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How to ; be more ; assertive; By Scott Beagrie.

Personnel Today (Oct 18, 2005): p27 COPYRIGHT 2005 Reed Business Inf !"#ti n $td% &'#t is it( )#n* pe p+e c nfuse #sse!ti,eness -it' .ein/ . ss*, ,e!.e#!in/ ! #//!essi,e% Bein/ #sse!ti,e is si"p+* t'e #.i+it* t st#nd up f ! * u!se+f, st#te * u! ,ie-s, t#c0+e issues up f! nt #nd, in "#n* c#ses, st p t'e!s f! " t#0in/ #d,#nt#/e% &'* is it i"p !t#nt( $#c0 f #sse!ti,eness -i++ ine,it#.+* ' +d * u .#c0 in * u! c#!ee! #nd pe!s n#+ +ife% If t'e!e #!e t"#n#/e!s -it' si"i+#! s0i++ sets #nd e1pe!ience, it is +i0e+* t .e t'e " !e #sse!ti,e ne -' /ets p! " ted% Bein/ pe!sistent+* ,e!+ 0ed #nd side+ined -i++ '#,e # d!#"#tic effect n t 2ust n * u! c#!ee!, .ut * u! c nfidence #nd se+f3i"#/e% &'i+e s "e indi,idu#+s #!e n#tu!#++* " !e #sse!ti,e t'#n t'e!s, it is p ssi.+e t +e#!n #sse!ti,e .e'#,i ! -'ic' in tu!n -i++ ensu!e * u #!e in t'e f!#"e f ! ne- ! +es #nd pp !tunities% &'e!e d I st#!t( Be p!ep#!ed t #c0n -+ed/e #nd c nf! nt * u! p#ssi,e side% 4 * u! pini ns f!e5uent+* / un'e#!d( H#,e * u # p! .+e" s#*in/ 6n 6( 7!e * u t su."issi,e t t'e . ss( 4 * u find it difficu+t t set p#!#"ete!s ! +i"its -'en - !0in/ -it' t'e!s( It is i"p !t#nt t unde!st#nd t'#t .ein/ #sse!ti,e is n t 2ust #. ut .ein/ c nfident, it is #+s #. ut unde!st#ndin/ t'e!s #nd e"p#t'i8in/% 9It is #. ut unde!st#ndin/ -'#t diffe!ent indi,idu#+s -#nt t #c'ie,e #nd -'ic' .utt ns t p!ess,9 s#*s :u+i#n 4#-s n, f unde! f 'e#d'untin/ fi!" 4u!+e! C nsu+tin/% 9If * u find pe p+e .ein/ defensi,e t -#!ds * u, ften it6s .ec#use t'e* fee+ t'!e#tened .* * u% In t' se situ#ti ns, * u '#,e t unde!st#nd t'#t it6s n t pe!s n#+%9 &'#t d * u -#nt t #c'ie,e( T'in0 #. ut * u! specific .2ecti,es% $ist t'e n n3#sse!ti,e .e'#,i u!#+ t!#its * u -is' t c'#n/e, #+ n/ -it' t'e desi!ed utc "es f # !#n/e f situ#ti ns% ; ! e1#"p+e, successfu++* ne/ ti#tin/ f ! " !e !es u!ces ! # p#* !ise, /ettin/ * u! #/end# discussed in # "eetin/ ! te++in/ * u! "#n#/e! * u -#nt t .e c nside!ed f ! p! " ti n ! # ne- ! +e% <pe#0 up f ! * u!se+f Re'e#!se -'#t * u -#nt t s#* in t*pic#+ scen#!i s 3 f ++ - # sc!ipt if necess#!* #nd s#* it ut + ud #s t'is -i++ 'e+p fi1 it in * u! "ind% =n+ist t'e 'e+p f # c ++e#/ue ! + 0 f ! # ! +e " de+ (inside ! utside t'e !/#ni8#ti n) -' c#n #ct #s # c #c' ! "ent !% &'en * u fee+ c nfident en u/', p!#ctice in # !e#+ situ#ti n, .ut c' se ne -'e!e t'e st#0es #!e + -% T#i+ ! * u! sc!ipt t fit t'e situ#ti n #nd pe p+e 3 t'is -i++ 'e+p t ensu!e * u c "e #c! ss #s #sse!ti,e !#t'e! t'#n pus'*% 9)#0e -'#t * u '#,e t s#* c "e #c! ss #s !e+e,#nt t t'e p#!ticu+#! pe!s n * u #!e de#+in/ -it' #nd "#0e t'e i"p !t#nce f -'#t * u '#,e t s#* c+e#!,9 e1p+#ins 4#-s n% <t#* neut!#+ >eep * u! e" ti ns in c'ec0 #t #++ ti"es% T !e"#in c!edi.+e * u "ust c "e #c! ss #s c#+", !#ti n#+, c nside!ed #nd i"p#!ti#+% 4 n6t #ss#i+ t'e t'e! pe!s n -it' #//!essi,e ! #tt#c0in/ .e'#,i !, .ut d n6t #ppe#! su."issi,e% 4isp+#* #pp! p!i#te . d* +#n/u#/e 3 /esticu+#tin/ -i+d+* -i++ "#0e t'e t'e! pe!s n fee+ +i0e t'e* #!e n t'e ! pes #nd is un+i0e+* t +e#d t t'e utc "e * u -#nt% ;eed.#c0 #nd !e,ie7ssess * u! pe!f !"#nce in e#c' situ#ti n #nd e,en if * u '#,en6t #c'ie,ed t'e .2ecti,e e,e!* ti"e, +e#!n f! " * u! e1pe!ience #nd d n6t /et dis'e#!tened% )ent !s #!e especi#++* ,#+u#.+e in t'e p st3pe!f !"#nce st#/e% 7ccept t'#t it -i++ t#0e ti"e% 7 /!#du#+ t!#nsiti n t .ec "in/ " !e #sse!ti,e is f#! .ette! t'#n /i,in/ t'e i"p!essi n t'#t * u '#,e '#d # pe!s n#+it* t!#nsp+#nt ,e!ni/'t%

Personnel Today (Oct 18, 2005): p27 If * u t t#++* +#c0 c nfidence #nd fee+ * u need #dditi n#+ 'e+p, t'e!e #!e p+ent* f c u!ses * u c#n / n% &'e!e c#n I /et " !e inf ( B o o 0s: 7sse!ti,eness #t & !0 .* >en B#c0, )cG!#-3Hi++ Pu.+is'in/, I<B? 007710@@10 7sse!tin/ Y u!se+f: 7 P!#ctic#+ Guide f ! P siti,e C'#n/e .* <'#! n 7nt' n* B -e!, G !d n H B -e! 4# C#p P!ess, I<B? 07A820@17B

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