Review: Assertiveness training is not just for shy folk

For those of you assertive types who have been waiting for an excuse to read Ilise's last book, Stop Pushing Me Around: A Workplace Guide for the Timid, Shy and Less Assertive, look no further than the great insights executive coach Kent Blumberg puts forth in a review on his blog:

I am far from shy.  (In fact I can sometimes be a bit too much for some people.)  And yet I found huge value in this book.  Each of us has shy moments, and those moments are what this book is for.

Exactly!

But as Kent also points out, that's not all this book has to offer. In addition to some great exercises that will help introverts (and help extroverts understand us), there's lots of good, smart "homework" that will make you a savvier self-promoter. Some highlights Kent points out:

• Many, if not most of you understand the need to craft a short "elevator speech" to explain to folks what it is that you do.  Ilise takes that concept and turbo-charges it, helping us craft ten different versions, each with its own use.  She shows us how to write a version Mom would understand, for example, and one for a stranger you see in the doctor's office.  Very cool ideas here (and some homework for me).

• Benun gives us templates to help us tell compelling stories about ourselves.  For example, she shows us how to construct the story of one of our top achievements.

If you want to read Kent's full review (and/or start a conversation about it on his blog), go here.

Any of you regular (or not so regular) readers want to chime in about what you got out of the book?

Comments

[Kent Blumberg]

Thanks for the link and the kind words. I just pre-ordered Ilise's latest book - can't wait!