You're an accounting leader who wants to build assertiveness. How can you do it?

1 Know your rights and responsibilities

Assertiveness is not about being rude, bossy, or selfish. It is about respecting yourself and others, and expressing your needs and wants in a reasonable and respectful way. As an accounting leader, you have the right to set boundaries, ask for help, delegate tasks, give feedback, and say no when necessary. You also have the responsibility to listen to others, follow policies and procedures, deliver quality work, and support your team. Knowing your rights and responsibilities can help you balance your assertiveness and avoid being too passive or aggressive.

2 Identify your assertiveness style

There are four main assertiveness styles: passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. Passive people tend to avoid conflict, give in easily, and apologize excessively. Aggressive people tend to dominate, criticize, and blame others. Passive-aggressive people tend to express their anger or resentment indirectly, through sarcasm, procrastination, or sabotage. Assertive people tend to communicate clearly, calmly, and respectfully, while standing up for their rights and respecting others' rights. Identifying your assertiveness style can help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and work on improving your skills.

3 Use assertive communication techniques

Assertive communication is the key to building assertiveness as an accounting leader. It involves using clear, concise, and confident language, maintaining eye contact and body posture, and using appropriate tone and volume. To do this, you can use "I" statements to express your feelings, needs, and opinions without blaming or judging others. Additionally, you can use "you" statements to acknowledge the other person's perspective without agreeing or disagreeing. Furthermore, "we" statements show cooperation and mutual interest without compromising your rights or values. Additionally, you can use the broken record technique to repeat your point calmly and firmly without getting angry or defensive. Finally, the fogging technique allows you to agree with part of what the other person says without giving in or arguing.

4 Practice assertiveness in different scenarios

Developing assertiveness as an accounting leader takes practice and feedback. You can hone your skills in various scenarios, such as negotiating salary or benefits with your employer, providing constructive feedback to team members, dealing with challenging clients or stakeholders, managing conflicts or disagreements with colleagues or managers, declining unreasonable requests or demands, and requesting help or support when necessary. Furthermore, you can gain valuable insights into how you can improve your assertiveness by seeking feedback from a mentor, coach, or friend.

5 Celebrate your achievements and learn from your mistakes

Building assertiveness as an accounting leader is a journey, not a destination. You may not always get the outcome you want, or you may make mistakes along the way. However, you can celebrate your achievements and learn from your mistakes, and use them as opportunities to grow and improve. You can also reward yourself for being assertive, and recognize the positive impact it has on your professional relationships and performance.