Episode
403 | How to be assertive without being an a-hole
- Podcast
- The Art of Speaking Up
- Published
- Feb 23, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1229
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Being assertive doesn't mean being pushy, aggressive, or domineering - but many corporate environments only show you that one style of leadership. In this episode, I teach you the two opposing styles of assertiveness: Pushing Down vs. Lifting Up. One erodes trust and damages your reputation over time. The other builds respect, inspires teams, and gets people to genuinely want to follow your lead - this is what I’m teaching you to do. You'll learn: Why "assertive" doesn't have to mean "aggressive" The Push Down vs. Lift Up framework for assertive leadership Why the aggressive style backfires (even for geniuses like Steve Jobs) 3 practical tactics to be assertive in a way that lifts others up How to inspire buy-in without forcing your ideas on people Why this style of assertiveness feels better for you AND your stakeholders Links: Free Assertiveness ebook: https://www.assertivenessebook.com/ Art of Speaking Up Academy waitlist: https://jessguzikcoaching.com/academy/