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Impudence ≠ lack of culture

Elegant audacity

There is such a thing as assertiveness in management, and it often comes across in the job description. This is not just a requirement, it is a concept established in business practice that helps the employer and the applicant to speak the same language.

Impudence is the unknown psi factor that distinguishes a good salesman from a good person. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that often a bright salesman is an impudent salesman. If this very audacity is not enough for one of your most valuable employees, remember: it is impossible to change a person. You can only change your own behavior. And it is better to spend the energy that you would like to direct to changing someone else, to "start with yourself". What is necessary to see in a new way your lack of impudence, that is, a second happiness?

It's not the same thing to become the owner of a healthy arrogance or to fit your qualities of perseverance into the corporate culture and direct energy to the effective achievement of the company's goals.

Impudence is the force that can change the established standards of behavior of the company. And this must be done if the corporate culture has hardened with the advent of sustainable success.

How to determine exactly where an employee who is distinguished by healthy arrogance is required? Firstly, you need the ability to reflect, to find the reasons for today in the past, and also to be able to put yourself in the place of a person with such a quality as arrogance. Secondly, you need to put yourself in the place of the person with whom this person communicates, on whom he influences.

At the same time, it is important to understand that arrogance is not a quality. Impudence is a process. She "grew up" in an employee, she lives in him and, oddly enough, can disappear. At different stages of life, it can manifest itself differently in the same employee. Listen to the changes that are taking place: perhaps they are connected not only with the situation in the company, but also with the personal life of an employee or with plans for the future.

Why do you need an employee with a healthy arrogance:

• he will tell the business the truth that the management is afraid to hear. And this truth needs to be heard before it's too late;
• he will compare his qualities with those of his colleagues. This is something worth paying attention to. Very often among his comments there will be valuable considerations about those features that distinguish a viable organization or individual effective employees;
• he will point out possible, but by no means canonical ways to achieve the goal.

How to become a door opener

"Harvard Business Review" invited specialists in personal training and asked them the most burning questions about how to acquire the cherished quality of a "punchy" salesman or manager, and at the same time not lose their individuality. The everyday wisdom of the head suggests that it is the arrogant who achieve their goal. They tell employees and partners exactly what they think. They are able to demand the resources they count on. They get promoted. They don't accept the answer "no". What should a person who does not have a healthy arrogance do if the corporate culture approves of such manifestations of character? If by nature you are endowed with modesty, or even shyness, shyness or just restraint, do not give up. And you will be able to achieve results while remaining yourself.

Expert opinion

Any manager needs a certain level of self-confidence. This is the first condition for effective work. "What does it mean to be a good leader or salesman? It means being moderately arrogant, smart and, of course, respecting others," says L. Zander, founder and CEO of the Handel Group, one of the leading New York companies engaged in leadership training. Zander is the author of the special course "Design your Life".

Of course, healthy arrogance opens up opportunities. But we need to find a balance. "There is one subtlety in matters of impudence. It is important to feel the golden mean. If you don't reach it, you won't get your way. If you overreact, you will spoil relations with people," says D. Amez, professor of management at Columbia Business School, author of the book "To Put the squeeze on the result: Arrogance, effective leadership and interpersonal communication."

The main thing you need to remember if you find yourself lacking in impudence: Shyness and restraint are not immutable personality traits. Insolence can be learned," says Zander.

For success in mastering arrogance as a skill, the following is enough:

• understand the specifics of the communication situation (context);
• evaluate your behavior from the outside;
• make the necessary changes to your behavior (adaptation & impudence).

Author: Alexandra Chekalina

Photo: Shutterstock.com