Which style of behavior is essential to survive in the corporate world: aggressive, assertive, or passive? This is apparently a simple question. But unless one clearly defines each style of behavior, the answer to the question would be unconvincing. There are staunch believers of Charles Darwin's theory of `survival of the fittest', who entertain the notion that one ought to be aggressive; and there are also those pacifists who firmly believe that being passive ensures a peaceful coexistence. A few others believe that they are assertive, while they are actually aggressive; and some want to assert themselves but don't know how. This paper defines each style and weighs the advantages and disadvantages before arriving at a conclusion.
Based on the above information, which gives the comparative advantages and disadvantages of different styles of behavior, it could be summed up that assertiveness is a way of communication and/or behavior that strikes a balance between the two extremes of aggressiveness and submissiveness. It is also evident from the above that assertiveness guarantees conflict-free relationships.
Therefore could we comfortably conclude that `to assert' is again the answer?
Before concluding thus, could we take a peep into the pages of history?
In history we have two good examples of assertive behavior—Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Both were leaders of oppressed, invaded groups, who were dominated by an upper class (British colonials in the case of Gandhi, and the American White establishment in the case of Luther King). Both leaders came to a realization that submission to the ruling powers was no longer working and that something drastic had to happen. Both leaders chose a path of non-violent resistance—this is what makes their behavior assertive rather than aggressive and what separates them from run-of-the-mill freedom fighters everywhere. Their commitment to non-violent resistance is what made them great.
Yet another classic example of assertive behavior would be Winston Churchill, who mobilized the British and sent it to battle against the aggressive Hitler. It was a symbol of man's will to resist tyranny.
Therefore going back to the question, "To assert or not to assert?", we can emphatically say based on the above instances that "To assert and to assert and to assert till the end," is the answer. Now it is concluded that we should assert. |
