Here's how you can harness assertiveness to thrive in male-dominated industries.

The person asking questions is the person controlling the conversation. I train my team on this all the time and with red/dominant personality types, it's important to use strategic questions that let them feel like they're in control while you're actually the one directing the flow of the conversation. They can be the head, but you should be the neck. And the neck turns the head 😉

There is a very thin line between being aggressive and assertive. Check the tone and intentions before reacting. If you show an ounce of aggression once, you risk being labelled aggressive every time you stand your ground. Unfortunately it happens that sometimes even without showing any aggression you still get labelled. Recognise that, in that situation, you cannot change the perception immediately. The important thing is to always maintain your cool when calling out bad behaviour, even when they try to provoke you to lose yourself. The only defence from the person behaving badly is to make you look bad and they will provoke you to do so.

Assertiveness is an art. One should not be over assertive/aggressive. One should be (i) good listener and (ii) clear in their communication to be assertive. (iii) Boundary Setting is also an important parameter Being assertive involves setting and respecting personal boundaries. It means being able to say "no" when necessary and ensuring others understand and respect your limits. For instance, if a colleague asks you to take on extra work and you cannot accommodate it, an assertive response would be, "I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to take on additional tasks right now due to my current commitments."

Using assertiveness to succeed in industries where men predominate, take into account the following advice: Confidence: Have faith in your own abilities and abilities. Effective Communication: Communicate with assertiveness and directness. Set Boundaries: To safeguard your time and energy, set and uphold boundaries. Self-Advocacy: Make your opinions and yourself known. Accept Challenges: Don't back down from tough circumstances; instead, view them as chances to improve. Create a Support System: Be in the company of allies and mentors who will stand by you and encourage you. Constant Learning: Keep abreast of market developments and work to always sharpen your skills.

I define Assertiveness through the following four Cs that I coach my female clients on: -Charisma: be present, be vocal and do not shy away from your seat at the table. Your opinion is worth being listened to. -Confidence: Speak your truth and agree to disagree with elegance, backed by facts and good storytelling. -Credibility: Surround yourself with advocates and supporters who will seek your help, view, and expertise. By being a thought-provoking leader, you will find that while you cannot please everyone, many will be inspired by you. -Courage: Walk the talk and think differently. This is what organisations want and are eager for. Be brave enough to verbalise and act on what could be improved.

Always be confident and ready to speak to the issues. Don't let the perception of others cause you to act small, just to fan their egos. If your knowledge, expertise and experience on the subject matter needs to be shared in order to ensure the right processes and procedures come to the fore, please speak up!

Do your best to NEVER accept disrespect! You didn't get to where you are by chance, and if you did, it doesn't mean that you put in ZERO effort. Take pride in what you've accomplished, and make it known if you've played a major role at your workplace! As long as you communicate in a clear, firm, honest, and respectful way, I'm sure that you will do more than thrive!

One thing I found helpful is to be confident in who you are and the knowledge and experience you have to contribute. If you ever feel intimidated, take a deep breathe and know that God put you where you are for a reason and you you can have confidence in his timing. You are worthy!

Be mindful of the impact your contributions have made.. measure them, record them and talk about them. Pick up tasks and assignments that challenge you and overcome your fears. Focus on learning and enhancing your skills. Know your worth and dont hesitate in bringing it up when needed.

Evaluate your skills, strengths, weaknesses etc. be the change where others get motivated from you with your work. Showcase your skills in appropriate forums. Seek for feedback from your managers and senior team members. Work on the short comings effectively by undergoing for any training if needed

I have trained more then 800 people on work ethics. It is really important to communicate and define the limit to your colleagues. Not everyone should be allowed to joke with you. If someone is comfortable with a few people in the office it doesn't mean s/he will be comfortable with all. The next very important thing I did was give them awareness about workplace harassment and company policies over that so people should be aware of all their good and bad consequences at the workplace.

We are the mothers, sisters, and creators, women are BEING of balance and substance. Communication and subsequent action is a two-way process, even before we flash out thoughts towards the outer world to the people around us in any situation we subconsciously reflect the thoughts in our mind. Clarity of the situation, being unbiased, and believing in our thoughts, decisions, and actions will declare assertiveness. we will not have to urge any extra effort in being assertive in this emotionally balanced and mindful process. Being a leader in mind, actions, decisions, Being professional, and fostering a culture of self-development and mutual support for others can manifest our right intentions and help us achieve success in today's industry.

Use "I" effectively. Follow effective communications in your emails, meetings. Be clear in your ideas. Come out of the introvertism incase if you are by speaking openly and expressing your thoughts.

Adapting our communication to the receiver’s profile is often overlooked. Knowing what personality we are dealing with in advance can really help us tailor an assertive and intentional response that will get the point across.

Clear communication is essential in male-dominated industries. Be direct and concise when expressing your ideas or opinions. Assertive communication ensures that your voice is heard and your contributions are valued, setting you apart as a leader.

“Nobody ever achieved anything worthwhile alone”. You network of allies and cheerleaders can also help you uncover growth opportunities and encourage you to go for them 🚀

Increase your network via online medium or offline medium. Attend various events conducted by your organisation to improve your network. Seek the help from mentors at the same time mentor those individuals who needs support. Conduct webinars where you are the key speaker. This gives a lot of confidence

Keep in mind—especially in areas where men are not used to working with women—most men simply may not realize the impact of their words or actions. Approaching colleagues with a benefit of the doubt mindset as well as a genuine curiosity can help to build strong working relationships. And knowing where your boundaries are, while respectfully keeping them, will go a long way.

Cultivate relationships with mentors, allies, and peers who support your growth. Strategic alliances can amplify your influence and provide valuable support when navigating the complexities of a male-dominated industry.

A perspective on pushback- if you truly value Assertiveness, you welcome respectful pushback- it is evidence of another colleague expressing their assertiveness. The key is respectful pushback, & respectful is a good threshold to differentiate aggressive vs assertive. Some other concrete factors to differentiate assertive from aggressive 1) Is the pushback to a fact, idea, perspective OR is the pushback to the person/personality/delivery? 2) Is the pushback prefaced with partial agreement/appreciation for a new perspective, OR is the pushback prefaced with dismissal, denial of expertise or denial of credibility? These are excellent checks on yourself as well as others as they are signs of assertive collaboration rather than aggression.

In a Male-dominated environment, it's not uncommon to find women in meeting rooms being either ignored, silenced in the middle of their submission, or making it seem their opinions are not key to the issues under discussion. It is in such moments that one must keep their hands raised till it gets the Chairperson's attention. By addressing the facts of the matter and clearly stating any misrepresentations or misinformation, you assert your position. Don't make your point based on personalities but based on the issues.

Expect pushback but handle it with grace. Assertiveness doesn’t mean being aggressive; it’s about standing your ground calmly and confidently. When you encounter resistance, stay composed and use it as an opportunity to reinforce your position with poise.

In order to outshine and grow at work place requires a continuous learning throughout professional growth journey. Being senior most may not be the criteria of growth in this era, updated skills play a pivotal role in professional development.

Practice makes perfect, as the adage goes. By putting into practice the tips, tools and techniques of being assertive in your communication with others, especially male colleagues, you sharpen your self awareness and social awareness too. You're more able to pinpoint when a male colleague is trying to misrepresent your assertiveness as a sign of disrespect, rather than it being an expression of your take on an issue.

In any industry, continuous learning is key to maintaining your edge. Stay curious, seek out new knowledge, and refine your skills. An ongoing commitment to growth will enhance your assertiveness and keep you ahead of the curve.

Interesting and relevant question & so true when majority of thoughts are similar. As you assert you need to hustle to build your community which will help break the mindset. Depending on seniority and safe space you should call out unintentional biases embedded in actions. If you are successful build the path for others. From my own experience (in a diff situation) it will be draining, so keep high self belief.

In my career, thriving in a male-dominated industry required harnessing assertiveness. I spoke up in meetings, took on challenging projects, and set clear boundaries. By asserting my ideas confidently and consistently, I earned respect and advanced professionally. - Speak up in meetings. - Take on challenging projects. - Set clear boundaries. In conclusion, assertiveness is key to thriving in male-dominated industries. By confidently expressing your ideas and taking on challenges, you can earn respect and advance in your career.

L'affirmation de soi, c'est s'accepter soi-même tel que l'on est, être adulte, se mettre face à chaque situations afin de l'affronter, la maitriser, la vivre positivement, en tirer les leçons. C'est le fameux « connais-toi toi-même, et tu connaitras le monde » de Socrate. Lorsque l'on doit faire face à la réaction d'autrui, par exemple pour régler un désaccord, on peut avoir divers comportement que l'on peut résumer en 4 attitudes : – la fuite, – l'attaque, – la manipulation, – l'assertivité. Ces différentes attitudes amènent à des situations plus ou moins satisfaisantes. En fait, seule l'assertivité,m offre les meilleurs chances d'aboutir à des relations positives, constructives, pour soi et pour les autres.

It's important to also realise that you can have all the required qualifications, be as confident as possible, communicate as professionally and clearly as the adult you are, etc., as indicated here, but still encounter resistance from company staff or upper management. If you find that your advice, your work, your results are either belittled or worse, ignored, then it's time to consider a new venue. This is a hard lesson to learn, especially for women, who are culturally taught to try and please to succeed. At some point, one has to stand up for themselves and their own integrity.