Passive aggression is a tact/behaviour manipulative and insecure people use to control their target. The passive aggressor usually creates the persona of a nice helpful person to the public therefore will usually not be confrontational or direct. They therefore ploy the tact of indirect /cold war attitude towards their target.

It’s usually due to fear, envy, a feeling of powerlessness and helplessness towards the target. It usually comes where the aggressor is either competitive or believes he or she is unable to manipulate their target into submission to their desire.

People who have experienced a form of oppression where they’re not allowed to express themselves often resort to passive aggression.

It is an unspoken power struggle which can manifest in various form such as:

1. Resistance: Not doing something that’s asked of him/her or intentionally not following instructions or keeping to deadline.

2. The silent treatment – not responding to questions, not picking calls or returning calls, ignoring emails or requests.

3. Sacarsm : they often use sacarsm to undermine you or your input.

4. Withholding of intimacy: they put artificial barrier in your relationship with them.

5. Inability to celebrate other people’s wins.
They find it difficult to congratulate you when you win. Your success becomes intimidating for them and they can’t stand it.

6. Indirect accusatory comments : they make indirect comments about their target in public while privately gossiping the individual with a closer niche. This is rampant on social media especially Facebook where people use inbox to discuss others then use revealing hints to indirectly attack their targets and signalling their cohorts.

7. Sabotage: the sabotage your work through various means. For example openly refusing your offer with intent to discourage others from taking the offer too.

For instance instead of privately letting you know they can’t make your event, they writing publicly under your marketing post that they will not be attending your event leaving hint to others to follow suit.

8. Running late: they deliberately run late to any meeting you schedule with them.

9. Avoidance: the avoid having any interaction with you. They ignore, snub or refuse to engage.