The Passive-Aggressive Executive

Abstract

The term “passive-aggressive” is used to describe a behavior pattern where negative feelings are expressed indirectly rather than directly. Generally speaking, when someone yells at you, you know all is not well—they are making their feelings quite clear. But passive-aggressives are much more subtle in expressing their anger. They are masters of covert abuse. There is a disconnect between what they say and what they do. Nothing they do is done directly. They use a form of non-verbal aggression that manifests itself in negative behavior. This kind of sugarcoated hostility becomes a destructive way of interacting—a way of getting back at you without your recognizing their underlying anger. Unsurprisingly, passive-aggressives are very difficult to deal with.

I believe that present day civilized man suffers from insufficient discharge of his aggressive drive.

—Konrad Lorenz

Passive pleasure is no pleasure at all.

—Arthur Adamov

I’m not passive-aggressive. If something bothers me, I think about it, then I act on it. I express it.

—Anton Yelchin