Six Tips for Assertive Communication for Those Who Manage Others

Be Civil: Speak honestly without meanness, viciousness or attack.

Be empathetic and positive: Emphasize outcome and solutions. Choose your words to elevate and empower your employees. Examine problems and hold your employers and yourself accountable, not for blame, but for finding solutions.

Speak clearly: Be straightforward, direct, and open.

Listen carefully: Listen to others more than you speak. Listen as though you will be tested on understanding their words.

Be honest: Speak with precision, exactness, and adherence to facts. Be balanced in your use of facts. Observe contextual correctness. Be informative and substantive.

Keep and maintain awareness of the following perspectives: yours, theirs, and that of a neutral party.

The above skills can be practiced and enhanced over time, and they will increase the participants' overall emotional intelligence while reducing the potential for conflict.


George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org