Learn to set limits: 10 assertive communication techniques

There are qualities that people have started to talk about now, but that have always been very necessary, above all, to enjoy a workday without stress or, at least, having the ability to handle it without affecting your mental health past the peak. These qualities are resilience , which we have already talked about in another post, and assertiveness, which we will delve into in this one.

Would you like to know assertive communication techniques with which to improve your relationship with co-workers and with which you feel better about yourself? Do not stop reading this article!

Let’s start by knowing what assertiveness is

Assertiveness is one of the most important social skills that will help you find balance and harmony in any environment. This quality consists of defending your rights, ideas or interests in front of others from respect and empathy; and without falling into aggressiveness or passivity. But, for you to better understand the concept, ask yourself two questions: How many times have you lost your nerve exposing your point of view? And how many times have you accepted something you didn’t want so as not to discuss? Surely too many.

In general, when we act impulsively, or when we submissively abide by the decisions of others, we end up feeling bad or regretting our attitude. To avoid results like this, it is best to adopt an assertive stance, which allows you to set limits, but always listening and having a reasonable dialogue with others.

Assertive communication techniques to survive a work meeting

Knowing what assertiveness is, you will have deduced that it is essential to deal with the daily routine at work, especially when it comes to making substantial decisions or when you need to communicate your ambitions or needs to superiors. So that this does not cause you any type of concern and you feel more secure when communicating, we are going to see what are the assertive communication techniques that you can put into practice.

• Express your ideas clearly and directly, avoiding ambiguities.
• Use respectful language and avoid offensive or aggressive expressions.
• Actively listen to your co-workers, showing interest and paying attention to their points of view. That will help formulate more accurate answers.
• Analyze your own emotions and express them appropriately, avoiding impulsive reactions.
• Accept and respect the opinions and perspectives of others, even if you disagree with them.
• Look for win-win solutions instead of imposing your point of view or following orders you don’t agree with.
• Use “I” instead of “you” when expressing your needs or criticisms, focusing on your own experiences and feelings.
• Provide constructive feedback appropriately, highlighting positive aspects and offering suggestions for improvement.
• Learn to say “no” respectfully when necessary, without feeling guilty about setting limits.
• Do not underestimate the rights of others.

Characteristic of assertive communication and that you should take into account when working on it

As you have seen, all these techniques to communicate assertively share active listening and other fundamental characteristics, without which assertiveness cannot be developed. See what they are and keep them in mind for your next conversations.

1. Always show interest in what the interlocutor is saying , which will substantially increase trust and closeness.
2. An open and relaxed body posture must be maintained , since our non-verbal communication also demonstrates our willingness to listen.
3. Although the voice has different modulations during the speech, it should never exceed the standard limits, otherwise we will lose credibility and create discomfort.
4. The time that is listened to , compared to the time that is spoken , must be equitable, to avoid the feeling of superiority or submission of the interlocutors.
5. It is important to identify how much, how and when we intervene, as well as to observe the quality and impact of our contributions .

Remember that maintaining assertive communication will always be very advantageous, since it will improve interpersonal relationships, conflicts will be resolved in the most satisfactory way for all parties, collaborative work will be encouraged and the self-esteem of those who practice it will improve.

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