How to Be Assertive

Running your own business entails having to do almost everything yourself. Not only will you need to make sure products and services are of excellent quality, but you also will play a major role in marketing, sales, and after sales support.

Because of your scope of work, one quality is of utmost importance, and that is assertiveness.

Why You Need to Be Assertive

Assertiveness is having the ability to express yourself, stand up for what you believe in, and to uphold your rights. It is about showing to others who you are, your ideas, and your feelings.

For you to be able to show assertiveness, you need to be open, firm, and honest.

Assertiveness is an important entrepreneurial quality because it gives you to the ability to approach every hurdle and every challenge in your business constructively. People who lack this quality are passive and submissive, which will not, in any way, help you achieve success.

When you are not assertive enough, you could be wasting valuable resources because you cannot say no to every request. To set limits on your time and energy, you need to show assertiveness. Acting on your own best interest is also very important because although you are offering products and services to others, this is really about being able to profit and not run a business for charity. At the end of the day, it all boils down to how far you have reached in the road to success.

Signs That Say You Are Not Assertive

You always agree to what others say even if you have different ideas, values, and beliefs

You are quiet and seemingly passive during gatherings

You find it hard to say no

You have to do everything yourself because you don’t want to “impose” on others

You find it hard getting your point across

You are not always successful convincing others

You avoid crowds and would rather work in private

Characteristics of an Assertive Person-

Below are some clear indicators of an assertive person.

If you want to become assertive, you need to emulate these well.

Someone who is not afraid to start a conversation. He is outgoing and friendly with others, even with those they have never met before.

Someone who can express himself well. He can verbally let others know his likes and dislikes and what his interests are, in a way that will effectively convey the message to others.

Someone who does not hesitate to clarify things or make a point. Assertive people ask for clarifications when something is not clear to them, and they are not afraid to disagree with others, but in a positive way.

Someone who seeks to understand. Assertive people are not simply content to accept things the way they are without knowing the how’s and why’s. They always want to understand what’s going on around them.

Someone who shows persistence. One of the characteristics that are very strong among assertive people is persistence. If an assertive person believes in something, he sticks by that belief no matter what.