Develop Your Assertiveness

Make Your Point

Becoming more assertive and, thus, more able to speak up for yourself confidently, brings many benefits. Assertive people have a greater sense of their own worth. They have better communication skills, so they express themselves well. They represent themselves and others with authenticity. To become more assertive, cultivate the right self-image, attitude, body language, voice and facial expressions. All these are part of the equation if you want to get your point across consistently and be your own best advocate.

Infants are born with two types of behavior: assertive and passive. Passivity is a more natural human response; becoming aggressive tends to be a learned behavior. Toddlers learn to express their likes and dislikes as part of their behavioral maturation. This involves learning to say "no." Small children often become emotional or have tantrums if they do not get what they want. They learn how to act, either passively or assertively, by receiving praise and rewards for the "right" behavior.

How people are socialized and how other people condition them shapes the way they conduct themselves. For instance, it’s not considered "ladylike...