What is Passive Behaviour In the Workplace?
What is passive behaviour in the workplace and why is it dangerous?
Definition: Passive behaviour is non-responsiveness and/or a failure to communicate.
It is to be contrasted with: affirmative behaviour, when people actively promote their views, and negative behaviour when people actively attack opposing views.
Passive behaviour may be imagined as the zero on the number line, with affirmative behaviour being positive numbers, and negative behaviours being negative numbers.
Passive behaviour is ZERO, which is nothingness.
People who are passive don't react to events other than by sitting quietly and waiting. They do not express opinions, they do not criticise, condemn, propose, form plans nor offer opinions. They are neutral, silent and still.
Why is passive behaviour dangerous?
Passive behaviour is psychologically dangerous because it obliterates the person's "Personal Identity".
We each have a unique, psychological "personal identity" which is composed of our ideas, opinions, thoughts, feelings, fears and desires. It makes us different from every other person on the planet. Even genetically identical twins have a unique psychological identity.
Psychological passivity means NOT expressing our identity; thus we fail to give expression to our "inner being".
In biology, there is a principle called, "Use it or Lose it". If people do not use the power of their "personal identity", then over time, they lose it.
To lose your identity is to lose your mind.
Passive behaviour is dangerous for others.
We live in social systems, which are made up of groups that work in co-operative unions, in order to achieve shared goals.
All such social systems rely on feedback loops. Feedback consists of positive and negative responses from others, which informs us whether or not our behaviours are on track or off track. We adapt ourselves to the social feedback we obtain from other members of the group.
Passive behaviour short-circuits positive/negative feedback loops and replaces information with silence. Consequently, the social advantages associated with group action is damaged and as a result, the whole group suffers.
Passive behaviour gives no information. No information is nothing.
Social systems cannot succeed on a diet of nothing.
Passive behaviour is dangerous because it gives implicit support for wrong, bad and evil views.
Finally, passive behaviour is dangerous because it fails to support what is good and fails to condemn what is evil.
John Stuart Mill wrote, "Let not anyone pacify their conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part and forms no opinions. Since, bad men need nothing more to accomplish their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing".
Consequently, passive behaviour, implicitly supports evil and, in that sense, it is dangerous.
The Remedy for Passivity.
Passive people should understand the psychological, social and moral dangers associated with passive behaviour and resolve to abandon it in favour of affirmative behaviours.
Affirmative behaviours are those that endorse and uphold views that are considered to be good, right, true and fair.
Whenever people abandon passive behaviour in favour of affirmative behaviour, they find they enjoy the corresponding benefits.
- Psychologically they assert their personal identity, which is good for their self-esteem and mental health.
- Socially they give positive feedback for good behaviour, which is good for everyone.
- Morally they advocate for the good and argue against evil.
Communication Skills Training
Training all staff to communicate effectively and clearly will produce good working relationships. Our Communication Skills Training Course gives staff the confidence to express their opinions and will encourage progressive ideas in the workplace.
Definition: passive behaviour
Passive behaviour in the workplace is a behaviour pattern where an employee stays silent when a reply is needed, withholds personal views, gives neither support nor challenge to others, and acts this way during shared work. Remove any one of these traits and the conduct can no longer be classed as passive behaviour.
Show CG4D Definition
- Shows silence when the situation calls for a response
- Withholds own ideas, feelings and feedback
- Provides no support or criticism to co-workers
- Occurs within shared tasks that expect active input
Article Summary
Passive behaviour may look harmless, yet its silence erodes personal identity, breaks feedback loops and lets poor ideas win; speak up, use active behaviour and train teams to keep workplaces healthy and high performing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What counts as passive behaviour at work?
How does workplace passivity harm personal identity?
Why does silence disrupt a team's feedback loop?
Can passive behaviour really support bad ideas?
What is the link between passivity and psychological safety?
How can staff shift from passive to affirmative behaviour?
What steps should managers take to reduce passivity?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
Gartner’s 2024 Workplace Pulse Survey finds that 41% of UK employees have kept quiet about a problem or idea in the last 12 months because they feared conflict or backlash. The 2024 CIPD Good Work Index reports that firms investing in structured communication-skills training see 27% higher team-performance scores and 32% lower staff turnover than firms that do not.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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