Article
4 types of communication styles in the workplace: What’s yours?
Everyone has a unique way of giving and receiving information. Identify patterns to collaborate more effectively by learning the four communication styles.
Última actualización el December 19, 2024
It’s no secret that communication is vital to home and workplace dynamics. Relationships, business success, revenue growth, and more are all shaped by various personality types and styles of communication.
Take the characters from The Office, for instance. Whether you’re talking about Jim Halpert’s growth into an assertive leader, Pam Beesly’s passive approach to confrontation, or Phyllis Vance’s polite but passive-aggressive one-liners, each person’s unique communication style determines (and how effectively) individuals and teams communicate.
From personal to customer communication, our guide to the four communication styles spills the beans—or chili—about actionable tips for supporting communication in and outside the workplace and how to identify your own style with a free quiz.
More in this guide:
- What are communication styles?
- Why are communication styles important?
- Breaking down the 4 communication styles
- Additional factors that affect communication
- Identifying your communication style
- How to be a better communicator in the workplace
- Frequently asked questions
- Enhance collaboration with effective communication styles
What are communication styles?
Communication styles refer to the way a person communicates with others. Communication styles vary due to personality, cultural background, demographics, and more, and include factors like:
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Word choice
- Tone of voice
Facial expressions
Listening habits
Body language
Additionally, workplace communication styles reflect employee communication between teammates, managers, customers, and other stakeholders in a professional environment.
Why are communication styles important?
Communication styles are important because they help boost morale and foster positive personal and professional environments.
Different communication styles:
Impact the way messages are conveyed and interpreted.
Influence how people interact and connect with others.
- Determine how people navigate conflict resolution.
Create diverse and inclusive environments.
Communication styles also help individuals recognize communication patterns and cues, which can be used to proactively mitigate conflict, navigate challenging situations, and prevent future issues.
Breaking down the 4 communication styles
There are four different types of communication styles, but it’s important to note that people can switch between these styles depending on each situation’s needs. Let’s explore each style and tips on how to work effectively with each type of communicator.
1. Passive communication style
Passive communicators tend to avoid conflict and confrontation at all costs. They may struggle to assert themselves and defer decision-making to others, even if they have an opinion. Their “go with the flow” attitude may cause them to prioritize others’ wants and needs over their own and agree to things they don’t want to do to avoid saying “no.”
Passive communication style example | |
|---|---|
| The Office character | Scenario |
| Pam Beesly | Season 3, Episode 17: “Business School” Pam invites the office to her art show, but few attend. Instead of vocalizing her disappointment, she internalizes her feelings. |
How to support passive communicators:
- Create a safe, supportive environment where they feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, opinions, and concerns
- Engage in one-on-one interactions, alleviating the stress of group communication
- Recognize and celebrate their achievements and contributions to build confidence and boost their morale and motivation
2. Aggressive communication style
Aggressive communicators often dominate conversations, ensuring their thoughts and opinions are heard. They might speak out of turn or talk over others. These interactions can lead to tense or awkward situations.
Aggressive communication style example | |
|---|---|
| The Office character | Scenario |
| Michael Scott | Season 3, Episode 8: “The Merger” Michael interrogates new Stamford branch employees during their first day at the Scranton office. He creates an intimidating atmosphere with rapid-fire questions, sarcastic remarks, and an in-your-face style of authority. |
How to work with aggressive communicators:
- Stay calm, composed, and assertive without being defensive
- Set boundaries with clear repercussions to keep them from crossing any lines
- Define roles and responsibilities to ensure everyone stays in their lane
3. Passive-aggressive communication style
Passive-aggressive communicators are similar to passive communicators and may find it difficult to convey their true feelings directly or clearly articulate their point of view. They might express dissatisfaction through sarcasm or nonverbal communication, like sighing, muttering under their breath, displaying annoyed body language, or giving the silent treatment.
Passive-aggressive communication style example | |
|---|---|
| The Office character | Scenario |
| Phyllis Vance | Season 4, Episodes 5 and 6: “Launch Party” Angela hosts a party and is aggressive toward her colleagues. Phyllis searches for the term “how to deal with difficult people” online. She uses the tips to communicate with Angela while deflecting a huge confrontation. |
How to help passive-aggressive communicators:
- Use direct language that requires clear responses
- Repeat and positively rephrase their message to confirm you heard them correctly
- Practice active listening to show you acknowledge their concerns and want to understand their perspective
4. Assertive communication style
Assertive communicators express themselves confidently and actively listen to others. They state their thoughts and feelings without fear or disrespect and define clear boundaries and expectations. They usually speak politely and calmly, maintain good eye contact in a face-to-face conversation, and strive for open and honest communication.
Assertive communication style example | |
|---|---|
| The Office character | Scenario |
| Jim Halpert | Season 3, Episode 20: “Safety Training” While Dwight attempts to scare his colleagues with a dramatic speech about the dangers of workplace accidents, Jim uses humor to address the issue head-on, delivering a respectful but clear alternative to Dwight’s viewpoint. |
How to collaborate with assertive communicators:
- Mirror their positivity and body language to create a better connection
- Practice active listening and ask open-ended, engaging questions
- Create a welcoming environment that encourages thought-sharing
Learn your communication style
Discover your unique communication style with our free quiz.
Additional factors that affect communication
Communication—and different styles of communication—isn’t always cut and dry. Several factors influence how we communicate with and relate to each other, including:
- Personality: Like Stanley Hudson’s no-nonsense personality or Jim’s laid-back attitude, individual traits play a significant role in word choice and body language.
- Cultural background: Diverse backgrounds, like Dwight Schrute’s rural upbringing on a beet farm, shape our communication styles.
- Gender and social norms: Characters like Oscar Martinez, who challenges societal norms, and Angela, who adheres to traditional gender roles and values, communicate differently.
- Environment or education: Communication, as seen through characters like clueless Kevin Malone or Cornell University-educated Andy Bernard, is affected by each individual’s educational history and physical environment.
- Generational differences: From baby boomers like Stanley and Creed Bratton to millennials like Ryan Howard, generational differences can dictate communication preferences and technical proficiency.
- Active listening: From Kelly Kapoor’s self-centered listening to Toby Flenderson’s quiet and empathetic ear, how an individual listens to their communication partner dictates how they will (and can) respond.
- Emotional intelligence (EI): From Michael’s low self-awareness to Jim’s openness to collaboration, low EI can break down communication styles, while high EI helps build trust and safety.
Identifying your communication style
Identifying and knowing your own communication style—and how to interact with others—can help you become a stronger communicator. Below, we’ve included a few best practices for identifying your typical style.
Look for patterns
Observe how you and others communicate in various situations. Here are a few common patterns in conversation styles to look for:
- Confident expression of thoughts and needs versus holding back to avoid miscommunication or conflict
- Attempts to take control during conversations by using domineering or confrontational language and behavior
- Difficulty expressing and setting boundaries
- Indirect communication, including neutral or negative body language and sarcastic comments
By recognizing these conversation patterns, you can better understand your communication tendencies and adapt future conversations to foster effective communication and interpersonal relationships.
Common communication style phrases:
- Passive: “I don’t care one way or the other.”
- Aggressive: “Let’s just do it my way.”
- Passive-aggressive: “Fine, I’ll just do it myself.”
- Assertive: “I’d love to, but I can’t take on anything new right now.”
Observe verbal and nonverbal cues
Observing verbal and nonverbal cues is crucial for understanding communication styles, as they provide valuable insights into emotions, attitudes, and intentions. We provide a deeper look into the different types of communication and cues in our table below.
| Communication types | Definition | Cues |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal | The use of spoken words to convey messages |
|
| Nonverbal | The use of gestures, facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, eye contact, and other cues to convey meaning without words |
|
| Visual | Visual elements like charts, graphs, diagrams, maps, illustrations, photographs, videos, and other visual aids to convey information |
|
| Written | Interactions across text-based platforms, including live chat software, reports, memos, letters, emails, articles, blogs, instant messaging platforms, and social media posts |
|
Use a communication style quiz
Communication style quizzes are like personality tests for how we communicate, and they work by asking you to answer questions about how you talk, handle conflicts, and interact with others. They also assess communication behaviors and habits, helping you see where you shine and where you might need a little work.
Using a self-assessment, like the free Zendesk communication style quiz, can be a valuable tool for gaining insights into your own and others’ styles of communication. However, remember that they’re just one tool for understanding communication dynamics. Effective communication involves a combination of self-awareness, practice, feedback, and continuous learning to refine your communication skills in various contexts.
How to be a better communicator in the workplace
To be a better communicator in the workplace, you must strengthen your assertive communication. This type of communication style is an important customer service skill that conveys respect and professionalism. When rooted in compassion and empathy, assertive communication can help build coworker, leadership, and customer rapport.
To improve your assertiveness and be a better workplace communicator:
- Be direct while staying empathetic.
- Actively listen to customer complaints, needs, and concerns.
- Respectfully address issues or requests to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Openly share ideas and perspectives and actively participate in various workplace discussions.
- Be transparent with leadership about your concerns by setting respectful boundaries.
- Clearly communicate expectations for all projects and everyday processes.
- Give constructive feedback that is actionable and directly addresses an issue or concern.
Customer interactions can improve business outcomes, but the most successful interactions are those met with assertiveness, empathy, and respect rather than aggression, anger, and passiveness.
Frequently asked questions
Enhance collaboration with effective communication styles
Understanding the communication styles of others—and your own—can make your world and your workplace better, more effective, and more empathetic places. After all, you don’t want to deal with an uncomfortable situation or lose a personal or customer relationship because of a communication breakdown.
Take our free communication styles quiz and learn how to enhance conversations to create stronger connections. Who knows—it might help you win a Dundie Award for “Most Effective Communicator.”
