Passive Communication at Work and How to Manage It

How often do you bite your tongue and withhold your opinion at work? Once, twice, ten times per day? If that’s the case, you might be a passive communicator.

If you think a passive communication style has set you or your colleagues back one or more steps, don’t worry — there’s a way to work on this.

En este artículo:

• Define what passive communication is,
• Explain the elements of passive communication,
• Cover examples of passive communication, and
• Explore strategies for overcoming the negative effects of passive communication.

Let’s tackle the issue and pave the way for effective communication in your team!

• The passive communication style is associated with holding back one’s thoughts, avoiding confrontations, prioritizing the opinions and feelings of others over your own, as well as submissive body language and behavior.
• The most obvious problems with this style arise when a passive communicator meets someone with an aggressive communication style, or when they are required to take on responsibility or accountability.
• Low self-esteem is one of the primary factors that contributes to passive communication.
• In certain cases, a passive approach to communication might be beneficial, as it can tone down a heated conversation and promote diplomacy.
• It’s up to the manager to recognize a passive communicator in their team and try to implement a strategy to address this behavior.
• The best ways to inspire a passive communicator to be more open is to include them in the discussion without putting pressure on them and create a safe space without judgment.

What is passive communication?

Passive communication is a communication style characterized by: 

• Holding back one’s thoughts and opinions, 
• Avoiding confrontations, 
• Prioritizing the opinions and feelings of others over personal opinions, and
• Submissive body language and behavior.

This style of communication is also known as the submissive communication style.

Depending on their surroundings, passive communicators can also exhibit some other traits, like: 

• Reluctance to speak up, 
• Low self-esteem, and 
• Difficulty setting boundaries.

Passive communicators are also generally apologetic and find it difficult to take on responsibilities and make decisions for themselves.

When it comes to their non-verbal communication traits, passive communicators often twist and fidget, speak softly, and avoid eye contact.

One of the more bothersome characteristics of passive communicators is that they: 

• Often feel and act like victims, 
• Have difficulty taking action when it matters, and 
• Blame others for events and situations (most often as an impulse to avoid feeling and facing guilt).

Some team members might find these characteristics difficult to tolerate, which may result not only in misunderstandings but also conflict.

Clashing styles of communication in the workplace

In interpersonal communication, the main issues arise when the communication styles of interlocutors are so different that they negatively impact their work-related interactions and the psychological climate at work. 

There are various divisions and classifications of communication styles in scientific literature. However, when it comes to understanding the effects of passive communication, the easiest model to apply is the model of 5 communication styles, created ​​by psychologist Edmund J. Bourne.

Bourne recognizes 5 distinct types of communication styles:

• Submissive, 
• Aggressive, 
• Assertive,
• Passive-aggressive, and
• Manipulative.

We will focus on 3 of Bourne’s types of communicators — the submissive (passive), aggressive, and assertive types — and compare them against each other. These 3 styles represent the two extremes and one “golden mean” style (which is most likely to arrive at win-win compromises).

As you’re probably already expecting, the most obvious problems arise when a passive communicator meets someone with an aggressive communication style.

But before we see what that might look like, let’s briefly explain the aggressive and assertive styles of communication.

Aggressive communication style

While passive communication includes putting the ideas and needs of others over your own, aggressive communicators are focused on “having it their way” — no matter the price.

Aggressive communication style is characterized by: 

• Valuing personal needs above the needs of others, 
• Putting emphasis on winning, and 
• Acting like one’s opinions hold more weight compared to everyone else’s.

In regards to their behavior, aggressive communicators tend to: 

• Blame others, 
• Bully people, 
• Have a hostile approach, 
• Threaten people, 
• Make demands, 
• Make sarcastic or hurtful remarks, and 
• Behave unpredictably.

Sounds impossible to handle, right? 

Well, even though they are difficult to deal with, there are still ways to manage an aggressive communicator.

For example, since aggressive communicators value their opinions above anyone else’s, they’ll often interrupt others. So, look out for interruptions and then aim to prevent them. Try using phrases like these:

“I’m not finished yet.”

“Just give me one more second, and you can continue after.”

Besides this, you should also: 

• Emphasize your boundaries,
• Calmly express your needs and feelings, and
• Never respond aggressively and try to overpower an aggressive communicator.

When we compare the profiles of passive and aggressive communicators, it’s easy to imagine what their conversations might look like — a complete mess.

Take a look at a conversation between Adeline, an aggressive communicator, and Nicole, a passive communicator, shown on Pumble, a team communication app.

Assertive communication style

As a golden mean between aggressive and passive communicators, assertive communicators tend to emphasize and acknowledge the feelings of both sides in a conversation. 

They stand up for themselves and voice their opinions and needs while still carefully listening and respecting others. They hold all opinions in equal regard.

Assertive communicators are: 

• Confident, 
• Willing to compromise, and 
• Willing to try to create win-win scenarios.

They have good self-esteem and represent the healthiest style of communication both in the workplace and outside of it.

Let’s see how Nicole from the previous example would have acted if she were an assertive communicator. 

Causes of passive communication

A 2024 study titled Enhancing Work Performance: The Role of Communication and Leadership Styles shows that the common denominator for most passive communicators is low self-esteem that stems from passive communicators not expressing their needs.

Apart from that, the main causes of passive communication include, but are not limited to:

• Negative internal self-beliefs,
• Fear of conflict,
• A concrete underlying fear, and
• Social anxiety.

Are there any benefits to passive communication?

Based on what you’ve read so far, you might think that passive communication is universally bad and has no real benefits in the workplace.

However, when used strategically, the passive approach can benefit the entire team in certain situations.

It’s important to note that not all of the aforementioned traits of this communication style are present in every passive communicator. They are just a general overview of common communication patterns individually described as “passive”.

All of these passive traits can sometimes be beneficial because they can:

• Help diffuse tension (with certain types of aggressive communicators),
• Help avoid conflict,
• Be seen as a sign of respect and humility (especially in conservative cultures), and
• Promote diplomacy (by influencing another speaker to propose a compromise).

So, a moderately passive communicator can positively impact the conversation with a specific set of communication skills. A 2023 study on the correlation between communication styles and conflict resolution shows that passive communicators can help defuse conflict.

For example, their apologetic approach to communication can ease the tension in certain situations as can their avoidance of conflict. Here’s an example of how a passive approach might help in the workplace.

Passive communication examples

Passive communication comes in various forms, so you might not recognize it in every single situation. Let’s take a look at some specific examples of passive communication in a work setting.

Example #1: Indirect communication

Indirect communication is one of the staple elements of the passive communication style. However, it’s not often recognized as such because communicating indirectly is something we commonly associate with politeness.

Depending on one’s culture, being polite and communicating indirectly may even be expected, which is the case in Japan, famous for its concepts of tatemae and honne (tatemae being the opinions and feelings a person shares publicly and honne being the true opinions and feelings that are usually kept hidden).

What’s more, people tend to express their ideas or opinions with euphemisms, metaphors, and similar linguistic devices, to avoid coming across as rude, offensive, or disrespectful.

However, sometimes you need to take a stand and directly communicate what’s on your mind. That’s especially important in the workplace, where failing to do so can affect everyone around you, as evident in the example below. 

Example #2: Hedging

Hedging involves using phrases that serve the purpose of distancing the person from the words they are saying.

Simply put, to hedge your words means to overuse phrases such as “perhaps”, “sometimes”, “maybe”,  “possibly”, and similar, which are supposed to move the responsibility from you to another person or circumstance.

Although this might seem like a good strategy — as it seemingly absolves you of any guilt — it can backfire because it makes you seem unreliable. 

When push comes to shove, people need to be able to rely on their teammates to have their back. So, if you avoid taking a stance at all costs, tensions in your team become imminent, as shown in the Pumble exchange below.

Example #3: Evading

Evading is a frequent tactic of passive communicators because it allows them to avoid conflict. It’s most evident during communication with an aggressive communicator, but it can rear its head during any conversation. 

Evading can be detrimental to team communication and frustrating for the other person involved in the conversation.

In the example below, you can see that Nadia is trying to get feedback from a new colleague, Theo, hoping he’ll offer a fresh perspective. 

However, Theo is clearly not being completely honest about what he thinks of Nadia’s work, because he doesn’t want to be seen as a pushy know-it-all.

In this case, Theo is not only being unhelpful to Nadia, but also doing himself a disservice as his words drive Nadia to anger.

The impact of passive communication on business and work environment

One of the biggest contributing factors to communication breakdown in the workplace is the possibility of misunderstandings, which are an obstacle to effective communication.

It’s simple — teams that don’t communicate well are poorly synchronized and thus perform worse than a group of team players who communicate clearly and effectively.

According to Pumble’s Workplace Communication Statistics in 2025, 43% of business leaders claim that poor communication decreases productivity and 38% of them report a noticeable financial impact of poor communication.

So, as a manager, you need to ensure poor communication doesn’t affect your team or your company’s bottom line. 

Luckily, there is a way for you to bring all of the best traits of a passive communicator to the surface and help them overcome their obstacles, thus improving the communication process for everyone involved.

Let’s take a look at some examples of how this can be achieved.

How to spot and manage passive communication

Various communication situations can reveal passive communicators in the workplace — but it’s up to the manager to recognize and address this behavior to achieve effective communication in a team.

A passive communication style may not be 100% wrong in and of itself, but it can negatively impact a team or its goals in some situations.

In most cases, passive communication is addressed only when it becomes a problem for a team.

However, a good manager should be proactive and address a passive communicator’s style immediately to help them: 

• Improve their contribution to the organization, 
• Inspire them to be more open, and 
• Allow their talents to shine.

Here are a few tips on how you can make that happen.

Tip #1: Include them in the discussion

Once you’ve identified the passive communicator, you should try to include them in the conversation and create an opportunity for them to voice their opinions.

If you’re in a group brainstorming session, you can inspire a passive person to speak up by saying something like: 

“I’d really like to hear everyone’s opinion on this.” 

“Don’t be afraid, there are no wrong opinions here, feel free to share your input.”

“Even a small remark can be an important contribution, so please share your opinions.”

Make sure to be positive and inviting when reaching out to a passive communicator. Be persistent but don’t be pushy, and make sure to maintain an encouraging tone. 

Another good way to positively influence a person with a submissive communication style is to ask open-ended questions, in order to stimulate conversation.

Alternatively, you can try to find a more appropriate communication channel, so that it best suits your whole team and its dynamics. For example, a manager can revisit a discussion in a Pumble channel, if they estimate that a passive communicator didn’t feel comfortable contributing directly during face-to-face conversations.

To further inspire passive communicators and make the situation easier for them, you can create a poll to ask important questions.

Tip #2: Avoid pressuring them

One thing you should try to avoid when approaching a passive communicator is putting communication stress on them. This will most likely backfire and make them even more closed off.

Putting pressure on a passive communicator includes: 

• Insisting they speak publicly or in front of a group, without regard for their anxiety, 
• Laughing or smiling at their potentially clumsy remarks, and 
• Facing them against someone with an impatient or aggressive style.

To improve team communication and address a passive communicator’s behavior, avoid placing them in situations where they feel cornered.

Tip #3: Create a safe space

Even though their social skills might need some work, passive communicators can still be a valuable addition to your team.

As a manager, it is your job to create a psychologically safe space for everyone. This doesn’t mean that a passive communicator receives special treatment, but rather that their communication style is taken into consideration, for the sake of overcoming communication barriers, ultimately benefiting everyone.

You can confront a passive communicator with the negative effects of their communication style — it’s just important that you do it carefully to avoid triggering an anxious response. Here are a few tips on how to do that:

• Address the ways they can contribute to the discussion, 
• Encourage and reward proactive behavior, 
• Try to minimize the chances of any negative confrontations, and 
• Gradually involve them in more difficult conversations (if their position requires it).

Create a plan with them on how to improve their communication skills, break it down into phases, and follow it. Track progress, and, if you’ve done everything right, you will start seeing gradual improvement on a weekly basis.

How to improve your passive communication style

If you’re a passive communicator and you wish to overcome the negative effects of this communication style, we’ve prepared some tips you can apply today to become a more effective communicator.

Step #1: Set your communication goals

You can break down your communication efforts into easy-to-grasp phases and set short-term and long-term communication goals for yourself.

Create a list of communication skills to improve, such as:

• Expressing ideas and asking questions more openly, without hesitation,
• Setting boundaries,
• Maintaining eye-contact,
• Defining, acknowledging, and politely communicating your needs and perspective,
• Challenging the perspectives of others in a constructive way, 
• Criticizing others honestly (but respectfully), etc.

These broader goals can all be broken down into smaller, easily achievable steps.

For example, your first goal may be to practice speaking up and maintaining a steady tone of voice in casual conversations. Once you feel confident in this skill, you can move on to the next one — like standing up straight and not fidgeting.

Be patient but self-critical, and strive for weekly improvement. 

Tracking your progress will help you stay on track. In Pumble, an internal communication app, you can easily create a list of actionable steps and check them as you make your progress.

Step #2: Practice assertive communication

All of the skills we mentioned fall under the umbrella of assertive communication and can be practiced — especially if you have peers who are supportive and open to help you with this.

Becoming more assertive in your communication can help you avoid falling into the victim mentality.

This can be a real challenge if your automatic reaction to criticism is to feel like you’re being attacked. This can lead to lashing out or shutting people off.

Instead of doing that, practice assertive communication. Write down your honest replies to criticism and read them out loud to yourself. Writing things down will help you articulate your thoughts and soften the feeling of guilt you might have.

Keep in mind that you should never cross the border between honesty and arrogance. Instead, aim to display confidence.

Step #3: Look for an ally or mentor

It’s okay to admit that there are some areas where you need improvement and ask for help. Furthermore, this can be done without coming off as a victim.

A good way to do this is to reach out to a person in your environment who you can trust and share your goals with them. This can be your superior, a colleague, or just a person you generally get along with in the workplace. 

Of course, depending on your particular situation and the person you’re reaching out to, you may need to find a strategically appropriate way to communicate this.

In any case, it will be immensely helpful to find a person to create an action plan with, so you can target the exact communication problems you’re facing in a particular setting.

Step #4: Remind yourself of your value

Working on your communication skills will take time.

During this process, try to find a way to remind yourself of your value and the ways you genuinely contribute to your team. 

Focus on having a more positive attitude about yourself and boosting your overall confidence. 

Although it sounds like an impossible task, it might be easier than you think. You might even be able to achieve this with something as simple as standing up straight — studies have shown that your body language and posture can impact your emotions, which, in turn, can affect your communication style. 

This means that even though it may seem counterintuitive, addressing nonverbal elements of your communication first may help you improve your thoughts and opinions, especially the ones regarding self-confidence.

Improve your communication skills with Pumble

Regardless of your style, communication in the workplace can sometimes be overwhelming.

Things can get messy quickly, which can cause misunderstandings and even conflict — especially when different temperaments and communication styles are involved.

One of the best ways to reconcile communication differences is to streamline the communication process with a team collaboration app like Pumble.

Turn Pumble into your digital HQ and help your passive communicators to become bolder by simplifying the parts of communication that are often overwhelming.

Pumble allows your team members to:

• Keep their discussions on track with direct messages and threads,
• Share files and documents — lowering the chances of important things being forgotten or lost,
• Make video calls that might inspire passive communicators to participate,
• Organize their “personal space” section in any way they want, and
• Set reminders to postpone things for a later point in time on busy days and weeks.

Pumble offers a multitude of different solutions for all kinds of teams.

Get ready to simplify your work communication, organize your thoughts, and make everyone’s ideas shine! Try Pumble today!