(It took me a long time to learn these things. I'm a naturally pretty assertive person, but that did NOT work well as a communication strategy when I was both a young faculty member and a female one in a department of older men. So my choices were to adapt to be more effective or to simmer with resentment about not being heard. Easy decision.
)
I've learned to do this when I have to, but I HATE doing it! I really annoys me that people can't just accept or reject an idea on it's merits alone instead of looking at who is saying it. It really irritates me that I have to spend time pandering to some (usually masculine) ego. Why should it be my problem that he can't cope with a good idea that doesn't come out of his mouth?!!?
LOL! I know that is a bit OT and it's just a vent. I see the need for it, but it still bugs me.
As a child I took the path of least resistance. I remember multiple times when I just let the group get the wrong answer because the effort involved in convincing them wasn't worth it. Was it a good strategy in the long term? Not so sure about that. It certainly lead to frustration, and possibly contributed to the low self-esteem I had in the following years. Or maybe it was a symptom of it?
