Get better at: being assertive
Today’s move
Practice being assertive by speaking up at least once more than you normally would in a meeting today. This helps you be more visible by signaling to your boss that you’re engaged and motivated.
Why it works
Chiming in can make you appear more confident and passionate about the work, both of which are traits that leaders tend to notice.
Jackson Lu, an MIT researcher, studied what helps employees move into leadership roles and found that practicing how to confidently express a point of view can make a difference.
In a 2025 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, researchers followed 471 employees at a Fortune 100 company. Some were randomly assigned to complete nine weeks of debate training. A year and a half later, those employees were 12% more likely to have been promoted into leadership roles.
That’s because learning to debate isn’t just about arguing. It’s about learning how to share your perspective diplomatically and assertively, a skill that is valued in many American workplaces, Lu told Business Insider.
Try it today
The next time you go to a meeting, don’t leave without contributing at least once.
Share your opinion, or an idea, or expand on someone else’s point.
Remember, it’s not about taking over the conversation, it’s about making sure you’re a part of it.
The bottom line
Contributing more in workplace settings helps increase your visibility and helps you demonstrate assertiveness, a skill that holds weight with leaders.
Source
This insight is drawn from Business Insider’s reporting on MIT researcher Jackson Lu. Read the full story by Business Insider’s Julia Pugachevsky here.
