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How To Halt Put-Downs The Assertive Way

Once time has passed and your emotions have cooled (at least a little) try to get the person in a neutral environment alone. If the person continues to put you down in front of others, maybe consider continuing to address the situation assertively – regardless of who is listening – as outlined below.

Most of all, remember to remain calm (at least on the outside) with a moderated tone of voice and open body language throughout the duration of the conversation, no matter what is being said. Remember, the moment you lose control and get angry or aggressive you give your power to the perpetrator which is exactly what they want.

Step One – Find Out The Intention Behind The Comment, Explain Your Thoughts And Feelings And Say What You Want

Repeat the put-down and then ask…

‘Can you say more about what you meant by that comment?’

The person may then reply by a further put-down such as ‘nothing, you’re overly sensitive’. Repeat the question and if they do not answer continue by saying…

‘I took the comment to mean (x, y, z). Is that what you meant by the comment?’

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Although being assertive is beneficial, many – including me at times – shy away from it out of fear. Fear of conflict, fear of failure, fear of humiliation or even fear of further put downs. One of my favorite books is called ‘Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway’ so when possible I try to push through my fears because I know what I resist, persists.

Trust me, if I can do this, you can too. Just take a look at what you stand to gain below. It’s worth it, I promise.

 The benefits of being assertive

Assertiveness is all about creating healthy boundaries for how you wish to be treated and should not be confused with aggression which violates others disrespectfully. When we assert ourselves we shift from a victim mentality to an empowered one. We reap the rewards of increased self-esteem when we communicate to others we deserve to be treated with respect because we communicate our inherent worth.

Whilst dealing with put-downs is quite a specific area of assertiveness, if you feel you would like to be more assertive in your day to day life, I would suggest reading my other assertiveness articles as featured below:

How To Free Yourself And Assert Your Rights

A thorough look at the intrinsic rights we are all born with and how to protect them by creating boundaries.

Assertiveness: A Journey Worth Taking

Examines and explains advanced assertiveness techniques and breaks them down in a manageable and easy way.

Sick Of Over-Extending Yourself? Learn How To Say No

Explains in depth how to overcome the people-pleasing trap and gives step by step instructions on how to use assertiveness to say no.

The criticism quandary; How to handle criticism and emerge bigger and better for it

Looks at how to handle criticism in a healthy, constructive and assertive way, enabling you to use it to propel you forward.

How To Halt Put-Downs – Immediate Responses

The best way to respond to put-downs – at least initially – is with humor. This disarms the perpetrator and fails to give them the reaction they want which is anger, you feeling ashamed or humiliated. A standard and very effective response to almost any put-down is:

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