20 Increase Your Influence at Work
not near the center of this continuum, use the descriptive bul-
let points in the center column as models for your future be-
havior and communication style at work.
Effective and assertive verbal messages are delivered through
brief, declarative sentences that are specific, concrete, and to
the point. People who use direct communication don’t waltz
around their main point, ramble, hesitate, hedge their state-
ments, excuse themselves, or do anything else that prolongs
or confuses their messages. Consider each of the following
examples of unassertive speech and their assertive equiva-
lents:
UNASSERTIVE ASSERTIVE
? Perhaps, if you don’t ? There’s another approach
mind—and I realize the to financing this phase of
subject may seem a bit our expansion. I recom-
arcane—but if you’re open mend that we do a sale-
to it, we might look at leaseback. Here’s how it
another approach to works. . . .
financing this phase of our
expansion.
? Oh, excuse me, Doug, I’m ? Doug, I’d like to talk with
sorry to bother you when you about my vacation
you’re so busy, but, ah, I schedule. Can we meet
was wondering, and next week?
maybe this isn’t the time,
but I was wondering if I
could talk with you
sometime about my
vacation schedule. Is that
possible?
Note how the unassertive communicator beats around the
bush and qualifies what he hopes to say (‘‘If you’re open to
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The Foundation of Influence 21
it’’) and seems to be apologizing (‘‘Excuse me’’; ‘‘I’m sorry’’).
Meaning is lost in a blather of hemming and hawing. The as-
sertive speaker, in contrast, uses simple declarative sentences
(‘‘There’s another approach’’) and is commanding in nature
(‘‘I recommend that . . .’’). Try following similar assertive ap-
proaches on a regular basis. As you craft short, clear, concrete
sentences that precisely convey your meaning, you’ll hear and
feel yourself becoming more assertive.
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Trustworthiness. Reliability. Assertiveness. When you practice these
attributes, you will begin to develop a positive reputation and have
a solid foundation for personal influence at work. But remember,
influence is a work in progress—it’s easy to tear down this founda-
tion by acting in untrustworthy or unreliable ways. And even when
you have the foundation firmly in place, to be truly effective, you’ll
need to go a step further. Our next chapter tells you how.
CHAPTER REVIEW
To review what you have learned, take the following open-book
review quiz.
1. What are the three foundation attributes of influence?
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22 Increase Your Influence at Work
2. Describe three things you can do to be viewed by others as trust-
worthy.
3. Describe three things you can do to establish a reputation for relia-
bility.
4. Explain what is meant by each of the following behaviors in the work-
place context:
Passive
Aggressive
Assertive
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