How Can I Be More Assertive in the Workplace 

Assertiveness is a two-edged sword. It is important for you to be heard and your ideas at least acknowledged, even if not used every time. At the same time, running over everyone else’s thoughts leads to harmful confrontations and hurt feelings when everything is one-sided. Positive discussion and constructive ideas with input from all workers are the best way for everyone to succeed and gain.  

The person who loses the most is the one whose ideas are always chosen and used. It is because everyone else feels left out when they are never considered and slowly lose faith and interest in the projects. They end up doing less and less, which means the main idea person is stuck struggling to keep the projects moving forward. 

A happy office is one where everyone knows they are heard and considered during discussions and idea sessions. Each person knows they have an essential role to play and feels appreciated for their work. 

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Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society.

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