Assertiveness Skills for Managers

Specifics
Hi

This is quite a tricky one to answer with the limited information available, as it is unlikely that something as seemingly helpful as “How to become more assertive” (http://www.structuredtraining.com/asp/course_details.asp?id=61) will provide the answer. Programmes like this are great for people looking for a quick confidence boost and techniques for holding their ground, but I suspect your manager may already have essential assertiveness skills.

Sometimes we find that it’s more an issue of developing personal profile if your manager has recently moved from being ‘one of the guys’ to a leadership position. In other cases if a person has moved from a non-sales environment to a sales one, then the change of culture can give his/her confidence a knock. In that case attending a specific sales management programme (eg: http://www.structuredtraining.com/pages/fieldsalesmanagement.html) can be the route to increased motivation, confidence and performance.

Be careful of leaping straight into the first Assertiveness programme you encounter, it may be the perfect solution, but it pays to look at any underlying reasons for the lack of assertiveness/confidence first, particularly if you’re addressing a dip in a previously assertive employee.

I hope this helps.

Claudine

One Response

User deleted says:

May 19, 2004 at 12:27 pm

Specifics
Hi

This is quite a tricky one to answer with the limited information available, as it is unlikely that something as seemingly helpful as “How to become more assertive” (http://www.structuredtraining.com/asp/course_details.asp?id=61) will provide the answer. Programmes like this are great for people looking for a quick confidence boost and techniques for holding their ground, but I suspect your manager may already have essential assertiveness skills.

Sometimes we find that it’s more an issue of developing personal profile if your manager has recently moved from being ‘one of the guys’ to a leadership position. In other cases if a person has moved from a non-sales environment to a sales one, then the change of culture can give his/her confidence a knock. In that case attending a specific sales management programme (eg: http://www.structuredtraining.com/pages/fieldsalesmanagement.html) can be the route to increased motivation, confidence and performance.

Be careful of leaping straight into the first Assertiveness programme you encounter, it may be the perfect solution, but it pays to look at any underlying reasons for the lack of assertiveness/confidence first, particularly if you’re addressing a dip in a previously assertive employee.

I hope this helps.

Claudine