We've all heard the advice to stand up for what we want and pursue our goals. This is especially true for entrepreneurs, who are expected to be extra sturdy and straightforward in their demands, even if it means facing opposition. But sometimes, assertiveness can turn into aggressiveness. Where do we draw the line between the two?
Assertiveness is defined as expressing our needs and feelings clearly and firmly, without disrespecting others. To a certain degree, it demonstrates confidence, self-assurance, and a positive attitude. However, when taken to the extreme, assertiveness can actually indicate the opposite - insecurity, unpredictability, and a rather pessimistic view.
Research by Daniel Ames suggests that being too assertive can lead to leadership shortcomings and failure. Pushing too hard can make others see you as overbearing, but going too easy can prevent you from getting things done.
Assertiveness Is Not Permanent
It's important to note that assertiveness is not a fixed trait. It can vary in intensity from non-assertiveness to a balanced level of assertiveness, and all the way to aggressiveness. Therefore, the same person can be decisive one day and hesitant the next, powerful in some aspects of life, while timid in others.
The fact that assertiveness levels can change is actually a good thing, according to experts. It means that assertiveness can be developed over time through learning and practice. Statistics show that 57% of people naturally become more assertive as they age, while 43% have had to actively learn to be more assertive.
In a startup environment, being a good manager doesn't mean pushing your team to their limits all the time. It's about being flexible and socially sensitive, knowing when to thrust and when to back off. This allows managers to be seen as motivating and engaged instead of bullying or micromanaging.
Assertiveness Can Be Affected By Factors Like Culture and Gender
How assertive someone is can be influenced by things like the culture they come from and their gender.
For instance, in some traditional Asian countries, people prefer to communicate subtly and indirectly. Being too direct or confrontational might be seen as disrespectful. Also, different cultures may interpret nonverbal signals differently.
When it comes to gender, men and women tend to have different communication styles. Men are often seen as more direct and assertive, while women may be more willing to compromise.
These differences can be shaped by traditional stereotypes too. As an example, several studies have discovered that women asking for a raise are often unfairly perceived as arrogant, demanding, and less hirable due to societal expectations.
How to Evaluate Your Assertiveness
The Founder Institute startup accelerator has developed an online assessment containing a battery of personality and aptitude evaluations to identify people with the biggest chance of being great entrepreneurs. Until now, with the help of the Entrepreneur DNA Assessment, we have tested 175K startup founders based on 26 entrepreneurial dimensions.
Our findings on assertiveness
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Assertiveness is a key trait for successful entrepreneurs. People with high levels of it have the potential to become strong leaders who accept challenges head-on and express their opinions boldly. However, it's important for highly assertive startup founders to actively seek feedback and explain their positions calmly and in detail. On the other hand, those who lack assertiveness may struggle to share their opinions and feelings. A good strategy for them is to rehearse important events where they need to take the lead and articulate themselves more frequently.
Learn more about the Entrepreneur DNA methodology
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A high level of assertiveness (but not extreme) is beneficial for entrepreneurship.
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The entrepreneurs we have tested from San Jose, Frankfurt, Belgrade, Caracas, and Rome have surpassed their peers from other cities on assertiveness.
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FI’s graduates ranking high of assertiveness are more likely to keep their companies alive for a long time.
In summary, a high level of assertiveness is essential. However, even if you don’t naturally possess it, you can learn it. Conversely, too much assertiveness can be balanced out with complementary characteristics like collaboration and agreeableness.
Curious to explore more entrepreneurial traits? The Entrepreneur DNA Test is now accessible to all. Find your top traits and receive insights on how to optimize them as a startup founder.
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our highly-structured accelerator programs have helped entrepreneurs raised over $1.75BN in funding across over 200 cities worldwide.
Learn more about the Founder Institute at FI.co, or join an upcoming startup event at FI.co/events.
