way to complete the improbable. The result is

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