You're working with a union. How can you build assertiveness?

1 Know your rights and responsibilities

One of the first steps to being assertive is to know your rights and responsibilities as an employer, manager, or employee in relation to the union. You should familiarize yourself with the collective agreement, the labor laws, and the policies and procedures that govern your workplace. This will help you to avoid misunderstandings, violations, or disputes, and to assert your position with facts and evidence. You should also know the rights and responsibilities of the union and its members, and respect them as long as they are fair and lawful.

2 Communicate clearly and calmly

Another key aspect of assertiveness is to communicate clearly and calmly with the union. Whether you are giving feedback, making requests, expressing concerns, or negotiating terms, you should use a polite and professional tone, and avoid sarcasm, insults, or threats. You should also be specific and concise about what you want, need, or expect, and avoid vague or ambiguous statements. Moreover, you should listen actively and attentively to what the union has to say, and acknowledge their points and feelings, even if you disagree with them.

3 Use positive language and body language

The way you use language and body language can also influence your assertiveness. You should use positive language that emphasizes cooperation, collaboration, and mutual benefit, rather than confrontation, competition, or blame. For example, you can use words like "we", "us", "together", "agree", or "understand", rather than "you", "them", "against", "disagree", or "ignore". You should also use body language that shows confidence, openness, and respect, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, nodding, or leaning forward, rather than crossing your arms, frowning, shaking your head, or leaning back.

4 Be flexible and realistic

Being assertive does not mean being stubborn or rigid. You should be flexible and realistic when working with a union, and be willing to compromise, adapt, or change your mind if necessary. You should also recognize that you may not always get what you want, or that you may have to make some concessions or trade-offs. However, you should also have some clear boundaries and limits that you are not willing to cross, and be able to say no or reject unreasonable or unfair demands or proposals.

5 Seek support and feedback

Finally, you can build assertiveness by seeking support and feedback from others who have experience or expertise in working with a union. You can ask for advice, guidance, or mentoring from your colleagues, managers, or external consultants who can help you to prepare, strategize, or handle difficult situations. You can also ask for feedback from the union or from a neutral third party on how you performed, what you did well, or what you can improve. This will help you to learn, grow, and enhance your assertiveness skills.