Tips on Life in Small Bites

Aggressiveness, Assertiveness, Passive-Aggressiveness and Passivity OUTLINE: Aggressiveness Assertiveness Passive-Aggressiveness Passivity Assertiveness in Action AGGRESSIVENESS Definition: Marked by combative readiness. Interpersonal Aggressiveness is when a person is combative and usually acting out of anger, insisting on one’s way or opinion, forcing others to hear their opinion and/or do what they want. Sometimes the person feels wronged, unseen, unheard or hurt, and feels the only way they can get their idea across is by being loud in volume and/or in their verbiage. Sometimes a person is motivated by their sense of (self-)righteousness, or think they’re acting out of “righteous indignation” and desiring to right a wrong. Aggression alienates others.  Others tend to dismiss what an angry person might be trying to communicate: The communication gets categorized as “anger” and the message is lost and goes unheard. ASSERTIVENESS Definition: Bold self-confidence in expression of o...