Assertiveness involves acting in one's own best interests by expressing one's thoughts and feelings directly and honestly. Assertiveness involves standing up for your rights when someone else is about to infringe on them. Submissive communication is consistently giving in to others on points of possible contention. Submissive people tend to let others take advantage of them. Submissive communication can be manipulative.
Aggressive communication involves an intention to hurt or harm another.
Assertive behavior includes no intention to inflict harm, but it does involve defending your rights. Clarify the nature of assertive communication . Observe a model's assertive communication . Practice assertive communication .