About the FIRO-B™: Team Transitions II

This issue we'll continue with how team members might respond to transitions in the team roles, composition, or tasks.

One common situation is when new members join a team. Many teams are limited in their make up, so this happens frequently. For those individuals who had low Expressed Inclusion scores, it can be quite a challenge to reach out to new members and make them feel welcome. Often it helps if these people make an effort to meet and get to know new members outside of meetings or formal work affairs. Waiting and hoping you will meet the new folks rarely works. People with scores like this must usually make an effort. On the other hand, people who have high scores on either Wanted or Expressed Affection may have trouble letting go of departed team members, or feel disloyal to the current team if they welcome the new people too soon or with too much enthusiasm. The result can be that they are too cautious in establishing new relationships. Of course, it's possible to stay connected to old team members while adding new people. Usually it's necessary to help the team move forward.

Sometimes the goal or purpose for a team changes. When that happens, people who have low scores on Expressed Control may struggle with changing direction or agreeing with the new team goal. Many times a transition plan can help these people see how to change best, as well as defining action steps to make it happen. Those who have low scores on Wanted Control may resist change that is imposed from outside the team. They might have to consider whether resistance is useful or productive. Those with low Wanted Inclusion scores might be tempted to leave a team whose role has changed. Still others might lose interest and merely go through the motions. Finally, people with high Wanted Inclusion scores might have the opposite problem: it might be time for them to leave the team and make room for someone else. They might not be able to consider this possibility and might need help from other team members to realize it would be best for all. Their skills might be better utilized in another group.