Parent Post
Turbulent times are a
Turbulent times are a stress test for every part of your organization.
Whether it’s a merger, a round of layoffs, or a pandemic—drastic uncertainty has a knack for revealing everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.
If your team is bickering, productivity is lagging, or morale is dropping, it’s time to evaluate each member’s communication style. Once you know their preferences and tendencies in the exchange of information, you can determine the best way to proceed.
There are typically 4 communication styles and let’s look at how you can spot them in your team.
Passive-Aggressive Communication StyleRather than
Passive-Aggressive Communication Style
Rather than be straightforward, passive-aggressive communicators find indirect ways to hint at their displeasure. They may seem nice to some, but unfriendly to others.
Signs of Passive-Aggressive Communication</p
- Cold shoulder: They seem warm and friendly to everyone except for the people with whom they’re in conflict.
- A tone of voice that expresses displeasure, even when their words seem kind.
- Heavily sighing, but not verbally addressing their displeasure.
How to Manage Passive-Aggressive Communicators
- Keep your cool: Passive-aggressive employees try to get other people to express the anger that they themselves are unable to express.
- Redirect. If you find a teammate is venting to you about someone who upset them, a great question to ask is, “Have you talked to [name] about this?” Often, with passive-aggressive communicators, the answer will be “no.” That’s when you can encourage them to talk it out with the involved party.
Assertive Communication StyleAn assertive
Assertive Communication Style
An assertive communicator addresses problems directly and expresses themselves and their boundaries while maintaining respect for others.
Signs of Assertive Communication
- Addressing problems as soon as they notice them, instead of avoiding them and allowing them to get worse.
- Displaying emotional intelligence, the ability to recognize emotions (in themselves and others) and handle them in a healthy way.
- Being clear and direct.
- Willing to ask for help.
Passive Communication StylePassive communicators
Passive Communication Style
Passive communicators struggle to express their needs and stand by their convictions. They hesitate to speak up because they want to avoid conflict. To their coworkers, passive communicators seem easygoing, perhaps even shy.
Signs of Passive Communication
- Silence. If there’s a teammate who never speaks their mind, especially during crucial meetings, they might be a passive communicator.
- Acquiescence. Keep an eye out for anyone on your team who voices an opinion but changes it as soon as someone else has an opposing view.
How to Manage Passive Communicators
- Talk to them one-on-one. Because they’re less likely to speak up when there’s a group around, these employees may feel more comfortable opening up if you speak to them in private.
- Offer multiple modes of communication. Give passive communicators different ways to communicate their feelings and concerns. Instead of calling on them during a meeting, for instance, send them an email afterward.
- Help them feel psychologically safe at work. Psychological safety creates an atmosphere where everyone, especially passive communicators, feels comfortable speaking up.
Now that you know
Now that you know the types of communication styles that exist in the workplace, you can better understand how and why your teammates operate the way they do. Remain flexible when assessing your team members’ styles.
Remember that not everyone communicates in the same way at all times.
During difficult times, managers can provide support by modeling assertive behavior themselves, bringing peace and stability to their teams in a time rife with uncertainty.
Aggressive Communication StyleAggressive communicators
Aggressive Communication Style
Aggressive communicators make their opinions known in a straightforward, often blunt way. They’re usually confident speakers and the team members who do most of the talking during meetings, and aren’t shy to express their thoughts on a topic.
Signs of Aggressive Communication
- Offering the first answer after a question is asked, oftentimes interrupting someone else who was speaking.
- Persistent and dominant during a conversation.
- Antagonistic tone of voice.
How to Manage Aggressive Communicators
- Outline and enforce boundaries. Aggressive communicators can struggle to respect boundaries, so managers need to outline what is okay and what is not okay. For example, if an aggressive communicator cuts someone off during a meeting, you as the manager need to step in and say, “[Name] wasn’t done talking, so please let them finish, and afterward, we’ll give you some time to speak too.”
- Give them a safe and healthy way to vent their anger. Placed under pressure, people are more likely to act out.
