Do you think people mistake a placid personality for weakness?

[purpletopper]

I am quite a calm, placid person, I am pretty confident but not especially extrovert and am happy to just be doing my own thing.

I am not a pushover but I am not especially reactive when people try to push my buttons or wind me up. I can see what they are doing even when they think they are being subtle with it and I just let it wash over me, its not worth it to get all worked up about other peoples "stuff" in my experience.

I do think though that at times some people mistake my placid temperament for being weak and think they can use and abuse me which isn't the case at all. A woman I used to work with when I was quite young tried to bully me, I only worked part time and when I left she'd go though my work from the morning to try and find mistakes in my work so she could report them to bosses and was constantly harassing me, or trying to. Eventually other team members reported her bullying to the bosses and she ended up being disciplined. My colleagues were appalled but it didn't really upset me, it was only her who was getting all worked up about things and I didn't really think about it or her at all. Perhaps in a way my lack or reaction actually provoked her more. I could see what she was doing but it just seemed to me to be her issue not mine.

Do you think people do mistake a calm, placid personality for weakness they can exploit?

Yes. I think they do.

From one placid person to another, unfortunately yes they do

Absolutely yes.

Yes they do. A lot of people don't realise that you can be assertive when necessary without screaming and shouting.

Yes 100%. I am placid, easy-going, amenable. I have sensed that some people take it to mean that I'm nervous and unable to speak up to defend myself if needed or unable to speak my mind or put forward my view, but they are wrong.

Can do. Same with pleasant or ‘bubbly’. It’s quite satisfying tho to disabuse them of that notion ;)

I think some people mistake quietness for a weakness . Quietness attracts narcs . When you push back people don't like it .

They really don't like it when their assumed target doesn't get upset/reduced to tears or says 'no', though.

It's quite funny at times when all of a sudden, you produce a whole bunch of emails or suchlike to show that they're a) wrong, b) being a total dick or c) that they're deliberately playing games.

Of course there are people not so unaware who realise that you're not bothered and that frankly, you've encountered bigger and scarier people than that muppet, but in the meantime, those twats get to carry on digging holes for themselves as you watch.

Not at all. My sis is the most placid person on the face of the earth but she's bloody minded if she doesn't want to do something or doesn't agree with something.

She just smiles and says yeah yeah and then goes on her way. Never engages or argues or obviously stands her ground but does anyway.

Very irritating not least because I can't be like that!

I agree that they do. There are a few bullies in my past who probably regret underestimating me!