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We encounter a ton of different personalities at work. Some are easy to get along with; whereas, others are harder to vibe with. How well we’re able to work with people often depends on our workplace communication style.

So, what exactly is a workplace communication style? Your workplace communication style is the manner in which you share ideas, information, and issues in a professional setting. A combination of verbal andnonverbalcues, it affects how you interact, learn, share, and collaborate.

Research shows that effective and appropriate communication is linked to greater productivity, better organizational health, and increased employee satisfaction.How we communicate can also play a huge role in determining our personal and professional growth and success.

Our communication style is based on our unique characteristics, which drive our approach to sharing and exchanging information with others, says Octavia Goredema, a career coach and author of “Prep, Push, Pivot.”

Identifying your communication style will allow you to enhance your interactions with others and play an important role in building your personal brand.—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

Identifying your communication style will allow you to enhance your interactions with others and play an important role in building your personal brand.

—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

Apart from defining your own communication style, it’s also important to recognize other people’s communication styles. This is crucial because we all have different ways of interacting, processing, and conveying information, says Goredema. If you can recognize the differences, you can use youremotional intelligenceto adapt to the needs and preferences of others, she adds.

Keep reading to explore passive, passive-aggressive, aggressive, and assertive workplace communication styles.

Passive Communication Style

These are some of the characteristics of apassiveworkplace communication style:

You may choose to remain passive in situations where you have little interest or involvement.However, in other situations a passive communication style may be ineffective and a more assertive communication style may be required.

What to Do If You’re a Passive Communicator

If you’re a passive communicator, these are some strategies that can help yoube more assertive:

How to Interact With a Passive Communicator

These are some strategies that can help you interact with a passive communicator:

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Aggressive Communication Style

These are some of the characteristics of anaggressiveworkplace communication style:

Research shows that men who are aggressive communicators are often lauded for vigorously pursuing their goals; whereas, women who are aggressive communicators are regarded more negatively.

What to Do If You’re an Aggressive Communicator

If you’re an aggressive communicator, these are some strategies that can help you be more respectful of others in the workplace:

How to Interact With an Aggressive Communicator

These are some strategies that can help you interact with anaggressivecommunicator:

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Passive-Aggressive Communication Style

Apassive-aggressivecommunication style combines elements of both passive and aggressive behavior. These are some of the characteristics of this communication style:

A passive-aggressive communication style breeds mistrust and misunderstandings. It can cause tension to build among team members, which can eventually lead to conflict in the team.

What to Do If You’re a Passive-Aggressive Communicator

If you’re apassive-aggressivecommunicator, these are some strategies that can help you be more direct andassertivein the workplace:

How to Interact With a Passive-Aggressive Communicator

These are some strategies that can help you interact with a passive-aggressive communicator:

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Assertive Communication Style

These are some of the characteristics of an assertive workplace communication style:

Anassertivecommunication style fosters a positive, respectful, and collaborative work environment. While it may take some getting used to, working with someone who communicates assertively can be a real positive because you never have to wonder what they mean or where you stand, says Morgan.

What to Do If You’re an Assertive Communicator

If you’re an assertive communicator, these are some strategies that can help you improve your communication skills further:

How to Interact With an Assertive Communicator

These are some strategies that can help you interact with an assertive communicator:

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What Kind of Communicator Are You?

Our fast and freecommunication styles quizcan help give you some insight into how you interact with others and what it could mean for your interpersonal relationships, both at work and at home.

How to Improve Your Communication Skills

These are some strategies that can help you improve your workplace communication skills, according to the experts:

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5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.de la Torre GG, Ramallo MA, Gonzalez-Torre S, et al.Communication styles and attention performance in primary school children.Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(12):172. doi:10.3390/bs11120172Hicks JM.Leader communication styles and organizational health.Health Care Manag (Frederick). 2020;39(4):175-180. doi:10.1097/HCM.0000000000000305Abed LG, Abed MG, Shackelford TK.Interpersonal communication style and personal and professional growth among Saudi Arabian employees.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(2):910. doi:10.3390/ijerph20020910Maloney ME, Moore P.From aggressive to assertive.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(1):46-49. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.006Richard C, Lussier MT, Millette B, Tanoubi I.Healthcare providers and patients: an essay on the importance of professional assertiveness in healthcare today.Med Educ Online. 2023;28(1):2200586. doi:10.1080/10872981.2023.2200586

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.de la Torre GG, Ramallo MA, Gonzalez-Torre S, et al.Communication styles and attention performance in primary school children.Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(12):172. doi:10.3390/bs11120172Hicks JM.Leader communication styles and organizational health.Health Care Manag (Frederick). 2020;39(4):175-180. doi:10.1097/HCM.0000000000000305Abed LG, Abed MG, Shackelford TK.Interpersonal communication style and personal and professional growth among Saudi Arabian employees.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(2):910. doi:10.3390/ijerph20020910Maloney ME, Moore P.From aggressive to assertive.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(1):46-49. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.006Richard C, Lussier MT, Millette B, Tanoubi I.Healthcare providers and patients: an essay on the importance of professional assertiveness in healthcare today.Med Educ Online. 2023;28(1):2200586. doi:10.1080/10872981.2023.2200586

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

de la Torre GG, Ramallo MA, Gonzalez-Torre S, et al.Communication styles and attention performance in primary school children.Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(12):172. doi:10.3390/bs11120172Hicks JM.Leader communication styles and organizational health.Health Care Manag (Frederick). 2020;39(4):175-180. doi:10.1097/HCM.0000000000000305Abed LG, Abed MG, Shackelford TK.Interpersonal communication style and personal and professional growth among Saudi Arabian employees.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(2):910. doi:10.3390/ijerph20020910Maloney ME, Moore P.From aggressive to assertive.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(1):46-49. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.006Richard C, Lussier MT, Millette B, Tanoubi I.Healthcare providers and patients: an essay on the importance of professional assertiveness in healthcare today.Med Educ Online. 2023;28(1):2200586. doi:10.1080/10872981.2023.2200586

de la Torre GG, Ramallo MA, Gonzalez-Torre S, et al.Communication styles and attention performance in primary school children.Behav Sci (Basel). 2021;11(12):172. doi:10.3390/bs11120172

Hicks JM.Leader communication styles and organizational health.Health Care Manag (Frederick). 2020;39(4):175-180. doi:10.1097/HCM.0000000000000305

Abed LG, Abed MG, Shackelford TK.Interpersonal communication style and personal and professional growth among Saudi Arabian employees.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(2):910. doi:10.3390/ijerph20020910

Maloney ME, Moore P.From aggressive to assertive.Int J Womens Dermatol. 2019;6(1):46-49. doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2019.09.006

Richard C, Lussier MT, Millette B, Tanoubi I.Healthcare providers and patients: an essay on the importance of professional assertiveness in healthcare today.Med Educ Online. 2023;28(1):2200586. doi:10.1080/10872981.2023.2200586

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