The Assertive Woman

As the sister of one of the author's I am sure anyone would expect me to give a positive review, and I do! Not just because Nancy is my sister but because I have been taught since I was a young girl how to be assertive by my sister and at the age of 44 I now see how vital that teaching has been for me over the years. Nancy and Stanlee have given their best in this book and I have to say that every reader with a sister needs to share this book with them. My personal sense of identity comes as a direct result of being taught by Nancy at the age of 10 that I don't have to allow myself to be intimidated for fear of alienating someone by telling them "no". I learned self respect at a young age because I didn't allow myself to be "labeled" as a young lady when I felt that was not a proper discription of who I was! I was a young woman, big difference! I also learned that I don't have to accept someone else's name in marriage just because society expects me to! I was given the gift of freedom by my sister and her teachings and now I have a manual to refer to when I get lost along the way. I am also a counselor and have found that assertivenss does not only apply to women! I have male clients that benefit from the techniques I have learned through the book! Way to go Nancy and Stanlee!

Congratulations to Stanlee Phelps and Nancy Austin on the 4th edition of their book, "The Assertive Woman". They've been at it since 1974 (I've gotten each edition and referred them to my clients during my 30 years as a career and management consultant and coach.) This revised and updated edition continues to be a timely, relevant and reliable resource for women as they navigate the landmines on their assertiveness journeys. The book offers real-world examples, communication guidelines, self-awareness exercises and lessons learned in the authors' work with corporate and entrepreneurial women. (And I believe the solid advice and information is valid for all women of all ages regardless of their work status.... especially young women in high school and college who are just starting their assertiveness journeys.) I found the 14 page Resource Guide an especially helpful tool as it includes additional books, articles, newsletters, videos, websites, and professional associationsas available for any woman to find what she needs to support her in her assertiveness journey. I also loved the cover. Every photo has an interesting story behind it to convey that one size of assertiveness does not fit all! And it shows how far we've come.....

I read this book just around the time I started to build my own tax practice. Why? Only because my first corporate client was Stanlee Phelps' Career Concerns. And it seemed wise to read my client's book. What an eye-opener! For someone starting out on their own (man or woman), it was THE best book I could have picked up.Stanlee Phelps and Nancy Austin provided tangible information about how to get what you want or to make your point. They did it, though, by imparting a sense of grace and sanity, not present in the days of Women's Lib. (Don't worry, the Feminist feelings do run strong in the book.)Their questions and exercises helped me learn so much about myself. It made it much easier to make the changes necessary to become a success in business. (And, inadvertantly, it helped me overcome my fear of public speaking. And how!)One of the best lessons I took away from that book, (to paraphrase) "Just because you CAN be assertive, doesn't mean you always should." Holding my tongue, at times, has gotten me greater rewards than speaking up - just because I could. If you're out there selling your products or services, making bids on contracts, working with contractors and staff...even if you're a man, pick this book up. It's a quick readI've never told Stanlee quite what an effect this book had on me. But, really, it was remarkable. Thank you!

I have found this book very helpful. It gave a lot of examples of assertive and non-assertive behavior and helped me identify my non-assertive actions. I always thought I had a lot of self-confidence and high self-esteem, but recently I discovered that on the surface I do and that inside I really must not. I am currently leaving a verbally abusive relationship, and this book is giving me the confidence and strength (along with a few other books) to make sure I'm treated with the repect and love that every woman (person) is entitled to.

The only problem with this book is the resentful femenist tone it conveys. Some of the chapters seem to contradict one another, like "I'm funny, you're sarcastic." The retorts that Phelps and Austin have come up with ARE sarcastic.Other than that, it is still decently laid out. I like the way there were sections to write in to evaluate yourself. There were also example scenarios of how a woman could handle herself in particular situations. It wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but I'd recommend to a woman with low self-esteem.