Being assertive is essential to everyday life and is not just useful in the office or at work.
Assertiveness is a skill that we can all use in our everyday life. Some people think that assertiveness is just limited to work but that is actually not the case. It is even useful in relationships. But to be assertive, there are some things that you need to practice. If you’re really serious in wanting to be assertive, consider joining the Assertiveness and Self-Confidence Training Course from PD Training in Singapore.
Speak Slowly and Clearly
When you speak in a rushing manner, it’s like you don’t want the other person or people to really digest what you want to say. On the other hand, when you speak clearly and slowly, it shows that you value the time that people gave you and that you want them to understand what you have to say. Maintain a straight and calm voice. It doesn’t have to be loud but it should be audible to the people you want to talk to.
In the case where you notice that people are not noticing you, say “excuse me” in a clear and firm manner. There is no point of talking if there is nobody listening. Also, do not be apologetic especially if you’ve done 
nothing wrong. If you apologise for nothing, it will show that you are not comfortable in the spotlight.
During your talk, try to be brief and straight to the point. These people have other things to do and don’t have the time to listen to a long speech. Keep in mind that even the best speaker can lose his audience if he takes too long to make his point.
When talking, avoid using “um” and “like” especially when you’re trying to make a strong statement. It makes you appear unconfident and unprepared.
Confident Body Language
The way you hold yourself speaks a lot about you and your confidence long before you’ve uttered your first word. Keep your chin up and your shoulders squared. Avoid unnecessary movement and try to maintain eye contact as much as you can. Your nervousness can really show through your body language. Never allow your audience to see this because even when you’re not confident, you can always pretend to be otherwise.
Dress to Impress
As shallow as it seems, we have to admit that a lot of people can judge your entire being on your appearance. If you look like you just got out of bed, people are not going to take you seriously. In fact, they might not even give you any of their time.
Dressing to impress doesn’t mean you have to wear expensive designer clothes. What it does mean is that we need to look neat and clean.
Practise
There’s no shame in practising what you’re going to say. Practising in front of the mirror or making a recording helps you to pinpoint the areas that you need to fine-tune. When the time for the real thing comes, look back on how you sounded during your practice and it should help you gain the confidence to speak up.
These are some of the tips that you can practise to start projecting the confidence you need to able to show confidence and assertiveness. Remember PD Training in Singapore when you want to change your life.
PD Training delivers thousands of professional development courses each year in Singapore so you can be assured your training will be delivered by a qualified and experienced trainer.
All public Assertiveness & Self Confidence Training courses include am/pm tea, lunch, printed courseware and a certificate of completion. Customised courses are available upon request so please contact pdtraining at [email protected] to learn more.