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firo-b®

FIRO-B® stands for Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior.

Developed by William Schutz in 1958, Schutz first used the FIRO-B® tool to assess how teams performed in the US Navy.

The FIRO-B® is an assessment tool used to help individuals and teams better understand their preferences in satisfying three basic social needs:

	Inclusion (the degree to which one belongs to a group, team or community)
	Control (the extent to which one prefers to have structure, hierarchy and influence)
	Affection (one's preference for warmth, disclosure and intimacy).

For each of these factors, FIRO-B® assesses individuals as to:

	how much they express the needs and
	how much they want to have the needs expressed to them from others.

In this respect, FIRO-B® is measuring the three aspects of Inclusion, Control and Affection, from two 'needs perspectives' of expressing (outwardly directed behavior towards others) and wanting (behavior from others directed towards oneself).

The overall 'scores' from the assessment also reveal the degree to which people attain satisfaction from their interactions with others versus time spent alone.

The FIRO-B® assessment data is particularly rich in enabling understanding individual and team behavior.

As with many other personality assessments, there are no 'right or wrong', nor 'good or bad' profiles.

By reviewing the assessment information, an individual can gain insight into what kind of teams they prefer to work in, what kind of environment they'd like to work in, and what roles they prefer in the workplace.

The FIRO-B® model and assessment tool can also provide information regarding leadership styles and areas of potential conflict.

If teams take the assessment together, they can compare the extent to which each person's preferences complement or conflict with colleagues. For example, a team member wanting a high degree of inclusion would appreciate and respond well to a manager who invites him/her to various meetings. A team member with a high degree of expressed affection is likely to work well with a colleague who seeks affection and attention.

The FIRO-B® system is a simple and elegant model that particularly assists understanding of team dynamics, greater self-awareness, mutual awareness among team-members (which relates helpfully to the Johari Window model), and team leadership development.

My acknowledgements to Barbara Heyn for these introductory notes about the FIRO-B® assessment. Barbara runs Atticus Consulting LLC in Blue Ash, Ohio, and specializes in developing teams, leadership and organizations. See also Barbara Heyn's article in the love and spirituality section - about bringing compassion and humanity to work, which is obviously closely connected with understanding and respecting personality.

FIRO-B® is a trademark of the CPP, Inc (Consulting Psychologists Press).

source: www.businessballs.com