Assertiveness

Assertive is defined as “the capacity to stand up to your own or another individual’s rights in a calm and non-aggressive manner” (Dicke, Elling, Schmeck, and Leutner 2015, p.31). I have the ability to take a firm stand on issues in my life and environment. My colleagues often say that I have a tendency of taking control of situations and I am not shy to express what I think about issues.

Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)

Assertiveness is crucial both in personal life and in management. Assertive managers have the capability to make firm decisions in difficult times (Jerabek and Muoio 2017). Also, assertive people tend to be positive and self-assured even in difficult and hopeless situations. Therefore, assertive individuals tend to make up good leaders.

Being assertive is important in social interactions as it will help me to stand by my morals and principles when faced with peer pressure.

Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor, plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to answer this question)

I used the Management Charter Initiative (MCI) personal competence model to assess my level of assertiveness. In the self-assessment questionnaire, I scored 25 points out of 28 which indicates that I am assertive.

Using the Johari’s window, I conducted a self-assessment as well as an assessment from a colleague. The attribute of assertiveness falls in the open self-quadrant in both my self-assessment and the assessment from a colleague. Furthermore, assertiveness is an attribute that I feel I possess when I reflect on my life in the past. For instance, my friends often call me to act as a mediator when they have a conflict. Also, I am able to stand against negative peer pressure when I feel that it is something I should not do.

Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?

At times, people often view me as being inconsiderate. In the Johari’s window, being inconsiderate was an adjective picked by my colleague to describe me, which is something I do not see in myself. It, therefore, falls in my unseeing self-quadrant. The contradiction is that I am often called upon by friends and colleagues to solve disputes, and this could not be possible if I were inconsiderate. In a dispute resolution scenario, the mediator has to always be considerate to the viewpoints of both parties. My view of this is that people see me as stubborn and firm, they see me as unwilling to compromise with others. However, this is my characteristic trait which makes me assertive.

How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)

Assertiveness is a useful skill for my future managerial career. Assertiveness helps managers to face challenging situations boldly (Whitfield, Fredericks, Eder, Shpeen, and Adler 2015). Leadership roles often require individuals who can stand firm in times of adversity due to the uncertainties that are prevalent in the business environment. At difficult times, assertive leaders are able to stick to their principles and beliefs which help them overcome the difficulties.

Assertiveness will also help me in my social interactions with friends and colleagues. The attribute will help me stand firm against negative peer pressure which may derail my morals and career. An assertive individual is able to behave ethically which is important in leadership. Ethical leaders exercise fairness in all situations despite possible conflicts of interest (Hoffman and Tadelis 2018).

What is the core skill?

Good communicator

 A good communicator is defined as ”an individual with the capability of expressing ideas or information in a manner that others can understand” (Bramley 2003, p.46). Communication is effective when conducted through an appropriate platform for the target audience.

Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)

Communication skills are essential both in business and in social life. Communication helps to steer interactions between individuals. Communication skills help me to effectively express my thoughts and feelings regarding a particular issue (Jerabek, and Muoio 2017).

Communication skills, in a way, help to hold together all other attributes. I am a good negotiator, team worker thanks to my communication skills (Srivastava 2018). Communication skills give me the capacity to be in a position to convey messages through a broad set of tools including oral, written and figurative.

Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor, plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to answer this question)

Using the MCI personal model, I have been able to gauge this competence. My score here is 28 points out of 32. I have further obtained feedback from colleagues using the Johari’s window, where I have rated myself as confident and persuasive. My colleague in return rated me as extroverted and persuasive. These qualities describe me as a good communicator.

From my thoughts and reflections, there are several instances in the past where I have used my communication skills. I have always been a good public speaker because of my confidence. I always listen carefully to feedback and explain things using multiple tools such as presentations and gestures, among others.

Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?

From the Johari’s matrix, my colleague indicated domineering to be one of my traits. However, being domineering affects the communication process as it may hinder accurate and objective feedback from the audience. A domineering attitude means that a person is not a good listener whereas listening is an active part of the communication process (Fleming, and Mills 2017).

As for me, I think my confidence and assertiveness is misinterpreted to be domineering. On the contrary, I always give people ample time to respond to issues and I listen carefully to them.

How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)

Communication skills are important in business as they help to reinforce negotiation skills (West and Turner 2010). A manager is able to win more business contracts when he/she is an excellent communicator.

In marketing, communication skills help to design and make powerful presentations which are highly important. Such marketers achieve success when the message is driven to the intended audience. Therefore, a marketer with good communication skills is able to piece together a powerful communication tool that helps to drive the concept home (Dabbagh, Kitsantas, Al-Freih and Fake 2015).

In conflict resolution, the mediator should also be a good communicator through allowing both parties to express their grievances and seek for any clarifications. The mediator should also ensure that the message he conveys is correctly understood by both parties..

What is the core skill?

Negotiator

Negotiation refers to the aspect of ”making two parties with contradicting opinions come to an agreement by settling their differences” (Davis, Cutt, Flynn, and Mowl 2016, p.64). It is one of my core skills that can be applied to management.

Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)

Negotiation skills are essential in the field of management. The skills are important in the assigning of duties and responsibilities to the employees (Fishman, Mitchell, Lakin, Masciarelli, and Flier 2016). A manager with good negotiation skills is able to be understood by the subordinates when they get instructions. Negotiation skills are needed during the signing of contracts with other business. The skills are good for making win to win situations,  when all the parties are satisfied with the decision. The skills do not imply defeating the opponents but the ability to make all the contradicting parties agree on one stand. Negotiation skills help to build respect and confidence after a successful negotiation process.

A positive impression is built after the manager handles a conflict in a diplomatic manner (Rossfeld, Tumin, and Humphrey 2017). I solve disagreements between my peers in a way that all the parties are satisfied with the outcomes. According to the Johari window grid, negotiation skills can be identified by others. My peers confirmed that I possess the ability to make the two parties come to an agreement. Negotiation skills are enhanced when one is able to listen to both the conflicting parties before making a stand.

Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor, plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to answer this question)

Basing on the MCI model, I think I possess those skills because of the ability to resolve conflicts between my team members. I keep everyone informed on the progress of assigned tasks and ensure that responsibilities of each team member are clearly stated. I also involve the group members in the planning and organising of various activities concerning the team. I’m on the third level of the skills competency because I perform well in conflict resolution and achieve the required results.

At the moment, I’m competent enough because of the ability to get the required results out of a conflict. My peers always assign me the duty to be a group leader because they believe I possess the skills required to lead. However, I have a plan to improve on the other skills that are related to negotiation.

Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?

Basing on the feedback from my peer, I lack sufficient courage to face my opponent and sometimes remain silent when a debate becomes tough. The inconsistent confidence is what affects my negotiation performance. The MCI provides a clear outline for my negotiation competencies. I agree with the feedback from my colleagues on lack of confidence to face some conflicts. The lack of courage in the Johari matrix is a character that can be seen by others and me.

How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)

Negotiation skills help in problem-solving and conflict resolution in a team. Negotiation gives the leader an opportunity to explore various aspects that can lead to stress resistance and find the solution to mitigate the issues. The skills increase my interpersonal relationships and improve my social status (Cottrell 2015). Price negotiation, conflict resolution and signing of contracts with business partners require good negotiation skills.

What is the core skill?

Teamwork

Teamwork is defined as ”the process of working collaboratively in a group with the aim of achieving a desired objective” (Bramley 2003, p.67). I have the ability to bring people together and also work effectively on a team. Team building involves bringing people together with a goal of collaboration to achieve efficiency in  specified tasks (Bramley 2003, p.67).

Why is this core skill important? Why did I select this skill to reflect on? (use relevant theories and concepts to support your answer)

I chose to reflect on team work because the greater output is achieved when people come together to solve the problem compared to working individually. Teamwork is built with motivation and understanding between members. I’m able to work well with all types of people and like to engage my colleagues in problem-solving. From management perspective, teamwork is important as it helps to combine the synergy for a better problem solving and decision-making strategies. The team members are able to combine their efforts and come up with a unique and effective way of dealing with the problem at hand. Effective Communication is enhanced when people have the culture to collaborate (Mo and Shi 2017). Managers need to implement teamwork in order to improve the overall performance of the organisation.

Belbins Team Roles theory specifies the competency of a leader with respect to teamwork through self-assessment (Breen, Roberts, Mathew, Tariq, Arif,  Mubin, Manu and Aziz 2015). The framework specifies the various roles of a team worker. For instance, the members of  team should be diplomatic, able to listen, avoid conflicts with other members and be able to contribute to the project. Such qualities are essential for coming up with the perfect decision-making strategies.

Reflect on your current competent regarding this skill. How did you assess your competence? (use your self-assessment findings, feedback from peers and your tutor, plus your own reflections on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to answer this question)

Basing on the MCI findings, I’m very good and consistent at building teams and be part of it even in the difficult situations. I have the ability to make friends with my colleagues which improves the aspect of teamwork. I encourage team effort and try to make my peers understand each other so that we work well together. I have respect for the views and opinions of others. In case of a disagreement, I have the ability to negotiate the contradicting opinions for the team to remain united. My colleagues recommend me to be the group leader when we are assigned tasks because of my ability to bring the team together.

Can you identify any contradictions from your analysis above? For example, is there a match between how you see yourself and how others see you, or not?

The ability to make instant decisions is my weaknesses. Some situations are difficult and I need more time to come up with a solution. I like engaging the team in problem-solving which is time-consuming as the parties need to come to a consensus. Others view me to come up with solutions to many problems but the truth is that I need sufficient time before coming up with an effective decision. Another weakness is that I’m easily influenced by others which affects my stands. The team members can convince me to agree with their opinions which may contradict what I believe is right.

How will this skill help me in the future? (use references to support your argument)

Team building skills help to motivate the employees within an organisation.Keeping employees in a team boosts effective communication from the top leaders to the subordinates. Team building is an essential skill that managers should possess to increase the performance of the organisation (Tananchai 2017). Employees become confident when they are given an opportunity to express their opinions concerning various aspects.

The team building skills are important in promoting creativity among the employees (Certo 2018). For the manager these skills help to promote creativity in the team. The skills help me to make the team united by developing effective techniques for resolving conflicts. Negotiation skills facilitate the building of a strong team.

Analysis

Analysis of the strengths and weaknesses is an important part of management. The knowledge of one’s personal strengths and weaknesses helps a leader to lead effectively (Donovan 2014). Understanding the personal weakness helps one to develop an effective strategy to curb the shortcomings. MCI theory illustrates the personal assessment with which a leader can get to know their shortcomings and find effective ways to deal with them. The strengths can be optimised in order to reach the great potential of an individual. The Belbin’s model of the teamwork offers a platform where an individual can measure their strengths and weaknesses concerning teamwork.

Strengths

Good communication is one of my core strengths that are essential in management. The ability to communicate effectively enhances the understanding between the speaker and the recipient. Good communication is relevant in the management field as the leader communicates clearly the roles and responsibilities of the subordinates (Divleli and Ergun 2015). I consider myself a good communicator because of how I assign responsibilities to the team members.

Ethics is also my strengths that compliments my core skills. The ability to make decisions on is required for a strong manager. Ethics guides me to act in a right manner and avoid hurting others.

Social skill is also my key strength with regard to the core values stated in the table. The social skills help to create positive interpersonal relationships with other team members. The ability to be sociable helps in building and managing a strong team (Assiter 2017).

Weaknesses

At times, I am often indecisive and take a lot of time before arriving at a decision. I feel that this is a weakness since it is a hindrance to some of my key strengths such as negotiation skills and assertiveness. Being domineering is also a weakness I have as identified by my colleague. This is a weakness since it compromises some of my social interactions by putting off other people during a conversation. The attribute to make decisions and stick to them makes other people see me as stubborn. The description of my personality as stubborn is a weakness since it alters the way people view me. The result of this is that I have lost some of my friends in the past because of my failure to compromise on principles. Such friends view me as rigid and unreasonable.

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Timely

Development Area 1

Improving in-decisiveness

Increasing my decision-making capacity is a definite thing that I understand. This can be enhanced by increasing my knowledge of an issue.

The aspect is measurable by assessing the amount of time taken to make critical decisions.

The objective is achievable since it is part of my personal growth process.

The objective is crucial since it will improve my leadership capacity.

I intend to attain this objective in the next two years.

Development Area 2

Reducing my domineering attitude

I will do this being more accommodative of other people’s views and opinions.

This can be measured by periodic review of my attitude by colleagues using the Johari’s matrix

This is attainable through a deliberate attitude change during social interactions.

It is a critical component of the social interactions process.

I intend to attain this in the next 3 months.

Development Area 3

Becoming more progressive and less rigid.

This involves being more accommodative to dynamic situations.

This is measurable through assessing the quality of my leadership decisions.

It is attainable through being more knowledgeable of the changes within my environment.

It is essential in order for me to make better decisions in future.

I intend to do this in the next one year.

References

Assiter, A., 2017. Transferable skills in higher education.Abingdon: Routledge.

Bramley, P., 2003. Evaluating training. London: CIPD Publishing.

Breen, L., Roberts, L., Mathew, D., Tariq, Z., Arif, I., Mubin, F., Manu, B. and Aziz, F., 2015. Identification of critical management skills in healthcare operations management: The case of pharmacists in the National Health Service (UK).

Certo, S.C., 2018. Supervision: Concepts and skill-building. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Palgrave: Macmillan.

Dabbagh, N., Kitsantas, A., Al-Freih, M. and Fake, H., 2015. Using social media to develop personal learning environments and self-regulated learning skills: a case study. International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, 3(3), pp.163-183.

Davis, T., Cutt, M., Flynn, N. and Mowl, P., 2016. Talent assessment: A new strategy for talent management. Abingdon: Routledge.

Dicke, T., Elling, J., Schmeck, A., and Leutner, D., 2015. Reducing reality shock: The effects of classroom management skills training on beginning teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 48, pp.1-12.

Divleli, M.S., and Ergun, E., 2015. MANAGER EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY: THE EFFECT OF SKILLS ON DIFFERENT LEVEL MANAGEMENT. International Journal of Management & Human Resources, 3(1), pp. 43-56.

Donovan, P., 2014. Training evaluation pocketbook. London: Management Pocketbooks.

Fishman, L.N., Mitchell, P.D., Lakin, P.R., Masciarelli, L., and Flier, S.N., 2016. Are expectations too high for transitioning adolescents with IBD? Examining adult medication knowledge and self-management skills. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, 63(5), p.494-532.

Fleming, N.D. and Mills, C., 2017. VARK a guide to learning styles (1992). URL available from http://www. vark-learn. com/english/index. (Accessed: March 2008).

Hoffman, M. and Tadelis, S., 2018. People Management Skills, Employee Attrition, and Manager Rewards: An Empirical Analysis. National Bureau of Economic Research, pp.124-146.

Jerabek, I., and Muoio, D., 2017. The Stress Profile. Impact of Organizational Trauma on Workplace Behavior and Performance, p.77-83.

Mo, S. and Shi, J., 2017. Linking ethical leadership to employee burnout, workplace deviance, and performance: Testing the mediating roles of trust in leader and surface acting. Journal of Business Ethics, 144(2), pp.293-303.

Rossfeld, Z.M., Tumin, D. and Humphrey, L.M., 2017. Self-Assessment of Skills and Competencies among Residents Participating in a Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Medicine Elective Rotation. Journal of palliative medicine, 17 (3), pp. 65-78.

Srivastava, K., 2018. SELF-ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS BY MANAGEMENT STUDENTS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN INDIAN CONTEXT. English Review: Journal of English Education, 6(2). pp. 45-78.

Tananchai, A., 2017. The Personality of Students Studying the Social Etiquette and Personality Development Course by Myers Briggs Type Indicators (MBTI) Theory. AJE, 3(2), pp. 34-41.

West, R. and Turner, L.H., 2010. Understanding interpersonal communication: Making choices in changing times. Boston: Cengage learning.

Whitfield, E.P., Fredericks, E.M., Eder, S.J., Shpeen, B.H. and Adler, J., 2015. Transition readiness in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a patient survey of self-management skills. Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, 60(1), p.36- 51.

Appendix 1: PERSONAL COMPETENCIES MODEL

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Acting Assertively

Managers who act assertively show resilience and determination to succeed in the face of pressure and difficulties.  He/She:

Takes a leading role in initiating action and making decisions

Takes personal responsibility for making things happen

Takes control of situations and events

Acts in an assured and unhesitating manner when faced with a challenge

Says no to unreasonable requests

States own position and views clearly in conflict situations

Maintains beliefs, commitment, and effort in spite of setbacks or opposition

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

TOTAL SCORE: 25/28

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

Building teams

Managers who build effective teams encourage team effort, build cohesion and maintain motivation. He/She:

Manages Others

Actively builds relationships with others

Makes time available to support others

Encourages and stimulates others to make the best use of their abilities

Evaluates and enhances people’s capability to do their jobs

Provides feedback designed to improve people’ future performance

Shows respect for the views and actions of others

Shows sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others

Uses power and authority in a fair and equitable manner

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

Score = 29/32

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

Communicating

Managers who communicate effectively are able to share information, ideas, and arguments with a variety of audiences.  He/She:

Identifies the information needs of listeners

Listens actively, asks questions, clarifies points and re-phrases others’ statements to check mutual understanding

Adopts communication styles appropriate to listeners and situations, including selecting an appropriate time and place

Uses a variety of media and communication aids to reinforce points and maintain interest

Presents difficult ideas and problems in ways that promote understanding

Confirms listeners’ understanding through questioning and interpretation of non-verbal signals

Encourages listeners to ask questions or re-phrase statements to clarify their understanding

Modifies communications in response to feedback from listeners

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

1         2         3        4

SCORE = 28/32

Appendix 2: JOHARI’S MATRIX

Team worker

Good Communicator

Assertive

Good negotiation skills

Authoritative

Domineering

Inconsiderate

Stubborn

Rigid

Disciplined

Modest

Appendix 3: Negotiation skills questionnaire

Question          A        B         C        D         E

1          Score 5            4

         3          2          1

2          Score 5            4

         3          2          1

3          Score 5            4          3         2         1

4          Score 1             2          3          4         5

5          Score 1             2          3          4          5

6          Score 5            4          2         2          1

7          Score 3             4          5          2         1

8          Score 1             2          3          4          5

9          Score 1            2         3          4          5

10        Score 1             2          3          4         5

11        Score 1             2          3          4          5

12        Score 5            4         3          2         1

13        Score 5 4         3          2          1

14        Score 5             4          3          2          1

15        Score 1             2          3          4         5

16        Score 1 2         3          4          5

17        Score 1             2          3          4          5

18        Score 5 4         3         2          1

19        Score 1             2          3          4          5

20        Score 5             4          3          2          1

Total 87/100 points

Appendix 4: Beblin’s Role Types

7. Team Worker

Description

Cooperative, mild, perceptive, diplomatic. Listens, builds,

averts friction, calms the waters.

Shortcomings

Indecisive in crunch situations.

Can be easily influenced