1 key to speaking with clarity and leading with authority

THE ART & SCIENCE OF LEADING SELF
The Power of Assertions

My friend, last week we explored how mistaking assessments for facts creates invisible barriers to your leadership effectiveness. Today, let's examine the flip side of that coin: the transformative power of assertions.

What exactly is an assertion, and why does it matter for your mindset?

An assertion is a statement that describes reality in a way that can be verified. Unlike assessments (which are subjective interpretations), assertions ground you in objective reality (what is empirically observable and measurable). ¹

Examples of Assertions:

• “The meeting is scheduled for 3 PM.” (Verifiable by checking a calendar.)

• “We generated $5 million in revenue last quarter.” (Verifiable by reviewing financial reports.)

• “John submitted the report yesterday.” (Verifiable by checking the submission timestamp.)

What an Assertion is NOT:

• “The meeting was unproductive.” (This is an assessment, as ‘unproductive’ is subjective.)

• “Our revenue growth is disappointing.” (Again, an assessment—‘disappointing’ depends on perspective.)

• “John is unreliable with reports.” (An opinion, not a fact.)

Consider these examples:

✅ Assertion: "The quarterly report was submitted at 10:15 AM, fifteen minutes after the deadline."
❌ Assessment: "The team is disrespectful of deadlines."

✅ Assertion: "During yesterday's presentation, three people asked clarifying questions."
❌ Assessment: "My presentation was confusing to the audience."

✅ Assertion: "We've missed our targets for two consecutive quarters."
❌ Assessment: "We're failing as a leadership team."

The difference isn't merely semantic. It's the foundation of mental clarity, emotional regulation, and effective decision-making. When you mistake assessments for assertions, you create unnecessary mental turbulence. When you ground yourself in assertions, you build a solid platform for leadership.

Where Assertions Transform Your Leadership 🔄

Your ability to distinguish and articulate assertions impacts every aspect of your leadership:

Self-Leadership:

• How you interpret your performance

• How you process setbacks

• What you believe about your capabilities

Team Leadership:

• How you deliver feedback

• How you establish expectations

• How you drive accountability

Strategic Leadership:

• How you assess market conditions

• How you evaluate organizational performance

• How you communicate vision and direction

In each domain, precise assertions create clarity that empowers more effective action.

The Mindset Connection 🧠

Remember our equation: M = f(m). Your Mindset work is a function of Mindfulness.

Mindfulness creates the space to observe your language, both internal and external. When you develop awareness of how your language shapes your reality, you gain the power to:

1. Anchor yourself in verifiable facts rather than emotional interpretations

2. Reduce unnecessary mental strain from arguing with subjective narratives

3. Identify clear next steps based on reality, not reactivity

4. Build resilience through more accurate self-assessment

This isn't just theoretical. It's also deeply practical.

Your assertions shape how you perceive challenges ➡️ which influences your emotional responses 😮 ➡️ which drives your behaviors 🏃🏽‍♀️‍➡️➡️ which determines your results 🎯.

Want to develop a more empowering mindset? Start by mastering assertions.

Beyond “Positive Thinking” 💪🏽

Assertions aren't about putting a positive spin on reality. They're about seeing reality clearly, without the emotional overlay that often clouds your perception.

Consider how these shifts might transform your mindset:

🔄 From: "I'm terrible at public speaking."
✅ To: "I spoke too quickly during the first five minutes of my presentation."

🔄 From: "My team is resistant to change."
✅ To: "Three team members expressed concerns about the timeline during our planning meeting."

🔄 From: "I never follow through on my goals."
✅ To: "I committed to four workout sessions last week and completed two."

Each shift removes language that triggers emotional reactivity and introduces precision that enables strategic response. The first statement in each pair creates psychological drain; the second creates a foundation for growth.

Remember: Mindset development starts with the courage to see and speak reality clearly.

FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
Putting It Into Practice

Your Assertion Practice Toolkit:

1. The Assessment Audit: For one day, notice every time you make a statement that contains subjective judgment (words like "good," "bad," "successful," "failure"). Then rewrite each statement as a verifiable assertion.

Remember, mastering assertions isn't about eliminating assessments altogether—both have their place. The goal is to distinguish between them clearly so you can lead with intention rather than reactivity.

DEEPENING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Resources for You

 🧠 For a practical exploration of how language shapes leadership reality, read Language and the Pursuit of Leadership Excellence by Chalmers Brothers and Vinay Kumar. (Link)

📝 This Harvard Business Review article explores how precise language impacts leadership effectiveness. (Link)

🤔 This post examines how leaders can use language effectively, distinguishing between assertions and assessments to enhance communication. (Link)

📚 Want practical frameworks for more precise leadership communication? (Link)

🎥 Explore how your language and conversations do far more than just “communicate” or “describe how something is.” (Link)

EXCELLENCE UNBOUNDED
How I Can Help You

High-performing executive teams don’t happen by chance. They happen by design.

Aligned Senior Leaders Are:

✅ 1.9x more likely to achieve above-average financial performance
✅ 2.5x more likely to have satisfied and engaged employees

Aligned Companies Are:

✅ 58% faster revenue growth
✅ 72% more profitable

Misaligned companies underperform in the following ways:

❌ 50% lower ROIC
❌ 18% lower EBITDA
❌ 25% loss of revenue
❌ Reduced productivity
❌ Slower strategic execution

Book a call to learn more about The Executive Alignment Playbook 🚀, an immersive, experiential leadership program.

Realign your leadership team. Accelerate execution. Drive measurable results.

🎤 Speaking Engagements: My mom can attest to the fact that I LOVE to talk. 😂 Now, I put that talent to work delivering talks on Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation.

A few past clients include KraftHeinz, Amazon Women @ Payments, PAHEi, & the Panamá Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (I delivered this talk in Spanish).

If you are interested in having me speak at your event, please fill out this form.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD 📢

Until next Sunday,

Shawnette