20 Feb 2023
Among the must-have soft skills in the workplace, assertiveness is often a misunderstood strength. The ability to write well is another widely underrated skill in business.
Among the must-have soft skills in the workplace, assertiveness is often a misunderstood strength. When a person is described as assertive, many of us are probably thinking of a person who is competitive, loud, overconfident, and aggressive. These misconceptions, however, can lead us to stay silent about our needs and let others walk all over us.
Being assertive is the opposite of being aggressive. To be assertive is to understand that everyone has basic human rights that should be respected and upheld. Responding passively can allow such rights to be neglected or ignored. In the workplace, assertiveness can help us create an inquisitive and collaborative interpersonal dynamic. Because assertive employees are more self-confident and cooperative, they can negotiate workplace challenges efficiently without causing friction and are always working towards a solution. That said, assertiveness is not just about saying exactly how we really think and feel. Learning to use it effectively can help us build better personal and professional relationships.
The ability to write well is another widely underrated skill in business. Writing well professionally is more challenging than speaking well. However, good writing gives a unique competitive advantage to those who master it. Any business content that is poorly written, hard to understand, or contains grammatical or spelling errors can decrease potential clients' opinions of a company. Good writers create a strong a professional image and can gain instant credibility.
In the coming two issues, we discuss how assertive communication can help your business and how good writing can improve your organization’s credibility.