About the FIRO-B™: Team Transitions III

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

For example, what happens when a team encounters a crisis or trauma? Well, those who have low scores on Expressed Inclusion might find it hard to share information during a crisis. They might withhold useful facts, which can hinder effective decision making. Likewise, such individuals might erroneously assume others will want them to share all they know about an issue. Instead, these people should focus on how they can make the situation better through participation. People who have low scores on Expressed Affection or Wanted Affection will react differently: they will tend to overlook the emotional impact of a crisis. Such individuals might spend time checking with other team members on how they are dealing with the crisis. Making sure others feel involved and showing concern can help a great deal.

Another scenario involves the loss of key resources or competition from outside the team. People with low scores on Expressed Control might not act quickly to respond to the challenge. In such cases, they could ask a more experienced team member for guidance or asking another team member to address the issue. In contrast, those with high scores on Expressed Control are likely to respond with competitive behavior. It might be more advantageous to wait before acting. Not all change is negative, so waiting might reveal new information. People with low scores on Wanted Inclusion might decide to tackle the problem on their own. They might ask others for input before moving forward.