Discovering the equilibrium between aggression and submissiveness – the art of being assertive
Julia Wójcik
2026-03-23
3 min. read
42
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Assertiveness is a term that has been frequently misconstrued and duplicated by many people. One could say it's merely a trendy term, often understood only as the ability to say no. However, the art of saying no is just the tip of the iceberg, the beginning of a group of behaviors that we describe with this term. Assertiveness is one of the fundamental social competencies that enable us to build healthy and satisfying relationships with our surroundings.
Can you learn to be assertive?
Assertiveness is not a characteristic that a person is born with. It is a skill that is acquired over time and that brings many benefits. Effective communication that manifests itself in a situation of aggression or addiction. Assertivity can be learned, but it is a process that requires effort and consequence that many consider to be the most difficult. This is certainly good news for those who have previously had a problem, e.g. by expressing their own opinion in stressful professional situations and using their own defense mechanisms in the form of aggressive or addictive situations.
Exercise INSPIRE Sourcing s... c
Here's an exercise that gives you three examples of negative responses. Try to define their type: an assertive response, an aggressive response, a failed response, and also think about what kind of messages/answers you're using yourself in practice. (a) A description of the situation: A work colleague suddenly calls you with a request for help in preparing a report that she's not getting along with, and you've promised your family that you'll go to the Aquarium. (b) I won't help you with the report. (c) This is your job and you always ask for something at the last minute and don't count on my plans.