Assertiveness in the workplace

Assertiveness is an essential skill in the modern salon, but there’s a trick to getting it right. Business coaches Amanda Baines and Nick Siddle business coaching company Gholdenphish share their golden tips!

Assertiveness is an essential skill in the modern salon. With it, you will manage your team more effectively, increase your self-esteem and negotiate successfully. Your team will respect you and know that you are in charge!

Spot your normal behaviour
It is important to recognise your team's behaviour in order to manage them more effectively. Behaviour is passive, aggressive or assertive. If you can spot the three types you can modify your own behaviour to suit the situation, especially under pressure.

Passive behaviour looks indecisive and inactive. People being passive are easy to get along with, but don't stand up for their rights. If you are passive your team will push you around. You will let awkward stylists get away with things. You will generate stress and tension in your salon resentment that builds under the surface, and lose the team's respect.

Aggressive behaviour is intrusive. It means pushing for what you want without being concerned about the effect on the rest of the team. Are you suspicious of your staff? Do they see you always on the lookout for what they do wrong? Do you feel they violate your rights?

Assertive is the most effective way to behave. Being assertive means that you are neither a pushover nor are you confrontational. Being assertive simply means that you are not just for a ‘win’ for yourself or your business, but that you are aiming to solve a problem and get the best result for all parties: a win win solution.

How to be assertive

Follow these easy steps:
1. Be honest about your own feelings.
2. Say to yourself "I am going to be positive and constructive. I will not get angry or upset".
3. Listen carefully: respect the other person. Work out how they are feeling.
4. Be clear, direct, positive and specific in what you say.
5. Use positive body language to back up your assertion. Stand tall, be centred, and look calm.
6. If they're aggressive use the broken record technique. Repeat your message calmly until she stops fighting. For example "I'm sorry Karly but this is what we are going to do, I won’t be bullied on this". You will find three to four repetitions will usually be enough.
7. If you are uncertain about something ask for clarification "Ok – what exactly does that mean?"