Psychologist and social scientist Will Schutz developed the FIRO theory after working for the Navy during the Korean War; his task was to help the military build strong teams that would not only withstand the pressures of living in submarines but thrive and reach high performance as well. FIRO-B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior) is the self-assessment instrument associated with Schutz’s theory which explores three dimensions of interpersonal relations: Inclusion, Control and Openness. It is a systemic approach that looks at how an individual behaves towards others and how he would like others to behave towards him.

• Do I make the effort to include others?
• Do I enjoy having a lot of contact with others?
• How much do I want others to include me in their activities and give me a sense of belonging?
• Do I make the effort to influence and control others?
• Do I seek responsibility and authority or am I more comfortable when others give me instruction and direction?
• Do I show appreciation and concern openly?
• Do I share my opinions and feelings easily?
• Do I enjoy hearing the concerns of others?
  

It provides insight about group compatibility because a profile can be made combining the individual scores. Today the key objective of this tool is to enable individuals and teams to identify behaviors that help and hinder group performance. Schutz strongly believed that, more than anything else, his questionnaire was a wonderful pretext for dialogue and saw the scores as a photo of a group on a given day and not a permanent assessment.

I am certified to administer this instrument.