
Assertive Communication: Why Practice It In Life And At Work?
There quality of our life it also largely depends on how we manage it live with other people and build relationships with them. Each of us has a different communication style characterized by different strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of your profession, improving your communication skills will have a positive impact on the way you go about your everyday life. Between family, work, friends and acquaintances, constant interaction with so many people is inevitable. The development of assertive communication helps to do this more consciously and, above all, more effectively.
In this article
It is impossible not to communicate
Most communication happens unconsciously. The first axiom of human communication, defined by Paul Watzlawick and the scientists at the Mental Research Institute of Palo Alto, says so “You can’t help but communicate“. According to this principle, it is therefore not possible to assume non-conduct. It is important to know that gestures, posture, tone of voice and even silence also convey messages.
Passive communication and aggressive communication
The two extreme ways of dealing with others are passive and aggressive. Both are wrong because they are unbalanced and can damage relationships in the long run.
- passive behavior: The passive person tends not to question himself and tries to avoid confrontation and conflict as much as possible. The attitude of surrendering to one’s needs and ignoring them can lead to dissatisfaction and loss of self-esteem.
- aggressive behavior: The aggressive person He tries to bully and overpower those with whom he comes into contact. This can make them afraid of it and, in some cases, avoid it.
The ideal mode of expression enables both have good relationships with others that of achieve their goals without creating friction. Balance can be achieved through assertive communication.
Practice assertive communication
To assert means to affirm with certainty. Assertiveness is present Ability to express opinions and feelings effectively and clearly. Assertive communication occurs with behaviors that affirm one’s rights and desires and respect the identity of the other. It also means to have Trust in yourself and in othersAwareness of one’s own abilities and limitations e knows how to say no. In addition, the assertive communicator has a unprejudiced attitude and knows how to express criticism constructively and in a climate of mutual respect.
Get in touch with each other and with their emotions
L’empathetic listening is the basis of assertive communication. To put oneself in the position of the interlocutor means understand his feelings. Put yourself in “his position” from a point of view that is not just logical and rational. As a result, communication is also more effective because the right conditions are created for listening and understanding each other.
Assertive communication helps build quality relationships
As you develop your skills as a communicator, you can build higher quality relationships. This is important for psychophysical well-being, especially in situations of long-term coexistence (e.g. at work with colleagues, at home with a partner or family members).
With practice and over time, assertive communication is a skill that can be learned and cultivated. But first it is important to get to know one another, to observe how one deals with one another and to be aware of one’s own needs. In fact, this type of behavior assumes you have one good level of self-esteemas well as a range of other skills. The assertive communicator is capable of this to deal with interpersonal relationships, conflicts and criticism, but also to give and receive positive feedback.