Here's how you can maximize the benefits of assertiveness training in the digital learning field.

Women who speak confidently in classrooms are often perceived differently than their male counterparts. While confident speech from men is generally viewed positively, confident speech from women can sometimes be perceived as aggressive or overbearing. This can lead to a double bind where women are penalized for either speaking too little (seen as lacking confidence) or too much (seen as overly assertive). We need to be more accepting of assertiveness in women.

Being assertive can build your confidence in a safe place while respecting yourself and others! It is critical to ensure that your comments are kind but yet assertive enough to be clear and concise.

Remember that being assertive is controlling what you say so that people hear what you are saying in the manner in which you intend. The difficulty most people encounter is being misunderstood. Aim to reiterate another person’s point before incorporating your own to convey empathy, understanding, and active listening.

Staying on task can define your goals much more clearly when not to branching to other steps of the objective that is set! It is best to learn the initial steps of the objective in order that you supersede the basic steps of the objective with clarity and you are able to genuinely learn all aspects of the objective.

Since we know the standards on assertiveness have been identified in the literature as different for men and women, the more women practice asserting ourselves and are visibly heard, particularly in digital classrooms with participants from multiple countries, the more our assertiveness will become normalized. This consistent presence will challenge existing stereotypes and shifts perceptions, helping our assertiveness to be seen as a standard and valued behavior for everyone.

Why are we in digital ecosystems? While the online space has its own realm, I still contend most online interactions seek to influence the physical world. So, seek answers there too! In-person feedback ranging from acquaintances to trusted mentors will help you gauge your motives and intentions. An informal conversation on a way to a meeting can be a great start to an engaging feedback session. If something interests you from what they said in passing, ask later over text or email if you can follow up over lunch or coffee. You’ll be practicing your digital assertiveness while improving it!

One thing I've found helpful to get honest feedback is to ask a specific question such as "I’m working on improving my delivery—what’s one thing you think I should focus on next?" This allows them the chance to help you. Otherwise if you ask, "how was that?" Most people will say "good" whether it's true or not ??.

A mindset of continuously working on your craft will enable you to be cognizant of your lack of perfection. Aim to be better than you were by remembering what you said and how it was received. Incorporate your audience into your conversations and you will find that you become more observant of how that audience views/responds to your message.