This post is a repeat from a post that was written last year. I am re-running it here because I believe the message has value. I see so many MTs now trying to find that balance in how to stand up for themselves. The good news is that I do see some in our industry starting to take a stand. Let’s have some dialogue!

I am often a bit surprised when I listen to medical transcriptionists talk about their work and the things that “happen” to them. Perhaps it’s because we work so much in isolation behind a computer, but I don’t think we have mastered assertiveness skills. If we had, I wonder if these same things would happen all the time.

Let’s talk about what that means. There’s a continuum where assertive is on one end and aggressive is on the other. We all know what an “aggressive” female is called, especially in the workplace. Men are referred to as tough and women, well, we often just get labeled with that word that rhymes with witch. I have often wondered why that is and it certainly doesn’t seem fair.

Years ago, I did assertiveness workshops. We used the principles in a book called The Assertive Woman. It was amazing to watch the change in people expressions when they were able to struggle through and have an assertive response.

Why is assertive communication important?

First, it makes you have more self-confidence. You simply feel better about your interactions. Being assertive also means that you are less likely to be taken advantage of by someone else. That’s not to say it’s always comfortable. In fact, if you change your behavior to become more assertive, you may find that others really don’t like it. They may be used to you being more passive and just letting things pass, so this change can be a tough one for those around you to adjust to.

A Few Things to Remember

It’s often our tone of voice that pushes us into the aggressive area. Remember to stay calm and keep your voice calm as well. Make direct eye contact with the person you’re speaking to. It also helps to use “I” messages. Don’t say things like “you make me so mad,” but rather reframe that to say “When you do that, I get angry because I feel like you aren’t respecting me.”

Imagine the Possibilities

I’ve never really been accused of not being assertive. But here’s a secret for you. It’s tough for me! Perhaps one of my better stories is at a job I held where I learned that a man in a comparable position in title, yet with less overall responsibility in the company was making considerably more than I was in salary. I stewed for quite awhile. I really wasn’t supposed to know it, the information had been sent to me by mistake. In the end, I felt if I didn’t stand up for myself, I was doing myself a real disservice. And so I had the dreaded talk with my boss. Believe me, I rehearsed that discussion over and over. In the end, it was difficult, yet simple. I just stated facts: I have learned this to be the case. I realize you don’t purposefully pay men more than women and so I am requesting that you make the adjustment. I’ve been here longer and am responsible for more areas in the company and should be compensated just like someone else in this title. It was perhaps one of the toughest conversations I’ve ever had in my life. In the end, after saying he needed to think about it, I ended up with the raise I had asked for and things were made right.

Imagine for a minute how things might be different the next time you stand up and say something like “When you tell me I have to take a 50% decrease in my line rate because of the technology, I feel like you don’t value the knowledge I bring to the table. I’d like us to give a trial first to see how much using technology truly makes a difference and then have a discussion about line rates so that it’s a win/win for both of us.”

Would it matter? I say until we try things like this we really don’t know. How about it? Have you had a time when you were assertive and it worked? Let’s share some thoughts on what barriers we have to being assertive and how to overcome those barriers!