Another skill needed to enforce clear boundaries is the DBT skill, “broken record.” Years ago, a scratched or broken record reiterated the words relentlessly that were in the exact spot that was damaged.
Similarly, a person who is asserting his/her position with someone who refuses to concede and accept his/her position needs to behave like the old fashioned “broken record.” He/she should simply repeat his/her position like the “broken record” of years ago without budging. A calm demeanor is necessary to use this skill effectively while simultaneously remaining firm and calmly reiterating his/her position when someone adamantly tries to violate his/her clear boundary.
The key to assertiveness is remaining calm and firm. There is no anger or accusations since those behaviors render the person aggressive. Assertive people do not allow others to take advantage of them or violate their boundaries, they remain calm and maintain their self-respect in addition to having respect for the next person as well.
On the other side of the coin are aggressive people who use scary tactics such as raising their voices, insults and threatening their opponents. This behavior creates animosity whereas assertiveness fosters respect for the individual especially since the person treats his/her opponent with dignity and fairness.

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