It is not always easy to define truly dynamic behavior.
This is due to the fact that there is a fine line between assertive and aggressive behavior. This often leads to the confusion of these two terms.
Assertive behavior is considered as a point of balance between passive and aggressive behavior. It requires you to be accurate, to defend your desires and needs while still respecting the rights, needs and desires of others. It is important to express your thoughts, feelings and beliefs in a straightforward and appropriate manner. When you are assertive, you feel your confidence improving and you draw strength from it. In all interactions with other people, assertiveness can help you express yourself in a clear and immediate way without undermining your own rights or other people’s rights.
On the other hand, aggressive behavior is based on winning. You do what best serves your interests without taking into account the rights, needs or desires of other people. When you are aggressive, you act egoistically. Your behavior can be considered as pressuring or even intimidating. You get what you want, often without asking. By adopting such aggressive behavior, you undermine the opinions and feelings of others. Aggressive responses encourage people to respond in a non-assertive manner, either aggressively or passively.
Similarly, reacting in a passive or non-assertive way tends to be regarded as compliance with the wishes of others, but at the same time it can undermine your individual rights and self-confidence. Many people adopt a passive attitude because they have a strong need to be liked by others. Passivity leads people to fail to communicate thoughts or emotions but also to do things they do not really want, with the sole purpose of being accepted by others or avoiding a possible conflict. It also means that they allow others to take over responsibility, lead their life and make decisions in their place.
Although all of us have acted in passive and aggressive ways at times, such behavioral reactions often arise from lack of confidence and therefore, are inappropriate ways of interacting with others.