Assertion in the Workplace
Assertion is not just about being forceful and loud to simply stand out from your peers. It is about the graceful balance between putting yourself out there and being tempered – knowing when to push, when to pause, and listen.
Learning is the experience of educating oneself coupled with experimenting with continued personal growth. Before you can be assertive, you must define your goals and research the playing field.
What are your values?
What outcome are you striving for?
Who are the players who you need to know?
Who should know you?
What are the next steps you need to take to get where you want to be
Grit. It’s not taught in the classroom. It’s the ability to roll up your sleeves, identify your goals and tackle the obstacles in front of you. If you appreciate who you are, where you’ve been and where you want to be, you can map your way to proving your worth. You must get through the uncomfortable in order to navigate your way. The more butterflies in your stomach the better. The flutters are symbolic getting you closer to defining your destiny. It does not matter if you do not achieve exactly what you set out for. It matters that you aimed high, put forth the effort, and learned something along the way. The journey makes you smarter. No job is beneath you and no dream is out of reach, so long as you have grit.
“If you appreciate who you are, where you've been and where you want to go, you can map your way to proving your worth”
A strong worth ethic will get you far. Putting in the extra time to learn and grow into the person you want to become will set you on a successful trajectory. To move up in the world, you must dominate your current role. That means mastering your current job while opening yourself up to be coachable. Be vulnerable to others’ constructive feedback. Often, people get inside their our own heads and do not allow themselves to be vulnerable to other people’s critiques, especially when the feedback is coming from someone who sees the potential.
Building a community of like-minded individuals to surround you in your profession is a secret-sauce. Not everyone is your friend nor will you get along with every colleague, subordinate or executive you come across. However, the golden rule still applies: treat others the way you would like to be treated. Therefore, it is crucial to build a community of individuals you trust – a group you feel safe to be yourself, to be vulnerable, to share both your fears and celebrations – an environment that uplifts while challenges you to be your best self. Be coachable. The positive outcomes outweigh the fear of receiving constructive criticism.
