Taking into consideration the leadership traits, there are many attributes which make a true leader. Though ' Assertiveness' is a very important quality towards being a successful leader it isn't the single quality which matters only.
As it is aptly said there is a very thin line between aggresiveness and assertiveness. Hence the leader has to tread wisely with a well balanced approach and take initiatives accordingly. The key techniques of assertiveness which hold relevance are ;
Honesty and Integrity : As one can lead by example upholding one ethics , values and principles. Besides the feedback shared with subordinates / colleagues must be honest although it should be shared with sensitivity and compassion so that no one is offended / demotivated in the process.
Interpersonal Rapport : The Leader must be valued, respected , trusted and supported by the concerned section of people at all levels. The ability to connect and communicate with everyone , being accessible and looked up to as a Lynchpin holds immense significance.
Decision making ability, Good Judgement : Analysis of all the trends and facts carefully, weighing the related pros and cons is a pivotal quality of an assertive leader. The decision taken based on holistic assessment of facts and figures thus enables / leads to proper judgement.
Collaboration : Another relevant technique for assertiveness as a leader is the art of collaborating. This needs to be done across all departments / units of the entire organisation and the other concerned parties. As the aligned stakeholders ( Both in the Internal and External Environment) need to work together , complementing each other to ensure and accomplish all round growth and success of the entity.
As per the techniques mentioned, a Leader is expected to have a combination of the aforesaid mentioned qualities. Such as honesty, integrity, good at communications , decision making , collaboration, apart from being assertive. In the role of a supervisor this would be used to lead by example first of all. Besides the optimal usage i.e putting these attributes into action will serve as a binding force to keep the team together & happy , and lead to achieve organisational goals.
Communication could be improved by sharing of information among colleagues at all levels and keeping each other well updated / informed. This would result in an all inclusive approach where everyone works with the sense of awareness and responsibilty striving to fulfill their responsibility at the workplace.
The source primarily used for this purpose is the Forbes overview which highlights the important techniques of being an assertive leader.