zandax online course logo
zandax website search
zandax phone callback
Info, Blogs, Contact & Login
Courses
Tests

6 Ways to Be Assertive in Awkward Situations at Work

From the ZandaX Assertiveness Blog

Articles to help you be assertive and self confident

Home  >  ZandaX Blogs  >  Development Blog  >  Assertiveness Articles  > 
6 Ways to Be Assertive in Awkward Situations at Work

6 Ways to Be Assertive in Awkward Situations at Work

A post from our Assertiveness blog

Article author: Ashley Andrews
      Written by Ashley Andrews
To some people, assertiveness comes naturally. They just have the skill and the ability to recognise situations where they need to assert their opinions, and they are able to do so in a way that's not offensive, aggressive or unreasonable. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with this natural skill – but, like everything else, it can be learned.

What is Assertiveness?

Assertiveness is the art of saying no. It allows you to confidently express your opinion and make your voice heard without hurting other people's feelings. Far too often people vacillate between aggression and passivity, instead of finding a comfortable middle ground.

Angry Businessman

Instead of working on developing their assertiveness skills, people just react. They feel they don't have the time and energy to consciously develop that particular skill and they'd rather focus on something else.

However, being able to express your thoughts and feelings confidently and comfortably will help you develop strong work relationships, and navigate tough situations calmly. But what are the best ways to be assertive in awkward situations at work?

How to Be Assertive in Awkward Situations



1. Acknowledging the situation

The first step of dealing with uncomfortable situations at work is to acknowledge them honestly. Sometimes you need to be assertive with yourself as well. If you find that something is making you uncomfortable at work, recognise the situation and consider it calmly.

For example, if you think one of your colleagues is behaving inappropriately at work, you need to consider the situation carefully, see if it's a one-time occurrence or a habit. Once you come to the proper conclusion, you know you need to discuss it with that person. Such a conversation can be very awkward and uncomfortable, and it could also cause offence.

Being assertive is vital in such situations because you're giving that person an equal measure of respect. If you're talking to a reasonable, mature individual, they are going to recognise your intentions and respond accordingly. Being assertive here ensures that there's mutual respect between you and your colleagues.


2. Addressing quarrels

In a competitive environment when people are rushing to meet deadlines, disagreements can happen and tempers can flare very easily. Sometimes you're the mediator in a quarrel and sometimes, you're being confronted by a disgruntled co-worker. Either way, you need to address the situation as calmly as possible - this is where assertiveness comes in handy.

Disagreements can escalate rapidly if the involved parties are being unreasonable. If there's a disagreement with your colleagues, you should only intervene if it's necessary. It's crucial not to favour one party over the other, and address the argument calmly. However you deal with it, you need to be confident and clear in your approach.

On the other hand, if a colleague is trying to argue with you, don't let your own temper flare.

Being assertive ensures you can get through arguments like this without losing your position and respect, or hurting other people's feelings. At ZandaX, we aim to teach you how to deal with open aggression calmly and assertively.

Want to Be More Assertive?


If you'd like to learn more about assertive behavior, why not take a look at how we can help?

Boost your assertiveness and self consifence with our online courses.
RRP from $89 – limited time offer just $16.00




3. Dealing with gossip

It's a human tendency to be curious about others - to have personal information or speculations about them. The entire world is driven by this sense of curiosity. It can, however, lead to very uncomfortable situations at work. Gossip might be harmless in some situations, but it can damage a person's career in others and can easily lead to bullying as well.

When you stumble across gossip in a work environment, you might be torn. A part of you doesn't want to be a tattle tale. The responsible thing to do is determine the source of the gossip and understand just how harmful it can be.

Office Gossip

For example, some simple speculation about a co-worker's fashion style wouldn't be damaging. But a piece of gossip saying a colleague is wearing shorter skirts just to get a promotion isn't just crass, it can have serious consequences as well. Here, you need to step in and address the problem. You need to be stern with the people involved in spreading the gossip and make sure the victim is aware of it.


4. Owning up to your mistakes

Owning up to your mistakes requires a great deal of personal confidence and a sense of responsibility, but it's one of the best ways to handle awkward situations in the workplace. Passive people consider it a personal failure and try to hide it. Aggressive people tend to blame it on others or on the situation. Assertive and confident people acknowledge it and accept the consequences.

Instead of damaging your reputation or career, this actually proves that you're a responsible person with a sense of integrity. By owning up to your mistakes, you're essentially building a reputation of honesty and quality. As I mentioned earlier, you need to be assertive with yourself as well.


5. Other people's mistakes

Dealing with your own mistakes is sometimes easier than dealing with the mistakes of others. You don't want to offend people and you never know how a person might react to criticism. Some accept it with good grace and work on the problem, while others react badly and become defensive. Regardless of their reaction, you need to be assertive and confront the person who is committing mistakes, calmly and respectfully.

True professionals use mistakes as an opportunity to improve and they might even be thankful for your feedback. If they become defensive and react badly, maintain your position and calmly state your opinion. Refusing to acknowledge the mistakes of others or reacting with anger will only lead to loss in productivity.


6. Unfair reprimands

One of the most uncomfortable work situations is when you're being reprimanded for something you didn't do. It's difficult to overcome righteous indignation and react reasonably. On the one hand, you're reluctant to correct your superior; on the other hand, you don't want to take the blame for something you didn't do.

In such situations, neither aggression not passivity would work well. You must confidently assert your position and make it clear that you aren't at fault. Taking the blame or reacting negatively won't help your cause. This way, the situation should resolve itself eventually.

Want to Be More Assertive?


If you'd like to learn more about assertive behavior, why not take a look at how we can help?

Boost your assertiveness and self consifence with our online courses.
RRP from $89 – limited time offer just $16.00

Back to the Assertiveness blog

Click the button for more Assertiveness articles.

The ZandaX Personal Development blog

Click a panel for great articles on personal development

Write For Us

We pride ourselves on our busy, high-quality and helpful blog, and we're always looking for guest contributors to increase the variety and diversity of what we present.

Click to see how you can write for us with an original and well-written guest post.

ZandaX Blog Contents

Want to see them all? Click to view a full list of articles in our blogs.

Online courses to boost your skills
Click a button to see more about each course
Personal Development
Microsoft Software
 
 
Leadership & Management
Sales & Presentations
Service & Support
 
 
ZandaX online training course logo
ZandaX – Change Your Life ... Today
All content © ZandaX 2023
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
Close menu element
See how you score on a range of skills that are critical to your well-being and performance
Communication Skill test
Communication Skills
How Can You Communicate Better?
Would you like to see what kind of communicator you are? And how you can improve the effectiveness of your communications?
Likeability test
Likeability
How Much Do People Like You?
Do you sometimes wonder just how likeable you are? And wouldn't you like to see how you can (genuinely) become more likeable?


Time Management test
Time Management
How Can You Make More Use Of Your Time?
Are you frustrated by how easily time slips away? Do you get frustrated when things don't get done just because you run out of time?
Assertiveness test
Assertiveness
Are you Passive, Aggressive or Assertive?
Would you like to know where you fall on the behavior spectrum? Does your response to events sometimes surprise you?


Close menu element
Information & Resources
ZandaX information
Information
Read more about us, our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service
See how we want to help you, and how we make everything easy for everyone
Callback request
ZandaX Blogs
Articles to increase your knowledge and understanding in key areas of your life and career.
Read our blogs on Personal Development, Business Skills and Leadership & Management


Time Management test
Log In
Log in to your online dashboard
View your courses, review what you want and download your workbooks and certificates
Assertiveness test
Contact Us
An easy online form to get in touch
With options for More Information, Customer Service and Feedback


Close menu element
Develop Your Skills, Knowledge and Understanding with ZandaX
Click any subject in the listings for more information and a full list of courses

Personal Development
Personal Development training
Your soft skills affect everything you do, at work, at home and with friends ... they are truly life changing!
NEW COURSES
Online training courses
Hot Off the Press...
We're always adding to and upgrading our courses, so here are a few of our latest releases:
For a full listing of courses, please visit our Quick Course Finder to find exactly what you want.
Site Cookies
We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better.

You can change your cookie settings in your browser. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue.

I'm fine with this