How can you help clients prioritize and manage their workload with assertiveness skills?

Assertiveness isn't about building barricades; it's about crafting a roadmap; to jointly navigate the workload maze, setting boundaries and reclaiming your schedule and priorities. It's about enthusiastically saying "yes" to what matters and gracefully decline the noise.

We must explore the concept of assertiveness with a multicultural and gender-informed lens. Similarly, developing assertiveness to navigate diverse settings requires sensitivity, transparency, and openness. Assertiveness involves expressing one's thoughts, feelings, and needs while respecting other perspectives. Cultural variations in communication styles can influence assertiveness. A practical first step for improving assertiveness is to recognize diverse communication norms by validating others, adapting your communication style, and being open to feedback. There is a balance between being respectful of cultural differences and asserting yourself appropriately. Starting here can pave the road to building assertiveness across cultures.

Becoming assertive during mediation whether for business or divorce is important. It’s about setting and maintaining barriers whether physical, emotional or psychological. It’s about learning active listening skills and using them effectively to understand what the other person is saying, then acting accordingly. Having a proposition which clearly sets out your position is important whilst also having a negotiating position.

Assertiveness doesn’t need to have an edge. It comes from the simple recognition that we have each formed different views of the world based upon our outlook on life and that it is possible to hold two views in mind at the same time while seeking connection with each other on reaching a third…or agreeing to disagree.

Actively listen to your clients to understand their goals, deadlines, and expectations. Clearly communicate your understanding of their requirements and ensure they comprehend their roles and responsibilities.

I agree, assertiveness is a positive trait at workplace and in general. Clients who possess this skill are able to clearly articulate the needs of their organization and what good looks like for them. They are often better collaborators as well. Those who are not assertive tend to become aggressive and or resort to withdrawal when under pressure. Being assertive on the other hand can help you keep the calm, confidence and focus on the task at hand. Sometimes assertiveness can be misconstrued as aggression so one should be careful in exercising it.

You can support clients in workload prioritization through assertiveness skills by encouraging clear communication. Help them articulate priorities, set boundaries, and say no when necessary. Foster a proactive mindset, guiding them to delegate tasks effectively. Teach assertive time management, emphasizing the importance of realistic goal-setting and managing expectations. By honing assertiveness, clients can confidently navigate their workload, enhance productivity, and maintain a healthier work-life balance.

Proactively communicate priorities, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Set clear expectations, fostering transparency and preventing misunderstandings. Negotiate deadlines and resources assertively, promoting a balance between efficiency and quality. When faced with challenging situations, use assertiveness to navigate conflicts and maintain professional standards. Cultivate a proactive and assertive approach to workload management, enhancing productivity and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Assertiveness is important for workload management because it enables individuals to communicate their boundaries, priorities, and limitations effectively. By being assertive, you can express your workload concerns, negotiate deadlines, and delegate tasks when necessary. This prevents overwhelm, reduces stress, and ensures a more balanced and manageable workload. It also promotes healthy work relationships by fostering clear and respectful communication, which is essential for teamwork and collaboration in a professional setting.

Keeping things simple here is important, I like "The Coaching Habits - Strategic Question" which is "if I say yes to this, what am I saying no too?" and then sharing with people around you using "Yes, and". Yes I can do that and I'll deliver this late. Yes I can do that and I'll have to work late so I'll come in later tomorrow, etc.

Within each of us is an orchestra of parts. Like the music metaphor suggests-- each part or mental voice, plays a different instrument and has a specific job that it does for you. The saboteur voices alert us to potential dangers helping to activate emotions such as fear and anxiety in an attempt to protect us. Even if the potential danger is objectively not present, these saboteur voices are just doing their job. Similarly, we have sage, wise voices that also have jobs to do. When these sage parts are activated, we are at our best-- creative, solutions-oriented, confident. They lead us through challenges. In short, Parts Coaching seeks to empower the conductor of your inner orchestra as she leads all your parts to play in harmony for you.

Feedback can be challenging for anyone. The STAR/AR method Situation/Task, Action, Result (Alternative Action, Alternative Result) is such an effective tool. Starting with the often easier positive feedback, STAR feedback improves the conviction of a leader’s praise and provides an easy format for them to sound and feel thoughtful, credible, and sincere.

Emphasize practicing assertiveness in real-life scenarios, promoting gradual and consistent improvement. Encourage self-reflection and celebrate their assertive achievements to boost confidence and reinforce the learning process.

Most clients who refrain from assertiveness are doing so to avoid negative feedback, conflict or loss of status. They tend to be perfectionists and people-pleasers and see themsleves as the go-to person who will solve every problem, for everyone. Naturally, this gives rise to resentment and exhaustion! So to support assertiveness, they need a more robust acceptance of their own intrinsic worthiness. When they approve of themselves unconditionally, they will have much less need for external approval and will be free to express their own needs, limits and boundaries.

Helping clients practice assertiveness skills involves creating safe and supportive environments for them to develop and refine their abilities. Encourage them to start with low-stakes situations and gradually work their way up to more challenging ones. Role-play various scenarios, offering constructive feedback and coaching as they navigate assertive communication. Provide tools and techniques for setting boundaries, expressing needs, and giving and receiving feedback assertively. Regularly check in on their progress, celebrate successes, and address any setbacks to ensure they continue to build their assertiveness skills effectively.

En algunas oportunidades, como coach, puedo ayudar a mis clientes a través de la integración de técnicas complementarias. Lo primero que debemos valorar en él es si autoestima está lo suficientemente afianzada para lograr la asertividad en su comunicación. A partir de reconocer sus dones y debilidades comenzamos a trabajar en el fortalecimiento de quién es y qué piensa de una manera firma pero sin stress. De esta forma pordrá avanza en negociaciones para su vida o su trabajo de una forma amable. Esta es una de las habilidades blandas que son más apreciadas y requeridas en equipos de trabajo y en especial y esto es más un deseo en los líderes de opinión.

While my practice is focused on professional effectiveness, I work with clients who desire a holistic approach to their development as a leader. This often involves addressing topics such as mindfulness, exercise and fitness, sleep, and stress. I don't provide generic solutions in these areas, but work with each client to determine what routines and practices will best support their personal performance. Together we create a customized 3M program-- MOVEMENT, MUSIC, and MINDFULNESS. We work in 2-week sprints and typically have a professional and/or personal topic for this time period that is our focus area. We talk about limiting beliefs, get in touch with the inner leader & sages, then create a tailored 3M that unlocks these specific goals.

If clients can't manage their workload, it will always show up in one way or another. Which lever do they care about the most? Typically, they are either missing targets, failing quality, or too stressed. We measure what we care about. If the client feels they are managing all those things well, what is there to measure?

While my practice is focused on professional effectiveness, I work with clients who desire a holistic approach to their development as a leader. This often involves addressing topics such as mindfulness, exercise and fitness, sleep, and stress. I don't provide generic solutions in these areas, but work with each client to determine what routines and practices will best support their personal performance. Together we create a customized 3M program-- MOVEMENT, MUSIC, and MINDFULNESS. We work in 2-week sprints and typically have a professional and/or personal topic for this time period that is our focus area. We talk about limiting beliefs, get in touch with the inner leader & sages, then create a tailored 3M that unlocks these specific goals.

It may also help clients who struggle with being assertive to embody their warrioress. Simply things like practising the power pose, taking up kick boxing or listening to some powerful music can all help the client use their new skills.

Some clients have a problem with being 'assertive', so there may be some work needed around reframing. What we are really talking about here is boundaries and people's individual struggles with holding themselves and others to their (sometimes unidentified) boundaries. By clarifying these, then identify who, where and who they might be challenged clients can identified what needs to happen. This may involve some work on being assertive (what is stopping them, what happens if they don't do this, etc etc) or exploring what else is preventing them from managing their workload

Assertiveness and other interpersonal skills are muscles that also regular exercise. These skills are built stronger with more reps, pushing to pain, then resting and recuperating. I like my clients to notice (awareness is #1) where they are on a scale of 1-10 on a specific skill like empowerment/assertiveness. In our coaching container, we test out getting to a 10 or more and really understand how this feels, embrace any discomfort, celebrate overcoming any fears. This is the root of where the post coaching session workouts will be designed from!