Passive Aggressive is a term that has a big conflict implied. how come people are aggressive but they express their anger in a passive way?..what the hell is that?. I just hate the word and all it stands for. It is a synonim of whimp.
I think a choice has to be made when we decide how to face problems or discrepancies with someone (human, corporate or government). Either you are passive or aggressive, but you can't be both because it will explode in your face sooner or later.
Not only is a passive aggressive attitude repulsive and annoying, it also is very harmful and expensive for companies. I remember being in Colombia once, and the airline had some kind of strike going on, but instead of not working, employees would slow the pace of business to a histerically slow pace in order to get their demands met by the corporation. They called it "Turtle Operation". Words can not describe the level of tension and anger from the crowd in that airport (myself included). There was nothing we could do. Part of this passive aggressive strategy included to make sure they screwed our day too. Nice going Avianca. I love you too.
You can find Passive aggressive behaviour everywhere: when your waiter takes as long as he wants to bring your damn (and now cold) soup just because he hates his life; it exists inside corporations when different areas play power games and hit below the belt everytime they can just to "win" small and stupid battles; when there is gossip and "watercooler chats" regarding someone in the organization; when things are not said face to face; when people work in the dark just to cause some damage; When anonimacy is used to degrade people and when there is no coherence between words and facts, then you will know you are in front of it: passive aggressiveness at its best.
So, if you want to be aggressive, be aggressive and active.Don't be a passive moron. If you like to be passive but you are mad at someone or something, well, drink a freaking RedBull, stand up and face the music like a professional. We can save tons of time and money if we say things like they are to the correct people. To people who may take action. To people with the right sense of urgency and importance of things. Don't try to make people tripover, either you get rid of them completely or stop crying like a baby and live with them. But don't put personal interests prior to your company or group interest. That's just not right and it shows lack of courage.
I don't encourage aggressiveness. I encourage bluntness. I encourage direct, honest communication. I encourage actions visible to others and with names and faces to hold accountable for them. Basically and to sum up, I encourage the truth and the guts to make things happen or not happen but always with a good reason and playing it straight.
Show your face!... You will keep it buried for a long time when you die, so you may just enjoy the bluntness ride.
Aureliano García
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