Soft Skill/Competency: Assertiveness

For Building Leadership and Management, read: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

Also read “Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Musings” at http://shyam-bhatawdekar-musings.blogspot.com/)

Refer previous eighteen posts to read the detailed explanations on competencies "Result Orientation", "Problem Solving", “Self Confidence”, “Self Development”, "Action Orientation", "Creativity", "Interpersonal Skills", "Communication Skills", "Composure or Coolness", "Decision Making", "Integrity", "Team Work and Team Building", "Developing People", "Conflict Management", "Leadership" and "Motivation", "Listening" and "Conviction".

Assertiveness (Also refer: http://assertiveness-skill.blogspot.in/)

Explanation of the Competency "Assertiveness"

• Possesses great clarity about the differences between various behavioral styles i.e. aggressive, submissive, passive-aggressive and assertive behaviors.
• Has full knowledge of his assertiveness rights. 
• Stands up for his own basic human rights without violating the basic rights of others. 
• Has overcome the fears and self-depreciation that keep one from exercising one's rights.
• Can initiate, carry on, change and terminate conversations comfortably.
• Can tactfully, justly and effectively express his preferences, needs, opinions and feelings.
• Can express and speak up, make requests and ask for favors without hesitation or fear if the situation calls for.
• Able to show positive emotions (joy, pride, liking some one, attraction, complimenting, accepting compliments with grace etc) as well as negative emotions (complaints, resentment, criticism, disagreement, intimidation, the desire to be left alone, refuse requests etc) with equal ease.
• Is willing and capable of questioning authority or tradition if it becomes necessary.
• Does not rebel but takes responsibility. Takes control of the situation to make things better.
• Maintains his dignity by being properly assertive even if hurts someone else, as long as his motive is assertive, not aggressive.
• Does not feel it necessary to offer reasons or excuses for justifying his assertive behavior.
• Believes that he has a right to change his mind when required.
• Keeps free of approval addiction (approval of others) and self-pity. Willing to accept even the negative outcomes of his decisions and actions.
• Seriously believes that you have the right to say “no” without feeling guilty. You also have the right to say "yes".
• Does not consider himself stupid to say "I don't know" or "I don't understand" and seek clarifications in case of doubts.
• Answers honestly when he is asked if he likes something when he doesn't.

Pitfalls to be Avoided

• Runs the risk of being seen as arrogant by some people.
• People in authority and even others may feel offended occasionally.
• Runs the risk of being unpopular if he has to assert quite often.
• May take stands even on trivia where it may not be appropriate to be assertive.

Soft Skill/Competency: Conviction

For Building Leadership and Management, read: http://shyam.bhatawdekar.com

(Refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia “Management Universe” at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/)

Also read “Shyam Bhatawdekar’s Musings” at http://shyam-bhatawdekar-musings.blogspot.com/)

Refer previous seventeen posts to read the detailed explanations on competencies "Result Orientation", "Problem Solving", “Self Confidence”, “Self Development”, "Action Orientation", "Creativity", "Interpersonal Skills", "Communication Skills", "Composure or Coolness", "Decision Making", "Integrity", "Team Work and Team Building", "Developing People", "Conflict Management", "Leadership" and "Motivation" and "Listening".

Conviction

Explanation of the Competency "Conviction"

• Keeps improving his knowledge and understanding from various sources in order to decide upon his own beliefs and convictions in the important aspects of personal, professional, family and social life. 
• Based on such in-depth and ongoing studies and observations he creates a structure of values, beliefs, paradigms and view points that should guide him presently and in future. 
• Sticks to those values and beliefs unless in exceptional situation he finds that he was wrong and corrects himself in those few areas where he was wrong. 
• Reviews his day-to-day paradigms and points of views quite regularly and is willing to embrace a new paradigm with a new conviction when the paradigm shift takes place.
• Makes his convictions known to the concerned people with reasoning and without any hesitation.
• Based on his convictions, he is courageous to take stand on important issues fearlessly even at the cost of becoming unpopular occasionally.
• Does not take stand on trivia.
• Defends and supports the convictions of other people if he finds them convincing.
• Does not waver or crumble under any internal or external pressures.
• His actions are always in congruence with his principles and paradigms. He is interested in doing what is right.
• Thus he is capable of providing the requisite initiative and leadership in tough times on a rainy day.
• Is willing to take blame and responsibility in case the decisions and actions taken by him based on his convictions misfire in certain cases. He introspects such situations deeply and applies corrections if necessary.

Pitfalls to be Avoided

• May become too rigid and not willing to change even when it is really appropriate to change.
• May become unwilling to put forth his rationale for his principles and thus he may exude fear and animosity towards others who do not carry the same beliefs.
• At times may consider changing stand from his convictions as a sign of moral weakness and continue to hold on to erroneous ideas.
• May get blinded by his own thinking and not welcome new ideas and approaches and at times even scoff at them. He may become a hindrance to progress.