From January to April 2026, I spent my internship implementing websites, ERP systems, and collaborating with employees and interns alike—experiences that made me reflect on how I approach work and interpersonal communication.
Being assertive means three things:
- Be clear on what you want the other person to achieve.
- Be clear on when you want it achieved.
- Say please... really. Just be careful not to word it as rude.
One of my managers, Daisy, is a good role model at being assertive. She's always serious when it comes to work and is very specific at what she wants. At every mistake, she gives her utmost feedback and knows it's for the betterment of the person and their output.
She organizes our daily meet-ups and goes over each of our tasks with rigor. She has the courage to ask the hard questions and point out the mistakes we made and what can we learn from them.
Her role is quite stressful. Regardless, she manages to balance work with attending to her children. All while being kind, supportive, and understanding. I'm always grateful for having a manager like her. She taught and refined me for the work that lies beyond university.