|
How to Assert Yourself in the Workplace
"If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires."
Malcolm Gladwell
Tom has been working as a sales consultant for a local radio station for two years. He enjoys helping his clients gain revenue by creating advertising plans that bring customers to their door. Every morning the sales manager of the station holds a brief staff meeting with the sales consultants to celebrate the previous day's successes and motivate them to get out of the office and knock on more potential client's doors. While Tom has spoken up and shared his past success, he often kicks himself for not mentioning those activities, that the station requires him to do, that keep him from being more productive, i.e., filling out a lengthy production form online that could easily be completed by one of the sales assistants. Tom has no problem advising many of his high powered business clients on marketing strategies but when it comes to asserting himself in the staff meetings, he gets cold feet. Tom believes in the old saying, "It is better to look like you have the answer than to open your mouth and prove that you don't." Tom knows that in his two years at the station he could have had more impact on the success of the station and made a more favorable impression with his boss and co-workers, if he would only speak up more often. Will holding your ideas and opinions back hurt your career?
Yes! Your career may be sidelined, or derailed, if your boss or co-workers do not know how valuable you are to the organization. Your inability to assert yourself can keep you from advancing in your career or receiving that quarterly bonus.
While there are hundreds of ideas to help you assert yourself in the workplace, here are a few that you can begin implementing in your office today:
1. Address your fear. Identifying what holds you back from speaking up is at the core of moving past your fear. Take out a sheet of paper and draw a vertical line down the middle of both sides of a paper. On the front side answer the following question in the left column: What is the worst possible outcome of speaking up at my next meeting? In the other column answer the question: What is the worst possible outcome of not speaking up at the next meeting? You will notice that both columns have equally poor outcomes which leads to the next question answered on the flip side of the paper: What is the best possible outcome of speaking? And in the last column ask yourself: What do I need to do to reach my best outcomes? You may come up with ideas like bouncing your idea off with a fellow co-worker you trust, or practicing what you will say by writing it down and saying it in front of a mirror over and over again. The key is to take action on those items that will lead to your best outcome.
2. Become the best active listener in the meeting. Your boss and co-workers will find your ideas more valuable when you listen and respect their ideas. When someone brings up an idea that you do not understand, ask for clarification by saying the most powerful words in interpersonal communication, "tell me more". These words are so refreshing because it shows you care about their viewpoint before your own. When it comes time for you to speak, they will show you the same respect by listening and asking questions for a deeper understanding.
3. Timing is everything. If your work performance is not up to speed, it may be a less than ideal time to disagree with the group or your boss, as they are focused on watching for improved performance from you. If your performance is rock solid, choose a time to bring up a radical idea in a meeting when there is a pause in the action and it can be absorbed by everyone with minimal distraction. Also, if your boss is putting out fires and needs to focus on more pertinent issues you may want to wait till this has passed before presenting your idea, unless your idea will help them put out the fire then definitely speak up!
4. Agree with, rather than discount, other's ideas. When possible agree with the last mentioned idea and simply add to the idea as opposed to discounting it. For example, in the scenario above Tom should preface his idea by saying, "I agree that we need to be thorough in completing the online production form and I think we can do this with the help of our sales assistants by...." By agreeing and honoring previous ideas, you will keep fellow workers from acting defensive and discounting your ideas.
5. Practice, practice and did I mention practice? If you are truly serious about improving your ability to assert yourself in a way that gets noticed, then join your local Toastmasters group. You can find a meeting closest to you by visiting their website at www.toastmasters.org. They will help you think and speak on your feet and condense your ideas into sound bites that will get noticed.
Everyone, whether they admit it or not, has experienced a time when they wish they had spoken up at a meeting but could not find the nerve to do so. By using these tips you will be on your way to asserting yourself positively and making an impact which could lead to that corner office or promotion you have always wanted.
| 
