One of my favourite communication strategies is Assertive Communication which is confident but also respectful of others' thoughts and feelings. Assertive communication creates space for honest conversations and promotes healthy connections between individuals.
Because assertiveness is based on mutual respect, it's an effective and diplomatic communication style. Being assertive shows that you respect yourself because you're willing to stand up for your interests and express your thoughts and feelings.
But it also means Assertive communication is the ideal communication style because it is the healthiest communication style. Assertive communicators express needs respectfully, listen without interrupting others, use good eye contact, utilize calm and clear tones of voice, and do not allow others to manipulate or abuse them.
In other words, if an interviewer presents a question to intimidate, take a moment to reflect, and then answer with integrity. However, instead of falling for coercion and feeling obliged to explain yourself, rather focus on what actually happened. You are not under obligation to provide reasoning for your decisions. Breathe deep, collect your thoughts, and deliver a smart answer that on one hand answers, and on the other protects your interests.
Remember to smile. Smiling releases endorphins, which make us feel better. Maintain open body language and eye contact, and try to avoid nervous fidgeting. If you don't understand a question, don't be afraid to ask for it to be repeated or rephrased.
One method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview question by discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are describing. Don’t be afraid to invert the scenario and put the interviewer in the limelight, by saying while smiling, ‘And what would you have done?’
Don’t forget, if the question is too probing then it is fine to say, ‘I can’t really answer that because it is too early to give without a thorough review.’ However, it certainly needs to be determined, so you could add, ‘We’ll have to analyze it before jumping to any conclusions.’
Take care!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
intimidate (n) = threaten, frighten, scare, bully, coerce, terrorize, daunt, alarm
Integrity (n) = honesty, truth, truthfulness, honor, reliability, uprightness, (ant) dishonesty
Coercion (n) = pressure, compulsion, force, intimidation, strong arming, oppression, bullying, duress, cruelty
Limelight (n) = attention, fame, renown, publicity, public interest, public eye, glare of publicity
Probing (adj) = searching, penetrating, analytical, inquisitive, curious, investigative, exploratory, examining, interested
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