Write an Essay Describing Passive, Aggressive and Assertive Communication. Describe a Situation

Name______Period______Date______

Directions:

Write an essay describing passive, aggressive and assertive communication. Describe a situation where you had a passive or an aggressive reaction then describe the outcome of that situation. Then using the same situation but apply an assertive reaction. Describe the outcome of that situation. Now compare the two outcomes? Which one had a more successful outcome? Remember to include and opening and closing paragraph.

EXAMPLE:

Communication skills allow people to release their feelings. The lack of communication can increase stress and lower one’s self-esteem. There are three common styles of communication which include passive, aggressive and assertive reactions. Responding to situations in an aggressive manor usually involves overreacting, blaming and criticizing. This can lead to many negative consequences. Assertive people will say what they think and stand up for their beliefs without hurting others and suffering from negative consequences.

A situation that involved aggressive communication occurred recently while I was standing in the lunch line. As I patiently awaited my turn to be served a ninth grader budged in front of me. I reacted in an aggressive manor by pushing them and yelling, “get to the back of the line before you regret it.” Mrs. Knapp over heard the commotion and I received a referral. We both had to go to the back of the line. I was mad for the rest of the day.

In the same situation I could have reacted assertively by saying, “Hey, we are all hungry please go to the back of the line.” Hopefully the person would have gone to the back of the line. If they didn’t I would have reported the problem to a monitor. By reacting assertively I would have been able to maintain my position in the line and wouldn’t have gotten in trouble.

Responding in an assertive manor would have created a better outcome. I would have stood up for myself but not intruded on the other persons rights by hitting them. I will try to respond to conflict in a more assertive manor in the future.