Assertiveness 20292

Assertiveness is a behavioral skill taught by many personal development experts and behavior therapists as well as cognitive behavior therapists. It is linked to self-esteem and considered an important communication skill[according to whom?]. It was originally explored by Joseph Wolpe in his book on treating neurosis. It is commonly employed as an intervention in behavior therapy.[1] The belief was that a person could not be both assertive and anxious at the same time and thus being assertive would inhibit anxiety.[citation needed]

As a communication style and strategy, assertiveness is distinguished from aggression and passivity[citation needed]. How people deal with personal boundaries, their own and those of other people, helps to distinguish between these three concepts. Passive communicators do not defend their own personal boundaries and thus allow aggressive people to abuse or manipulate them through fear. Passive communicators are also typically not likely to risk trying to influence anyone else. Aggressive people do not respect the personal boundaries of others and thus are liable to harm others while trying to influence them. A person communicates assertively by overcoming fear to speak his or her mind or trying to influence others, but doing so in a way that respects the personal boundaries of others. Assertive people are also willing to defend themselves against aggressive people.