Are You Known as a Loud Voice in the Room? Understanding and Managing Your Assertive Impact as a CXO

Dear Leaders,

Welcome back to 'The CXO Mindset Newsletter'!

Is your leadership style empowering or overpowering?

Once, I worked with a leader whose extremely assertive communication style was noticeable. His strong opinions and forceful delivery often suggested he believed that his views were superior, leaving little room for others to contribute. This wasn't just about the volume of his voice; it was his behavior—overly assertive and dominantly opinionated. This experience made many interactions feel intimidating, leading many of us, to step back frequently to avoid confrontation.

It highlighted a crucial aspect of leadership: the impact of your overly-assertive behaviors on team dynamics and effectiveness.

Recognizing the Impact on Others and Your Team

Your overly assertive presence can significantly shape team dynamics:

1. Gauge Reactions During Conversations Notice if people shrink away or seem intimidated when you speak. This might indicate that your assertive delivery is more overwhelming than inspiring.

Ask yourself-How do team members' body language and engagement levels change in response to my assertiveness, and what does this suggest about my approach?

2. Reflect on Feedback If feedback about your communication style includes terms like “intimidating” or “overbearing,” it provides crucial insights into how you are perceived.

Think on- What specific feedback have I received about my assertiveness, and how can I use this to foster more inclusive conversations?

3. Monitor the Flow of Dialogue Analyze whether discussions under your lead are monologues rather than dialogues. This could signal that your assertive nature is suppressing other voices rather than encouraging them.

Question you can reflect on - Am I allowing enough space for others to contribute, or am I dominating the conversation?

Understanding the Mindset

1. Self-Reflection on Leadership Approach Think about whether your assertiveness stems from a desire to control or a fear of being unheard. Understanding the root of this behavior can help you shift from dominance to empowerment.

2. Assess Your Approach to Leadership Challenges Reflect on situations where a more collaborative or softer tone might have yielded better results. This insight can guide you on when and how to modulate your assertiveness for better outcomes.

Think about - Can I recall a recent situation where a less assertive approach might have led to a better outcome? What can I learn from that experience?

Strategies for Adjusting Your Assertiveness

Adjusting how assertive you are can profoundly affect your team's culture and productivity:

1. Being Agile Actively working on varying your level of assertiveness based on the context to better match the communication needs of the moment.

2. Create Space for Others Consciously make an effort to invite and encourage contributions from others, balancing your assertiveness with inclusivity.

3. Understand Differences – When you work with people from different cultures or backgrounds, constantly observe how others are responding better and as a leader, constantly work on a way which empowers others.

?Implement a practice where you actively solicit input from quieter team members, ensuring they feel their contributions are valued.

Understanding and managing your assertive presence is crucial for effective leadership. This year, let’s focus on refining our approach to encourage openness, innovation, and collaboration, ensuring our leadership style is empowering and not overpowering.

If you find these insights valuable, please share them with others in your network who might benefit from a refreshed approach to assertive leadership style.

?

Thank you for reading this instalment of the newsletter. I welcome the ideas and topics that you would like to see in the future editions of the newsletter. You can send me a message here on LI or write to me at [email protected] .?

And if you have not yet subscribed to my email newsletter you can do so here- https://accelerateyourgrowth.manbirkaur.com/subscribe

In this email newsletter, you receive totally different and more in-depth content for leaders.

Wish you good health, happiness, and success always,

Manbir

< If this newsletter resonates with you or if you know someone who might benefit from these insights, feel free to share. Together, let's cultivate leadership that uplifts and empowers>

?

?