Monthly Archives: April 2012

Assertive vs. Aggressive

There are many definitions for assertive and aggressive behavior in the workplace.  The definition that works for me is:

To be assertive, you are confident and direct in putting forward your views.  To be aggressive, you are trying to control someone else.  Aggression is a form of intimidation.

I recently read an article in the Harvard Business Review that points out leaders need to work on being assertive.  “More harm is done when people aren’t assertive enough than by being too assertive.”  Keeping your opinions and ideas hidden doesn’t get you anywhere.

Couple your leadership… Continue reading

Who’s in charge?

I was just working with a client who was having trouble moving projects along, meeting deadlines, last minute changes, you know the drill.  Working with their team it became clear that there was some finger pointing going on.

They missed the first step in project management, no one had been assigned as the project leader.  There were leaders in many aspects of the project, but no one assigned to own the whole process.

Here are a tip and responsibilities for project leaders to ensure your success.

Tip:  Formal authority.  When you’re assigned to head… Continue reading

Stagnant

Recently I got feedback during my workshop called “Advancing Women in Business”.  The biggest fears/challenges were: being stagnant, not moving up, not learning new things, not knowing where I want to go or what I want to do, and not being given the opportunity to advance.

It’s easy to fall into these thoughts, especially when you’ve worked for the same employer for a long time.  Here are some tips that might help if you’re saying any of those phrases.

Tip 1:  Being stagnant – The good news is it is up to you – no one… Continue reading