Question

Think of a person you know who would be labled either "passive," "agressive," or "assertive" and answer the following questions. Then thoughtfully comment on at least two other classmates' post.

*What does this person do that indicates a passive, agressive or assertive behavior? What are some of her or his characteristics (refer to lecture/text)?

*How do people respond to her or his behavior?

*In your opinion, why might this person behave the way they do? What considerations might you make to account for behavior?

*How might you improve your interactions with this person?

Answer 1

A person having assertive behavior has certain characteristics such as - They have confidence in themselves.

They respect the opinions of others. Assertive people feel confident about their opinions and beliefs, but don’t feel it’s necessary to insult or degrade another person’s opinions.

Assertive people have the ability to validate other’s feelings.

Assertive individuals are good listeners.

Problem solving and compromise. Another key trait to assertiveness is the attempt to compromise in a situation.

You may find that some people may drift away when you introduce the new, assertive You. Think about how they add value to your life; you might discover that they were toxic people who you are probably better off without. Some people might find you rude or odd but in long term it is one thing that is definitely going to help you. Some people might also love the zeal and confidence in you and might want to appreciate you for being you.

In my opinion, if a person is having an assertive behavior, either he/she might have been wrong in the past times or might have made wrong decision, through which one evolved and found the new and better self. The other reason might be that this is a trait in one's personality that one already has or acquired. Assertiveness can be a difficult trait to master if you’ve had difficulty in the past standing up for yourself. But like any other new habit, it gets easier to do with practice.

Assertiveness is a way of life. It is like a badge you wear into each interaction. We might improve our interactions with such person by firstly observing his behavior, how he works or functions. Spending time with the person will help you in better understanding the modus operandi. By appreciating his good behavior and decisions made and asking if something bothers you which according to you was not right, that why he reacted certain way.