One area that can cause much angst for leaders is managing passive aggressive behaviour. 

So what does passive-aggressive behaviour look like?

People who use this form of communication will often:

• Deny or repress feelings of anger.
• Use brief, deflecting responses such as “I’m fine” and “Whatever” when someone asks them if they are upset.
• Withdraw and sulk.
• Use the silent treatment.
• Create minor but chronic irritation in others.
• Be overtly cooperative but covertly uncooperative.
• Procrastinate or carry out tasks inefficiently.
• Be evasive and secretive.
• Use email, texting, social media, and other forms of technology to avoid direct communication.
• Project angry feelings on others.
• Cast themselves into the role of victim of an overtly angry person.
• Be quietly manipulative and controlling.
• Cause others to swallow their anger and eventually blow up.
• Make endless promises to change.
• Create a feeling in others of being on an emotional roller coaster.
• Undermine others
• Use ambiguity and avoid taking responsibility
• Do less than agreed, do it late or do it sloppily
• Negativity (pouting, resisting influence or creating arguments)
• Withholding important information
• Frenemy-type of behavior (back-stabbing)
• Backhanded compliments (Not bad for someone with your skills)
• Microaggression or covert aggression & covert power moves

In context, it may come across in comments and behaviours such as:

• “Well, I guess I’m not important enough to be invited”
• “We’re not in the “A” team.
• “Can you please help me with this, because … doesn’t have time for me”.
• “When were you intending on telling us about that?”.
• Avoiding eye contact, and “the silent treatment”.
• Saying ‘yes’, then doing nothing, repeatedly.

The chart below shows what it looks like in relation to other forms of communication.