The 4 Keys To Assertive Communication In Companies
Those who have had an active work life for some time know that not everything that happens in a company has to do with the pure and hard work of each of the individuals that make up the organization, the creation of the work or the service offered to them. clients and consumers.
The communication element is essential to explain success (or lack thereof) in companies, and that is why understanding how information flows is very important.
In this article we are going to focus on how assertive communication influences organizations, and what strategies can be used to promote it
Let’s start by defining the term “assertiveness”, albeit briefly and as a summary. Assertiveness is the set of skills and psychological predispositions that It allows us to communicate what we believe is important to communicate even if we notice that this may give rise to certain conflicts or generate unpleasant situations although taking into account the feelings, beliefs and interests of the interlocutors.
Thus, assertive people manage to express themselves by defending their own views, values and interests, but also respecting those of others, and without letting the fear of “breaking protocol” or changing the tone of the conversation paralyze them.
On the other hand, assertiveness has an individual dimension and another social dimension. The individual dimension is that which is related to the personality and behavior patterns of each individual, and the social dimension is that which has to do with the communication dynamics that prevail in the culture of a certain society, group or organization. This implies that From the world of organizations it is possible to make changes to make it easier for people to be assertive which benefits the exchange of information in several ways, making everything more fluid and less dependent on protocols.
What are the advantages of assertiveness in the business world?
As we have mentioned, assertiveness enhances the proper functioning of communication flows in organizations. This fact gives rise to various ramifications of positive effects for companies, which we will go into in more detail below.
Let’s see what are the main positive points of promoting assertiveness in organizations.
1. It makes it easier for problems to be detected and intervened in time
Where there is hardly any assertiveness, it is normal for the members of a team or department to continue working even knowing that there is an error in their way of organizing and distributing tasks. However, if assertiveness is promoted, Someone is much more likely to speak up and communicate what they’ve observed about what’s going wrong, even if that’s not technically part of their job
2. Generates a friendlier organizational climate with workers
Assertiveness reflects the philosophy of the company or organization in which workers interact. Seeing that it is part of the “default” communication model shows that the entity bases its operation on the fact of expressing itself spontaneously, without always taking into account the limitations and rigidity of the positions and the organizational chart
It may seem counterintuitive, but it actually makes all the sense in the world. Thanks to assertiveness, things are communicated at the point where they should be communicated, preventing problems from accumulating and negatively affecting more people and with greater intensity. Besides, By doing so by adapting to the interlocutor, a way of approaching the problem is established that gives rise to a constructive mentality and not about power struggles or reproaches.
4 keys to enhance assertiveness in companies
These are several of the key ideas from which we usually start to promote assertiveness in organizational contexts.
1. Reward “thinking outside the box”
This will make talking about what is not strictly part of the daily assigned tasks can be rewarded , especially if it provides clear value. If not, it may be that a work climate is established in which this type of behavior is seen as an eccentricity to be avoided.
2. Do not neglect informal relationships
Workers and company members are not robots; In many cases, the most important information is communicated through informal communication channels, which go beyond the protocols and the organizational chart.
Knowing these information flows is important to know how to adapt messages when communicating them, and to know the culture of an organization In this way, the flow of information issued by the company will not be seen as “constricted” and suspicion will appear when speaking beyond one’s own role as a professional.
3. Focus on the human component of work
Assertive communication will be easier if co-workers are not seen as simple avatars carrying out a production task, but as people with their own interests, values and emotions. Thus, Important things will be communicated while the message is adapted so that it does not give rise to misunderstandings or avoidable conflicts
There are several ways to enhance this, including various group dynamics, exercises to improve social skills, negotiation strategies, arbitration, impulse management, etc.
4. Set an example
Finally, we must not forget that behaving in accordance with a series of values and principles of work organization is much more powerful and inspiring than simply putting all of this in writing in protocol and work manuals. That’s why, Middle managers and managers must reflect this ideal of assertive communication, highlighting their leadership skills
Related article: “Types of Leadership: The 5 most common types of leaders”
