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Assertiveness
in the American business culture is
a valued and essential
behavior. But what IS assertive behavior? What
is the difference between being assertive and aggressive?
What if being assertive goes against your native cultural
values? What if you are not assertive in business,
what is the risk?
First,
it is important to understand that in many cultures
around the world assertiveness, especially
when practiced
by women, is considered rude, disrespectful
and aggressive. Even making direct eye contact is
unacceptable behavior in many Asian and African cultures.
The opposite is true in the American business
culture. If you intend to be a successful business
professional in this culture, it is essential to understand
and practice assertiveness in business
situations.
For
each scenario below, select whether you believe the
individual is demonstrating Passive, Aggressive, or
Assertive behavior. At the end of the exercise,
you will get your score.
7
Simple Tips For Cultivating Unstoppable Confidence
1.
Spend time each day with confident people
Their
energy and inner strength is so inspiring that you
will find yourself feeling more empowered just by
listening to them talk. And you can get
tips from them. All you need to do is ask! Even
one good idea could point you in a whole new direction
you would not have otherwise considered.
2.
Find a mentor.
Nearly
all successful
people have a mentor. You too need someone who
has already done what you are working to achieve who
is willing to advise you. This person will help you
to succeed even more quickly than you can imagine.
Remember, two minds are better than one. When you
have someone who believes in you and you have a plan
you believe in -- your confidence will soar.
3.
Understand that confidence is only a feeling.
Have
you ever felt confident? If you have ever felt confident
in any situation then you can feel confident again
in the future. How? By re-accessing that confident
feeling. This is something that is worth doing every
day. Spend 15 minutes a day reliving occasions in
your life when you felt confident. Imagine it all
in rich detail and pay very close attention to the
feelings of confidence. After
only a few days, feeling confident will become a good
habit.
4.
List your reasons to be confident
Becoming
aware of why you can be confident will help you get
back on track. Make a list of at least 50 reasons
why you can be confident today. Include previous successes,
your skills and qualities, your support network and
your goals. Put down everything that pops into your
mind.
After
you have done this you will have tapped into the power
of consistency. You will be under pressure to be consistent
with your own logic that stated you can be confident.
5.
Make a public declaration
Tell
someone whose opinion you value that you will be confident
at a particular event. Your desire to impress this
person will cause you to do all that you can to be
at your very best.
And
when you demand more of yourself you will be amazed
at what you can do. You will start finding solutions
to problems that left you stuck and you will seek
advice from people who can help you.
6.
Preparation makes perfect
Have
you ever watched a top sportsperson in action and
wondered to yourself at how easy she makes it look?
Or listened to your favorite music CD and felt inspired
by the talent of the singer?
Think.
How did these superstars get to the top? Practice,
practice and more practice. I read an article about
Pavarotti, the opera singer, and he said he practices
daily and he still learns something new about his
voice each day!
When
you spend more time honing your skills your confidence
will soar because you will know with certainty that
you can and will perform when the curtain goes up.
7.
Self comparison is key
Compare
your progress in life with your previous results.
Look to the success of others to learn and not to
measure your own success.
When
you put your focus on the daily improvement of your
own skills and abilities you can and will grow very
quickly. And your confidence
will surge. Confidence without competence is a
dangerous combination.
Make
it easy for yourself and only engage in self comparison
when you are assessing your progress. By doing this
you will make it easier to keep at it when the going
gets tough and your competence will grow day by day.
American
Business Etiquette
By Peter Murphy
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