The FIRO-B: Team Development – Expressed Affection

When working with teams, the FIRO-B can provide useful insights into how each person likes to work with others.  The items below are quite likely to be true for you the higher your score on a scale is. 

If you scored at seven or above, you probably demonstrate these behaviors very often.  If you scored two or less, you probably rarely do these things.  Of course, those in the middle will likely do them to varying degrees, depending on the situation.

This time we'll discuss Expressed Affection and how people with high scores are likely to act on a team.

Those who score highest on Expressed Affection frequently cooperate openly with others, provide positive feedback, and compliments or reassures team members.  They are likely to be supportive and encourage others to contribute and share their viewpoints with the team.  They will often offer to assist others, or provide personal coaching or advice. 

High scorers will be interested in the personal lives of other team members, and be aware of the team's needs and desires.  High scorers often are optimistic, encourage others to be frank, and will check frequently to make sure others on the team are satisfied with the team's progress or direction.  They usually are quite attuned to the emotions and energy of the team overall.

Most people will share the above traits to some degree.  However, it's likely that this style will dominate for some people more than others.  Your score on the scales should indicate which style is the preferred one for you.