About the FIRO-B™: Team Transitions VI

This time we'll examine some other common scenarios involving change and the differences between positive and negative versions.

Many teams experience a crisis or trauma at some point in their existence. When teams work well together, they will carefully consider the situation, reach consensus before moving forward, and share insights and information with each other. When things aren't going as well, the team may become passive and wait for the leader or one person in the group to take action. Blame and assigning guilt to others is another common negative reaction. Important information is not shared with others, particularly bad news.

Another common situation is when the team has to change its location, such as moving to new offices. When a team is working positively together, they deal with the new issues out in the open. They will carefully consider how their interactions might change, particularly how it will affect team communication. Any change in the team status will likewise be addressed by the group. In a negative scenario, the upcoming change will usually be ignored as long as possible. The team will focus on the potential negative consequences and overlook the possible improvements. Any agreements they reach among themselves will usually take place without the others knowing about it. People will often pretend everything is the same and try to carry on in the old style, even when they realize it's no longer working.

In these scenarios, the knowledge gained from using the FIRO-B with the team can bring these issues to light, as well as suggesting possible ways to deal with changes in the team.