Happy Friday!
I support many clients I work with to identify, set and commit to boundaries to regain balance in their professional and personal lives.
One of the key skills that helps us to do this is exercising our assertiveness. Assertiveness is the skill that enables us to express our thoughts, feelings and needs in a clear, succinct and respectful manner. It also fosters healthy relationships and clear communication.
I wanted to share five key tips today to guide you on your journey to ‘assertiveness agility’.
⭐️ Use 'I' statements where you are expressing thoughts and feelings. - This shows you are taking ownership of what is important to you. Challenge yourself to communicate more in this way ('I feel', 'I think', 'In this situation, I would value' etc).
⭐️ Be clear, succinct and specific in your communication - Clearly articulate your thoughts, feelings and needs. Challenge yourself to use empowering language to state how you are thinking and feeling.
⭐️ Set Boundaries - Clearly define, set and stick to your boundaries. Let others know what you are comfortable with and what you are not. Where you experience a boundary being pushed call it out early and reset expectations.
⭐️ Learn to pause before saying YES to readily and get comfortable in saying NO too – this links closely to a recent post I wrote of Pausing before Pleasing - I have received great feedback since this post, where individuals have challenged themselves to pause with some brilliant results (link to post below in comments).
⭐️ Giving and receiving feedback – Ask for feedback on your assertiveness – this can give you valuable insight into how others are viewing and experiencing your assertiveness. Ensure you also do this for those you work along-side closely.
⭐️ Be open to compromise and strive for a WIN-WIN where appropriate – assertiveness is not about being rigid. Be open to find strategies and solutions that can benefit both parties. This involves active and respectful listening and a willingness to collaborate and compromise.
If you’d like to explore these tips further and how they have helped clients I have coached, please do get in touch.
Have a super weekend ahead!
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