Assertive communication is the most effective style of communication. Assertive people are more successful in work, as well as, social relationships.

1. Fine Tuning Your Assertive Communication Skills
Pays Big Dividends!
By
Terry H. Hill
1
Communication problems can lead to lost clients, lost projects, lost proposals, and lost revenue.
Taking the time to “brush up” on frequently used business terms, and their meanings, is an important
communication task. All stakeholders of any enterprise should be aware of the importance of effective
communication at all levels.
Whether you are consulting with your accountant about your business finances, negotiating a
contract with a supplier, or making a presentation to your staff, understanding and speaking the
language can help you communicate more effectively and accomplish your goals more efficiently.
Our productivity depends on the power of language to persuade. Persuasion is the “name of the
game!” With this worldwide access to the Internet’s vast knowledge inventory and with the recognition of English
as the international language, global productivity is on the rise and is unstoppable, and the power of language
becomes even more evident!
What is effective communication?
Effective communication is a system of written, verbal, and non-verbal messages in which both
senders and receivers share the meaning and understanding of the messages. Today, our written and
verbal messages are transmitted via a wide gamut of communication vehicles/forms: newspapers, magazines,
personal/business documents, memos, letters, e-mails, fax, blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, video tapes, PowerPoint
presentations, telephones, cell phones, i-phones, voice mail messages, audio tapes, public speaking, etc. And the
list goes on… It is quite easy to see the tremendous significance of accurate communications locally, nationally, and
globally.
Styles of Communication . . .
If you listen closely to the interactions in today’s workplace, you will hear each of the four different
communication styles—passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive.
Of the four styles of communication, the assertive style is direct with the goal of creating a win-win
situation. This style respects one’s own rights and opinions as well as those of the other person. These type of
people operate from the belief that each of us is responsible for solving our own problems, and that neither party in
the communication process has to justify themselves to each other. These people take responsibility for their own
decisions and actions. Communicating assertively is the most likely way to ensure that everyone involved gets
his/her needs met.
Learning how to become assertive, rather than aggressive or passive-aggressive, is an important
step in discovering how to communicate appropriately with others. Assertive communication is the
most effective style of communication. It means using direct statements to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas
rather than indirectly or passively communicating to avoid conflict to appease others. Assertive people are more
successful in work, as well as, social relationships.
Terry H. Hill is an author, consultant, trainer, mentor, and the founder/managing partner of Legacy Associates, Inc., a business consulting firm
based in Sarasota, Florida. Legacy, http://www.legacyai.com, is the parent company of the online small business, entrepreneurship, and
management training website, http://www.TrainingforEntrepreneurs.com.

2. Fine Tuning Your Assertive Communication Skills
Pays Big Dividends!
By
Terry H. Hill
2
Assertiveness is a style of communication that greatly enhances our effectiveness with others and
produces the most positive outcomes. Assertiveness can:
• Improve interpersonal relationships.
• Enhance self-esteem.
• Minimize stress.
• Reduce feelings of helplessness/depression.
• Reduce conflicts/anxiety.
• Retrain self-respect.
• Treat others respectfully.
• Give a sense of control.
When an organization focuses on improving communication more effectively, it evolves into a
more creative, productive, and profitable entity; and in turn, the organization becomes more
valuable to each of its stakeholders.
Copyright © 2010 Terry H. Hill, Training for Entrepreneurs.com
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hyperlink to the author's web site at http://www.TrainingforEntrepreneurs.com.
Terry H. Hill is an author, consultant, trainer, mentor, and the founder/managing partner of Legacy Associates, Inc., a business consulting firm
based in Sarasota, Florida. Legacy, http://www.legacyai.com, is the parent company of the online small business, entrepreneurship, and
management training website, http://www.TrainingforEntrepreneurs.com.