Aggressively expressing to manage conflict.

Improving communication in the workplace


 

Aggressively expressing to manage conflict.

 
Last week, I mentioned about 3 types of expressing or communicating when conflict arises in workplaces and discussed the pros and cons of “passive expression.” Let us understand the second type of expression, “Aggressively communicating.”
 
Aggressively expressing or communicating:

When the difference of opinion or conflict arises between two people or team, one person takes the upper hand and forces others to accept his/ her views and move on. That is aggressive communication.

Whether aggressive communication is right or wrong?

Only the context defines it.

Generally, it is being told aggressiveness is not the right way of communication. But in the workplace perspective, some point of time, the decision has to be taken at the right time, and timing is critical. The person who is in an authority position in the conversation or in context has to settle down others through his forcing communication only. When the person takes an aggressive approach for a higher purpose, then it is right than beating the bush without making any decision.

In some organizations I have witnessed, people are kind to each other in all matters, and no decision or conclusion being taken by anyone as they perceive aggressiveness is against harmony.
 
When is aggressiveness perceived as rude or bad?

Naturally, when you want to force others to accept your views, your body language posture changes from compassion to commanding position, and your tone rises to a high pitch, and you lose your emotional balance. When you lose your emotions, you use to divert into other dimensions like getting into personal, taking past references, talking irrelevant things. During that moment, you are seen as an “angry, low temperament person", and the intention of your expression is lost.
 
There is a thin line between aggressive and assertively expressing your views and can be learned through awareness and let us discuss expression assertively in next week!