The Assertive Advantage by Sharon Anthony Bower 

National Press Publications, 1994.

   
There are many forces that affect every aspect of doing business and trigger a multitude of feelings and behaviors in workers, managers, executives and business owners.  Some people thrive on change and feel secure in their ability to handle anything that comes their way.  They're great at identifying options and making decisions that eventually move them forward.  When they face obstacles, they look for and find solutions.  They may feel moments of indecisiveness or insecurity, but they quickly turn these moments into opportunities.  They seem to have an uncanny ability to identify the steps they need to take to move forward.  That's assertiveness in action.         

These assertive workers never give up on themselves or on their ability to hang in there and make good things happen.  In short, assertive workers are optimists.  They're constantly learning and constantly growing with their changing work environment.

Many workers, however, feel insecure about themselves and their ability to handle changes in their work environments.  They take a wait and see attitude, sitting back and allowing things to happen.  They find it difficult, if not impossible, to deal with the many forces in their work environments.  Moments of indecisiveness or insecurity turn into weeks, and sometimes months, of frustration and inaction for these workers and often for those around them.

These passive workers don't assert themselves at appropriate times or in ways that create a climate of problem solving.  The hopeless inertia of passive people rubs off on their fellow employees until the work environment is polluted with pessimism. 

Some workers who are filled with pent-up emotions explode in angry outbursts.  They express too much, too late, becoming aggressive or abrasive instead of assertive.  Other people are filled with fear, or feel victimized, waiting for something bad to happen.  Nonassertive behavior is not only ineffective, it often makes the situation worse.         

Every organization contains a mix of assertive, passive and aggressive workers, managers and executives.  And every organization is directly affected by how its assertive, passive and aggressive workers communicate with each other and with clientele.  How assertive they communicate will either further the organization or sabotage it.         

This book provides excellent assertiveness training.  Readers learn to solve problems by using a cooperative, negotiating style of behavior called assertive communication.   Organizations that reap the benefits of this training have learned that employees who consistently communicate assertively are happier and more productive.  In the end, their work environment is healthier.  This is a worthwhile read.