Women Meeting the Challenge: A Handbook for Media Leadership
Assert Yourself

It is important for a leader to be assertive in order to stand up for the principles she believes in, to be seen as an figure of authority and respect, and to improve her negotiation skills. Often women shy away from assertive behaviour because they fear being seen as aggressive.

Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Aggressive behaviour is combative and disregards the rights of others. Assertive behaviour recognizes both your rights and the rights of others. Effective leaders use assertive behaviour because it is persistent and firm, positive, direct and open. This style of leadership lends itself to motivating teams and building alliances.

Rights in the Context of Assertive Behaviour

Assertive behaviour involves being clear about the rights you take for yourself and respecting the rights of others.

As an assertive person you have the right to…

By minimizing their own contributions and accomplishments, hiding their true opinions and being apologetic, women can fall into a trap of non-assertive behaviour. By asserting yourself, you strengthen lines of communication with your supervisors and colleagues, take control of your decisions, and utilize formal and informal sources of power.