How To Build An Assertive Team
Everyone, from management to the workforce, agrees that a strong and united culture is key to
the success of the business. It is the mindset and beliefs that guide workplace behavior and
decision-making in the company.
Whatever culture the leader wishes to cultivate has to becomepart of everyday business.It should
be evident in every aspect of the business and every decision, no matter the department. As a
leader, you make those working with you stronger when you use your power to make them more
confident.
Set the Example
Many leaders are interested in setting goals for their teams but accomplishing those goals are
often not a priority for their teams. If you have a set of goals, you need to keep your team moving
in one direction. To align your vision with every one of your team members, you need to express
your values in every possible situation on a regular basis. Be vigilant and look around to see what
values you are expressing for others to see. The stories you convey help to transform meaning
so be mindful of your communication, whether it be through meetings, emails or phone calls.
Understand that your team will be looking up to you to set the tone. Create rituals that signal to
the team that certain habits or ways of doing things are preferred.
Show the people that you work with that you trust them. Ask them to make statements rather than
question or permission to do something. If you think that the team is talented enough then do not
try to manage them at every step. Instead, give them a task and let them accomplish it on their
own. They will gain confidence as they take on initiatives and learn from mistakes.
Individual Strengths & Weaknesses
As a leader, you need to be aware of the individual strengths and weaknesses of your team
members. Identify skills and their importance required to achieve a set goal. Select a good
combination of team members based on their individual strengths and weaknesses.Whileforming
a task force or team, avoid putting people with similar strengths in one group. Rather, select a
diversified skill set to have a balanced outcome result. Putting people of similar strengths in one
group can carry the risk of slow progress as every meeting can lead to more friction than real
effective progress & produce a skewed result. Clarify individual roles and responsibilities clearly.
Respect Diversity

Each employee has a different personality. Some might be more talkative while others tend to
hold their opinions to themselves. Do not always expect other people to adapt to you. By keeping
an open mind and listening to suggestions, you can empower your team and give them
opportunities to make decisions and take action.
Expecting every team member to conform with each other suppresses the potential for diversity.
Not all team members are the same so keep clear, open lines of communication. Embrace the
differences between your team and leverage it to create more opportunities.
Empower Introverts
Some team members might not be assertive enough whichcan lead to their strengths and positive
attributes being overlooked at their jobs, especially in the case of younger, more introverted
employees. Often, such overlooked individuals may have strong analytical and thinking skills that
make them valuable to any project. No matter the domain or sector, the inputs they come up with
might be valuable even if they are not very vocal about claiming recognition.
Such employees contribute just as much to the success of your business as more bold
employees. Hiring a new employee means finding out their motivations and effectiveness. Set a
clear brief and timeframe and provide adequate support to find out how good your employees
are.
Look Inward
Every leader wants their team to be passionate and aligned to a single commonvision. But having
a goal is not as effective if your team members are not united and free to speak their mind. Paying
attention to the example you set can greatly improve your chances of bringing out the best in your
team and keeping them focused on the larger goal. Sometimes, the best teacher can be yourself.
Think about the person that brought out your confidence. Examine your thoughts about them and
how you can be more like them. It is easy to make out when a leader is successful as the teams
that work with them are confident, open-minded and ready to take advantage of any available
opportunity.