The 4 keys to assertive communication in companies

Let's take a look at the advantages of assertiveness in companies and how it can be enhanced.

Those who have had an active working 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 who make up the organization, the creation of the work or the service offered to customers and consumers.

The communication element is fundamental to explain the success (or lack thereof) in companies, and that is why understanding how information flows is very important.

In this article we will focus on how assertive communication influences organizations, and what strategies can be used to promote it..

What does assertiveness consist of?

Let us begin by defining the term "assertiveness", albeit briefly and by way of summary. Assertiveness is the set of skills and psychological predispositions that allow us to communicate what we believe allows us to communicate what we believe is important to communicate even if we notice that this may lead to certain conflicts or generate unpleasant situations, even if we take into account the feelings, beliefs, and beliefs of the other person.We can be assertive, but taking into account the feelings, beliefs and interests of the interlocutors.

Thus, assertive people manage to express themselves by defending their own point of view, values and interests, but also respecting those of others, and without letting the fear of "breaking the protocol" or giving a twist to the tone of the conversation paralyze them.

On the other hand, assertiveness has both an individual and a 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 given 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.This 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 smooth functioning of communication flows in organizations. This fact gives rise to several ramifications of positive effects for companies, which we will discuss 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 good time.

Where there is hardly any assertiveness, it is normal that the members of a team or department continue working even knowing that there is a mistake in the way they organize and distribute tasks. However, if assertiveness is promoted, it is much more likely that someone will speak up and communicate what they have observed about what is going wrong, even if it is 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 functioning on the fact of expressing oneself with spontaneity, without always taking into account the limitations and rigidity of the positions and the organizational chart..

3. It prevents the emergence of conflicts

It may seem counter-intuitive, but in reality it makes perfect sense. 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. Moreover, by doing so while adapting to the interlocutor, a way of approaching the problem is established that results in a constructive mentality, rather than one of fighting over the problem.and not one of power struggles or reproaches.

4 keys to enhance assertiveness in companies

These are some of the key ideas that are often used as a starting point to promote assertiveness in organizational contexts.

1. Reward "thinking outside the box".

This will make it easier to talk about things that are not strictly part of the tasks. This will ensure that talking about things that are not strictly part of the daily assigned tasks can be rewarded, especially if it brings clear value to the company.This is especially true if it provides clear value. If this is not the case, a work climate may be established in which such behavior is seen as an eccentricity to be avoided.

2. Do not neglect informal relationships

The workers and members of the company are not robots; in many cases, the most important information is communicated through informal communication channels, which go beyond the protocols and the organization chart.

Knowing these information flows is important to know how to adapt the messages when communicating them, and to know the culture of an organization.. In this way, the flow of information emitted by the company will not be seen as "corseted" and there will not be any misgivings about speaking beyond one's own role as a professional.

3. Focusing on the human component of the job

Assertive communication will be easier if work colleagues are not seen as mere avatars carrying out a production task, but as people with their own interests, values and emotions. In this way the 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. Setting an example

Finally, we must not forget that behaving according to a set of values and principles of work organization is much more powerful and inspiring than simply putting it all down in writing in protocol and work manuals. That is why, middle management and managers should reflect this ideal of assertive communication by demonstrating their leadership skills..

Do you want to learn how to communicate better while managing your emotions?

If you are thinking of strengthening your communication skills and the management and channeling of emotions, you may be interested in the courses designed by the team of professionals of Gurumind.

Among these training programs tailored to each organization or company you can find areas of personal development and learning such as the course "Emotional Mastery" created to make it easier for you to express yourself and behave as you would like and with confidence, or the course "How to reduce stress", highly recommended for profiles especially oriented to the professional field. In addition, the courses make use of the Gurumind app, which includes many materials with guided meditations, Mindfulness tools and relaxation techniques, and more.

For more information on Gurumind's training programs tailored to the needs of organizations, visit their website.