How to Be Assertive

Assertiveness is a leadership emotional intelligence skill. Communicating your thoughts, opinions, and feelings while respecting others requires a balance between humility and confidence. Ensuring your voice is heard while at the same time ensuring other voices are heard takes courage.

Does assertiveness make you uncomfortable? Try this:

👉Identify Your Cave Points: What is it about certain situations or people that cause you to be less assertive than you want to be?

👉Question Your Cave Points: How "true" is the story you tell yourself about those cave points? How would someone else see it? How would a leader you admire act in those same situations?

•Identify the reasons why you cave when you do.

•Choose one situation/person to eliminate your cave points. For example, the next time you're in a meeting on an unfamiliar topic, prepare ahead of time so you can confidently voice your thoughts on the subject.

•Bring a checklist into your next meeting of 2-3 opinions you want to express. Try checking off at least one.

•Prepare and practice! Like any new skill, start small and stretch toward the new behavior little by little. Expressing the right words at the right time is a skill like any other.

Influential leaders balance respect for themselves with respect for others.