About the FIRO-B™: Team Mismatches II

A common occurrence in the workplace is learning how to interact effectively with those colleagues whose preferences are different from our own. As you know, teams can have a preponderance of people with common preferences. What happens when your preferences clash with the group's?

For example, what if your lowest Wanted Need is Control but it's the team's highest? You might leave meetings early or show up late, or find ways to avoid doing assignments the team needs. You might ignore e-mails from team members or their requests for information from you. Some will tend to delay decision making and actions by others. You might find good reasons why you do not have to adhere to team procedures or policies. You might also stubbornly stick to your position.

In contrast, Wanted Control might be your highest need and the group's lowest. What could happen then? You might tell others about your lack of confidence in the team or your concerns about the team's tasks and goals. You could see problems or obstacles to the team's success and mention this to others. Some people in this situation ask many questions of fellow team members, and point out alternate ways of solving problems or options that might have been overlooked. Still others will tend to share their views on how the team is progressing and how they are contributing to the team's progress.

With many mismatches, it depends on how important this need is for you. If your Expressed Need score is very low (0-2), you might not do any of the above. Likewise, if Inclusion is your lowest Wanted Need, you might tolerate a mismatch more than with your highest need.