Almost anyone can learn to be more assertive. Achieving this makes communication simple, direct and appropriate. In the company you see on a daily basis examples of assertive, passive and aggressive communication and, therefore, management's objectives should include training employees to overcome their tendency to communicate passively or their habit of intimidating others; and start practising active and appropriate communication.
Unfortunately, There's no way to control how other people decide to communicate with you. However, it is possible to choose the way you craft your own response.. Accepting responsibility in communication is the first step to improving relationships with others.
Assertiveness is one of the most important skills for businesses, as, when, instead of examples of assertive, passive, and aggressive communication, the environment is characterised by assertiveness in all interactions:
Of all the types of communication that exist, assertiveness is the healthiest and the option that is most likely to help the individual achieve their goals. Since, although aggressive and passive behaviour can help a person achieve a goal temporarily, in the medium and long term, assertiveness is more effective.
How do you let other people know your goals? How do you ensure those around you are aware of your boundaries?
We all use different communication styles at different times, but we may have a tendency to exhibit one style more than others.. After a while, this becomes second nature. Our behaviour can be related to the context of the situation, who is involved, or where the interaction takes place.
It could be said that assertiveness is about actively and appropriately communicating one's goal, Passivity means communicating inactively or ineffectively, and aggressiveness would relate to communicating actively but inappropriately.
Examples of assertive, passive, and aggressive communication would be:
Passive behaviour: afraid to speak.
Aggressive behaviour: interrupts and voices their opinion over others.
Assertive behaviour: speak openly.
Passive behaviour: speaks softly.
Aggressive behaviour: speaks loudly.
Assertive behaviour: use a normal conversational tone.
Passive behaviour: avoid looking people in the eye.
Aggressive behaviour: stares excessively at others.
Assertive behaviour: makes good eye contact.
Passive behaviour: shows little to no expression.
Aggressive behaviour: intimidates others with exaggerated expressions.
Assertive behaviour: shows expressions that match the message.
Passive behaviour: slouching and withdrawing.
Aggressive behaviour: stands stiffly, folds arms or invades the personal space of others.
Assertive behaviour: relax and adopt an open posture and expression.
Passive behaviour: they isolate themselves from groups.
Aggressive behaviour: tries to control the group.
Assertive behaviour: participates in group dynamics.
Passive behaviour: agreeing with others, despite their own priorities or feelings.
Aggressive behaviour: only considers one's own feelings.
Assertive behaviour: they take their goals into account, but also the feelings of others.
Passive behaviour: valuing oneself less than others.
Aggressive behaviour: valuing oneself more than others.
Assertive behaviour: considers oneself equal to others.
Passive behaviour: self-harm to avoid harming others.
Aggressive behaviour: hurts others to avoid being hurt.
Assertive behaviour: try not to hurt anyone (including oneself).
Passive behaviour: does not achieve goals and may not even have set them.
Aggressive behaviour: achieves goals but may harm others in the process.
Assertive behaviour: usually achieves goals without alienating others.
While it's true that assertive communication isn't magic and doesn't always lead to achieving set goals, it does pave the way for experiencing other benefits.. For example, when an employee decides to be assertive, it is likely to surprise those around them and infect them with their skill. It will start to be easier to manage stress and, over time, there will be a noticeable improvement in relationships and communication in the workplace.
Have these examples of assertive, passive, and aggressive communication been helpful to you?
