Be More Assertive and Hold Your Ground in a Conversation

It can be rough when you don't feel like your heard in a conversation, but it can be even worse when someone hears exactly what you're saying and tries to steamroll right over you. Here are a few tips to help you stand your ground and get the respect you deserve in a conversation.

What It Means to Be Assertive

Being assertive isn't the easiest thing to jump into when you're shy, so perhaps the best way to start is by explaining what being assertive is not about. Being assertive does not mean being aggressive. Many people confuse the two or believe that you have to attack another person in order to assert yourself, but that's not the case. Being assertive does not mean that you make demands or tell someone what to do, and it also does not mean that you're only trying to get your way. In fact, you can be assertive and still find a way to reasonably compromise with someone, no problem.

It all comes down to respect. You show respect to who you're talking to, you make it clear that you want respect in return, and—most importantly—you respect yourself enough to not be a pushover. Remember, the point of being assertive is to make sure your thought gets the respect it deserves from others.
You're not trying to intimidate them or make them feel beneath you. So try to avoid sarcasm, snark, or other types of communication that could be taken the wrong way. Be sure to practice good presence in the conversation by maintaining eye contact, showing positive body language, and actively listening to whoever is talking. A little confidence never hurts either. If you go in with this mindset and practice these other tips, you'll manage to be assertive without looking like a jerk.


Source: http://patrickallan.kinja.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good Deeds You Can Simply Do

Image
Doing good deeds not only affects those around you, but also improves your own emotional well-being. Try these random acts of kindness from Debbie Macomber , author of One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity . So how do we get in the habit of doing good deeds ? Habits need to be cultivated. When I decided I wanted to do a daily good deed, I found myself looking for simple things that would brighten someone’s day. The desire made me more intentional. I started looking for ways to show kindness. I’m not saying it comes easily. We’re all busy, distracted, and pulled in far too many directions. As with any habit , the more you practice, the more ingrained it will become. I second what John Wooden once said: “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” And each time we perform some small act of kindness, we’ll find ourselves rewarded by that rush of happiness and stress release. The very act offers its ow...
Read more

Social Isolation and Mental Illness

Image
Think about what it would be like to spend most of your time alone because being around other people is just too difficult. You feel that others are judging you for your mental illness, and so you are scared to face the world. You withdraw to avoid this stigmatization. This social withdrawal is emotionally very costly. But this is a two-way street — the mentally ill withdraw from society–society withdraws from them. An Australian survey reported that two-thirds of people affected by a mental illness feel lonely “often” or “all of the time”. The research says in contrast, just 10 percent of the general population reported feelings of loneliness. (1)  Social relationships are important for anyone in maintaining health, but for the mentally ill it is especially important. People with mental illness value contact with family. But families may be unwilling to interact with their mentally ill family member. Social isolation is also sometimes due to the unwillingness of others to b...
Read more

EXPLAINED: How Much Do South African Soap Actors Earn?

Image
There has been a lot of confusion and misinformation ... including blatant lies, on social media about the salaries of actors in South African soapies. This furor came after 16 principal Generations actors were dismissed following a strike where they demanded an increase in their salary and royalties payment from the show, among other things.  The Generations 16 initially claimed that they were paid 20% less than the industry rate. Generations producers refuted this in their press conference and claimed that  on average the lead cast of Generations earn R55 000 .  Media reports later revealed that some in the cast are demanding an increase from R16 000 a week to R30 000 a week to  “bring them [salaries] in line with industry standards and norms”.  Adrian Galley, vice chair of the South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) and spokesman for the organisation, revealed that SAGA has been negotiating with the SABC and the Independent Producers Organisatio...
Read more