Increasing Assertiveness, and Assertiveness Awareness?

Question

I've always had a problem with assertiveness. At times though, it's not really a matter of being assertive, but noticing moments when I should be assertive. At my job I let people get away with talking down to me, or trying to control me when they are just co-workers. I'm already laid back, but I'd like to be able to put my foot down, kind of like the Godfather would. Not getting mad, angry, or anything like that, but still powerful. I think it would help my professional and interpersonal relationships greatly.

Answer 1

I used to be pretty easy and try to please everyone and one day I learned to say NO. Practice that for awhile. Once people learn you know how to say NO, they will stop pushing so hard. It also helped to mature a bit and try to figure out why people were trying to make me do things and then use my sense of humor to answer. I've developed a pretty unusual sense of humor and I usually end up laughing at quite a few people. People that talk down to you are really the funniest. They usually have problems with wanting to be more than they are. So they talk down to you and think it makes them look bigger. That what I call the Volkswagon wanting to be a Jaguar complex. Give them that are you kidding look. Once they know you see them for who they are, they leave you alone. Assertiveness come with experience and the confidence you need to handle people. To get there quicker, when something happens and you didn't like the way you handled it, later think it over and what you should have done. Keep doing that and one day someone will say or do something and you'll have the answer and the outcome you want. Good luck.