Assertive leadership – A must for women!

Do you tend to shy away from voicing your opinion? Driven by fear of offending others, do you gleefully forfeit opportunities for giving unsolicited feedback particularly to people occupying positions senior to yours? Do you have the tendency to beat about the bush using words laced with ambiguous overtones? Are you always keen to run away from difficult conversations for fear of hurting others? While you shy away from talking straight, are you known to follow the zero-impact route, always venting out in frustration in wrong forums, speaking behind the back of your friends and colleagues?

Whenever you muster the courage to share your views, do you tend to do so apologetically? Do you do all these things because you want to be considered collegial by all and would rather not risk ruining relationships that you consider important? If so, because of your patent disengagement and failure to commit emotionally and intellectually, you are a huge burden to people in your social and professional circles. If you have worked with people of this nature, you know the pain that comes with it.