USING THE

FIRO BUSINESS
®
ASSESSMENT
AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
And in Combination with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Instrument
®

Sarita Bhakuni, PsyD, FIRO ® and MBTI® Certified Practitioner

INTRODUCTION

M any leading organizations striving to maximize team performance and leadership

effectiveness have used the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-
Behavior ™ (FIRO-B®) instrument, developed in the late 1950s by William Schutz, to examine
interpersonal needs and how needs affect behavior.

Although the FIRO-B instrument is often used within organizational contexts, it was not
developed specifically for business applications. Building on the history and reliability
of the FIRO® model, CPP, Inc., has now developed the FIRO Business™ assessment—an
extension and updated version of the original FIRO-B assessment—to address the specific
requirements of organizations. The FIRO Business™ instrument features

• New terms—Involvement, Influence, and Connection—for the three interpersonal needs

to reflect use in business contexts
• A reduced number of items (30 vs. 54 in the FIRO-B instrument) for quicker administration
• Percentile scoring based on an international norm sample to facilitate use globally*

The FIRO Business assessment can be used to help develop great leaders while improving
organizational performance. It is particularly valuable to businesses because it quickly
gathers key insights for relating to coworkers, managers, and direct reports; influencing
and negotiating; making decisions; and setting priorities. And, to support development
professionals using the instrument, the FIRO Business assessment also features a
complement of reports and support materials, including

• FIRO Business™ Profile

• FIRO Business™ Leadership Report
• FIRO Business™ Technical Guide
2 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

• FIRO Business™ Leadership Report User’s Guide

• Introduction to the FIRO Business™ Instrument

This suite of products makes the FIRO Business assessment ideal for use in key business
applications, including leadership development, executive coaching, team building, and
conflict management initiatives. Additionally, the FIRO Business assessment can be used
in combination with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ® (MBTI®) instrument, the most widely
used personality assessment in the world. This white paper provides practitioners, learning
and development professionals, and coaches with information on how to use the FIRO
Business assessment and reports in these business applications and as a complement to
insights gained from the MBTI assessment.

CHOOSING BETWEEN THE FIRO-B® AND FIRO BUSINESS™ INSTRUMENTS

Organizations considering the use of an assessment based on the FIRO model can select
either the FIRO-B or the FIRO Business assessment using the following criteria.

FIRO-B selection criteria:

• Organizations already using the FIRO-B assessment and its companion reports and
experiencing positive results should continue using the FIRO-B assessment.
• Organizations already using the FIRO-B and MBTI assessments in combination for
leadership development (including use of the Leadership Report Using the FIRO-B® and
MBTI® Instruments) should continue using the FIRO-B assessment.
• Professional coaches using the FIRO-B assessment with clients for individual or
relationship counseling should continue using the FIRO-B assessment.

FIRO Business selection criteria:

• Organizations that have used the FIRO-B assessment but require a tool specifically
designed for use in business settings, with language that reflects the world of business
and that is quicker to administer, should consider using the FIRO Business assessment.
• Multinational organizations and those organizations with a multicultural workforce should
consider using the FIRO Business assessment—with scoring based on an international
norm sample, this tool is ideal for use with a global workforce.
• Professional coaches who work with individual clients for development specific to the
work environment or business context should consider using the FIRO Business
assessment.

Both the FIRO-B and FIRO Business assessments provide clients with valuable insights into
interpersonal needs that drive behavior. Using the selection criteria above will help ensure
optimal results for the end user.
3 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

APPLICATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

We know that the concept of leadership is context dependent and situational. If we examine
what drives leadership-related behaviors, we can trace it to needs and the satisfaction of
those needs. Opportunities for work excellence flourish when leaders’ interpersonal needs
are satisfied. However, when those needs are unmet, challenges arise that can thwart their
ability to lead effectively and to optimize the performance of the people and organizations
they lead.

The FIRO Business assessment and the FIRO Business™ Leadership Report help leaders and
potential leaders understand their behavior and provide an excellent foundation for moving
development forward. Leaders’ level of self-awareness provides the platform from which
they make decisions, yet their performance depends largely on their ability and willingness
to connect with others. At its core, leadership involves how individuals interact with their
direct reports, peers, and managers.

FIRO Business™ and MBTI® Instruments—

How They Complement Each Other

The MBTI instrument allows individuals to examine who they are at their core by identifying
four preferences indicating how they tend to direct their energy, take in information, make
decisions, and deal with the external world. It explores how consistently they use those
preferences and also provides information on both inter- and intrapersonal dynamics. The
FIRO Business instrument gives individuals a lens through which to view their interpersonal
behavior more closely. It measures their interpersonal needs for involvement, influence, and
connection and provides information about how those needs impact their behaviors and
relationships at work. Because it targets specific, measurable interpersonal behaviors, the
FIRO Business instrument is an appropriate tool for coaches and other professionals to use
in an individual’s leadership development.

Providing Individual and Group Feedback for Leadership

Development Using the FIRO Business™ Assessment

Results on the FIRO Business assessment provide answers to questions regarding many
leadership applications. The FIRO Business™ Leadership Report is a narrative report
providing a wealth of practical information that can be used to work through individual and
group feedback sessions focused on relating to coworkers, managers, and direct reports;
handling negotiation and conflict; and making decisions and setting priorities. Presented
are leadership development insights regarding an individual’s strengths, preferences,
challenges, and developmental stretches. The FIRO Business™ Profile can be used in
combination with the Leadership Report in instances where the presentation of FIRO
Business normative or comparison data is helpful.
4 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

Suggested Exercises for Coaches to Use with Their Client

1. Ask your client to write down five qualities she appreciates or respects about her
mentor or other person in a leadership or management role. Then look at her FIRO
Business percentile scores and interpretive categories (high, medium, or low; also known
as categorical scores) and talk about whether or not her behaviors interact with and
affect her ability to demonstrate these qualities to others. For example, if your client
feels her mentor or leader is generous in giving positive feedback to others and she has a
low percentile score on Expressed Connection, ask her why she chose to behave
differently when she felt good about this behavior directed toward herself. Get your client
to provide specific examples and then write down three things she will try to begin doing
differently based on emulating her mentor or leader.
2. Look at your client’s results and have a conversation about what she perceives to be the
level of effectiveness of her behavior. Ask for two things she could start, stop, or continue
in terms of her need for involvement, inclusion, and connection to improve her
interpersonal style with others.
3. Ask your client to look at her percentile scores and interpretive categories from the FIRO
Business™ Profile and hypothesize how her level of effectiveness might be raised if she
were to alter behaviors related to her wanted needs. What if she were to accept
help from others on projects instead of going it alone? What if she were to collaborate
with others as opposed to completing work in isolation? What if she were to accept
opportunities for more informal networking in the office (e.g., eating with others in the
lunchroom)? How could this potentially change the way others viewed her or the overall
level of her visibility?

APPLICATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE COACHING

The FIRO Business tool is derived from the FIRO-B model, which has often been used in
development work around emotional intelligence, or EQ. As individuals rise within an
organization, EQ becomes an essential element of managing others and working with and
through others. Often we see executives who display significant technical proficiency in their
field lack the ability to connect with and relate to other people. This is where a coach can come
in and partner with them to help increase their self-awareness and level of effectiveness.

The FIRO Business assessment adds valuable information to the conversation between
coaches and clients because it can uncover possible behaviors that can cause executives to
get in their own way on the road to success. Coaches can use their understanding of the needs
for involvement, influence, and connection to examine growth and opportunities for developing
or enhancing these valuable EQ competencies. One key aspect of the FIRO Business™ Profile
is that it indicates what individuals are expressing to others and what they want from them
in return. When clients are able to recognize the inconsistencies between what they want,
what they are asking for, and what they are putting out for others to perceive, the “lightbulb”
inevitably comes on and an opportunity for growth begins.
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FIRO Business™ and MBTI® Instruments—

How They Complement Each Other

Coaches frequently use the FIRO-B and MBTI instruments simultaneously to enhance
or improve executives’ communication, problem solving, decision making, project
management, and connecting with others. The MBTI instrument can help people understand
why and how individuals of one type might behave in a given situation differently from
individuals of another type. Further understanding of the mental functions—Sensing (S),
Intuition (N), Thinking (T), and Feeling (F)—can help them learn how better to express the
best parts of themselves.

Coaches must also be able to help their clients identify behaviors that need to be
improved or altered. Using the FIRO Business assessment, coaches can get their clients to
understand what they might need first from others in order to be invested in a relationship.
In determining the specific need, coaches can then strategize either on managing the need
situationally or on trying to satisfy the need through a mutually satisfying relationship. Here
are some examples of useful questions for coaches to ask their clients, based on results
from each instrument.

From the FIRO Business™ instrument:

• When engaged in relationships with others, are you likely to take the initiative in
developing a relationship and direct the course your relationship takes?
• How important is it for you to be recognized by others, and how do you feel when you are
working for a manager who does not consistently acknowledge your contributions?
• How comfortable are you with taking the lead and making decisions for others? Is this
something you enjoy, and if so, do you allow space for others to collaborate with you in this
process? How might others’ perceptions of you improve if you changed your methods in this
arena?
• Can you take direction from others when contributing to a team project? Or is it important
for you to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to decision making? Has this issue had an
impact on people’s willingness to work with you on projects?
• How important is it for you to feel liked and appreciated by your teammates? How is your
work affected when this is not the case on your team?
• When you work on a team where members enjoy time with each other outside work, how
comfortable are you with joining in?

From the MBTI® instrument:

• How could you use your opposite preference in terms of directing your energy to enhance
your communication style with others? If you flexed your preference for either Introversion
or Extraversion, would it make a noticeable difference in your work relationships?
• What keeps you from sharing your ideas with your team? How could you work on sharing
your ideas and inserting your voice with others more regularly?
• When learning new information for a project, are you asking the right questions to
determine the steps needed for implementation?
6 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

• Are you stepping back enough to see the big picture when strategizing on projects?
• In your decision-making process are you more likely to base your decision on what is fair,
or on how people are going to be affected? How does that influence your work?
• Do you sometimes favor logic in making decisions rather than on who needs to participate
to make the project successful?
• Are you comfortable with ambiguity when you begin a project, or do you need an outline
with scope and steps to begin your work?
• Do your creative process and spontaneity enhance or detract from your ability to complete
projects in a timely manner?

Providing Individual and Group Feedback for Executive Coaching

Using the FIRO Business™ Profile

Coaching is typically conducted one-on-one, though at times coaches are brought in to train
an entire group to enhance their effectiveness. Here are some of the factors coaches should
consider when using the FIRO Business assessment and the FIRO Business™ Profile Report
with a client:

• On which expressed and wanted needs did the client score highest, or lowest?
• Are these scores drastically higher or lower than the other scores, or just a little bit
different?
• Based on these scores, what might be one of the client’s unsatisfied needs?
• Is the client’s Total Expressed Need score high or low?
• If the client is someone who needs to interact with people on a regular basis, is that need
being satisfied in his role as executive?
• If the client is not being recognized for his contributions to a team, is he giving himself a
voice and expressing what he wants and needs from others?
• If the client is taking on too much, is he afraid of the consequences of setting limits and
saying no?
• Is the client’s level of collaboration with others high enough that he is getting the visibility
he seeks in terms of recognition of his accomplishments?
• If the client is having a difficult time moving up in the organization, what are the
performance gaps that might be showing up as unsatisfied needs on his profile?

Additional resources can be used to help identify some of the client’s opportunities for
development as indicated by the scores. Table 35 in the FIRO Business™ Technical Guide
summarizes significant correlations between FIRO Business scores and Adjective Check List
items. The Adjective Check List, or ACL, uses 300 common adjectives or phrases to describe
a person’s characteristics or attributes. When FIRO Business and ACL results are compared,
consistencies between descriptions and behaviors can verify or refute hypotheses generated
from an interpretation of a FIRO Business™ Profile. This comparison can also provide a
hint of what the client may be demonstrating to the outside world as well as managing
internally.
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Suggested Exercises for Coaches to Use with Their Client

1. Ask your client whether any of the Need scores she received were surprising to her,
and why. If she can name a score that surprised her, talk more about how she could more
effectively demonstrate her need for this behavior from others or accept it when it is
directed toward her. It is possible that she may not even be aware of what she is putting out
to others in this area; the insight derived from this conversation could prove to be invaluable
in her interpersonal relationships.
2. Take a look at your client’s highest percentile score on either an expressed or wanted
need. Ask her to think of one thing she could do differently to satisfy this need through
channels other than work.

APPLICATIONS FOR TEAM BUILDLING

The FIRO-B instrument was created to aid in the formation of productive and effective
teams.With the FIRO Business instrument, the FIRO model’s original utility can be expanded
by looking at what an individual needs to be a successful team contributor. Most of people’s
interactions with others are influenced and informed by whether they think the other
person is an ally or is presenting a hurdle. If clients understand work relationships as being
transactional, they can use their results from the FIRO Business instrument to examine
what they are giving to, as well as what they are receiving from, others. When these
elements are in balance, and clients feel that what they are giving is being appropriately
recognized and what they are receiving is sufficiently rewarding, then a behavior within
that need category (Involvement, Influence, or Connection) is deemed consistent with one
that will meet their needs. For team members, part of contributing to the team’s success is
understanding both what they bring to the table and what the team needs from them, and
balancing those two elements appropriately.

When people’s needs are being met on a team, they engage, contribute, collaborate, and
produce. When their needs are unsatisfied, they withdraw, complain, procrastinate, and
sabotage. If we look at the needs for involvement, influence, and connection across a team,
we can begin to understand the story the data tell us about team synergy, gaps, productivity,
and relationships.

FIRO Business™ and MBTI® Instruments—

How They Complement Each Other

From a team-building standpoint, the FIRO-B and MBTI instruments can be used simultaneously
to enhance or improve executive communication, problem solving, decision making, project
management, and connecting with others. The MBTI instrument provides information about
what the individual brings to a team by describing his or her preferences and possible areas
of proficiency and expertise as well as possible challenges or shortcomings. Functions pairs
can be seen as drivers and motivators in terms of team cohesiveness and communication
8 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

style. Using results from the FIRO Business instrument, we can drill down even further to
predict how individual styles may or may not mesh together on a team, based on people’s
interpersonal needs and what the consequences may be if those needs are not satisfied. As
a team-building tool, the FIRO Business instrument helps individuals understand the need
for complementary alignment of roles and goals across a team and the possible synergies
that may result.

MBTI insights about type can contribute to the dialogue between team members by
providing a common language with which to speak about individual needs and preferences.
The FIRO Business instrument can take it a step further by identifying unsatisfied needs and
interpersonal tensions and their effect on team performance. An extremely low score on an
individual’s profile can help uncover potential frustrations and suggest further exploration.

Providing Individual and Group Feedback for Team Building

Using the FIRO Business™ Assessment

The FIRO Business™ Profile contains information about an individual’s needs as they relate
to the needs of others and provides insight into professional relationships. In addition, the
profile outlines how interested the individual is in establishing relationships with coworkers,
which directly affects his or her investment in the team. How individuals express behavior to
others depends on a multitude of variables, including the relevance of that behavior to overall
satisfaction. It is important to note that what individuals express to others can be affected
by conditions other than what they might need—for example, expectations of others, work
environment and interpersonal expectations, and response to colleagues’ needs.

Following the “Introduction” section of the profile are three sections reporting and
interpreting scores: “Your Expressed Needs,” “Your Wanted Needs,” and “Your Total and
Overall Scores.” Each section demonstrates how much individuals express each need—
Involvement, Influence, and Connection—to their colleagues, and to what extent they
accept all three behaviors from others.

The “Your Expressed Needs” section provides indications about behaviors individuals
are likely to demonstrate or initiate when interacting with other members of the team.
Information presented in this section can motivate individuals to ask themselves the
following kinds of questions:

• How much time and energy am I likely to spend relating to coworkers versus working
independently on my own projects?
• Am I likely to be seen as a team player, or as an independent contributor?
• How do I share information with others on the team?
• How much time alone do I need versus time with the team to feel balanced on the job?
• Do I share similar information with everyone, or do I pick and choose my confidants?
• Am I clear about what I expect from team members and what they expect from me?
• Are my behavior and communication style on the team consistent most of the time?
9 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

• What could I change to be more successful on the team?

• How could I stretch myself and learn how to express the best parts of myself to my
teammates?

The “Your Wanted Needs” section provides indications about behaviors individuals are
likely to want others to demonstrate or initiate toward them. When wanted needs are
unfulfilled, it may become an opportunity for individuals to contemplate their role in why
those needs may not be understood by others. Information presented in this section can
motivate individuals to ask themselves the following kinds of questions:

• Am I satisfied with my level of involvement on team projects?

• Do I have the appropriate information to perform well in my role?
• Do teammates share their appreciation of my contribution to overall team performance?
• Am I comfortable with how much influence I have on the team?
• Do I want a more “hands-on” style from my manager or supervisor?
• Do teammates provide encouragement and support during difficult times when I need it?
• Do I enjoy getting to know others in the office, or do I prefer more businesslike
relationships?

The last section of the profile, “Your Total and Overall Scores,” describes the level of
interpersonal interaction and involvement individuals need from others to be satisfied.
Information presented in this section can motivate individuals to ask themselves the
following kinds of questions:

• Am I getting enough time alone to finish my work, or am I too often pulled into
conversations or meetings that consume my energy?
• Do I enjoy collaborating with others on projects, or do I prefer work that requires only
my input?
• Does the organization provide enough structure to help me understand what I need to do
to perform successfully?
• Do I understand what needs to be done to make an impact on the team?
• Do I feel comfortable when other colleagues seem to share close personal friendships?
• Is work another place to go where I enjoy the company of my colleagues?

These questions can help individuals begin a dialogue with their team regarding what story
the data from the FIRO Business Profile are telling. If the team is performing well and has
reached a high level of productivity, answering those questions will be easier than if the
team is not working effectively.

Suggested Exercise for Coaches to Use with Their Client

1. Ask your client to examine the percentile scores and interpretive categories of members
of his team before meeting with them collectively. Are they similar across the board, or
10 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

different? If they are similar, ask the client what sorts of things tend to cause team members
to become irritated with each other to the point that it becomes a distraction. Oftentimes
when the majority of people on the team desire the same behavior, that is, score high on the
same wanted need (say, Wanted Involvement), that leaves only a few team members to do
most of the work to fulfill this need. This is especially pronounced when, of those, only one
or two score high on the corresponding expressed need (in this case, Expressed Involvement).
In such cases the client should ask his fellow team members for ideas on how to share the
load of meeting each other’s needs more equally. On the other hand, if the percentile scores
are generally in the low range, he should explore whether this is an unsatisfied need or an
area on which the team does not need to pay a great deal of attention.

APPLICATIONS FOR CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

The Harvard Negotiation Project has produced books such as Getting to Yes (Fisher & Fry,
1983) and Difficult Conversations (Stone, Patton, & Heen, 1999) that address the degree to
which conflict can be a roadblock in a work environment. An executive can be an intelligent,
hardworking team player, but if she lacks the ability to successfully address, manage, and
resolve conflict situations, her development will be stalled.We know that conflict is an
integral part of our everyday personal and professional lives, yet many people avoid or deny
the need to manage it directly.

• Individuals can use the FIRO Business model to expand their perception of the way they
manage conflict. Most often people enter into a conflict with another person because they
do not feel heard, feel frustrated, are in a power struggle, or are not getting what they
need from that person. The FIRO Business™ Profile addresses these and other topics in
terms of individuals’ needs for involvement, influence, and connection. Here are some
examples of questions individuals may want to ask themselves when using the profile
results to manage conflict:

• Involvement. Are there times when I feel left out of the loop and my feelings are hurt
and I feel frustrated? Do I know who needs to be included in projects to cover all my
bases? Do I feel defensive at times when I am denied information shared by others in
the office?
• Influence. Do I ever take the stance of “My way or the highway”? Are people afraid to
share their ideas with me for fear of what my reaction will be? Do I state what I am
thinking or feeling even if it opposes the general consensus?
• Connection. Do I need to feel that others agree with me or enjoy working with me? Is
it difficult to collaborate with someone who I know does not enjoy working with me?
When I disagree with other people’s ideas, am I reluctant to share this with them at the
risk of losing their friendship?
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The FIRO Business™ Profile provides individuals with an understanding of their approach to
managing conflict and the strategies they can use in working through conflict with others.
When they think about their results on the profile, they can use them to determine how they
might answer the following questions:

• How (if at all) do I use empathy and understanding while negotiating with another
person? Do I look for commonalities?
• How do I exert power when negotiating with others?
• How could I stretch myself to be more effective when negotiating with others?
• How do I create trust between myself and the opposing party?
• Do I take time to show that I understand and care about the other person’s feelings?
• Is my approach to negotiating fair, or do I sometimes rush to closure to reach an
agreement?
• Am I an advocate for my own needs during conflict?

FIRO Business™ and MBTI® Instruments—

How They Complement Each Other

One of the most common reasons people use the MBTI instrument to deal with conflict
situations is that it provides a benign and common language with which to address personal
similarities and differences. The FIRO Business instrument examines people’s needs during
a conflict—their highest- scoring expressed and wanted needs are likely the needs they
pay attention to first during a conflict situation.We can hypothesize that if they have the
self-awareness to know from the beginning how to enter into a conflict situation based on
keeping themselves calm and approachable, then a favorable outcome is obtainable.

Using the FIRO Business and MBTI instruments simultaneously provides a more complete
data set from which to understand what is happening during a conflict on an interpersonal
level and what this will look like in terms of behavior. When people understand their
general approach to relationships, they can better determine what they need in order to
be open to resolving a conflict. Based on MBTI type theory, it is understood that the way
individuals are likely to respond to conflict is indicated by their function pair (the middle two
letters of their four-letter type). Let’s examine how we might hypothesize an approach to
conflict based on each function pair by type:

• STs (Sensing Thinking types). STs may approach conflict by providing details about
what happened and the logic of why the conflict does or doesn’t make sense to them.
They believe the conflict should be resolved based on what has been proven and what is
right or fair. This approach does not always take into account how people may feel about
the conflict. STs provide detailed analysis during a conflict that forces people to be
specific about their thoughts and ideas.
• NTs (Intuitive Thinking types). NTs tend to be rather competitive in conflict situations.
They believe strongly in the importance of being competent; anyone whom they deem to
be incompetent will lose credibility in a negotiation or discussion. NTs tend to be
12 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

blunt and direct and seem to be more concerned about being right than hearing other’s
 perspectives. NTs try to look at the big picture during a conflict and are eager to get to the
bottom line of the situation.
• NFs (Intuitive Feeling types). NFs may try to avoid conflict, as it causes them great
discomfort when someone is upset or frustrated with them. They often feel they have let
the other person down and feel responsible, even when the responsibility does not fall on
them. They want everyone to get along and prefer a win-win approach to conflict. NFs are
great at trying to get people to be on the same page and collaborate. They can diffuse
tension by reminding people that they are on the same team and ultimately need to reach
a consensus.
• SFs (Sensing Feeling types). SFs often prefer a step-by-step approach to managing a
conflict and want the end results to benefit people. They are willing to get involved in the
unpleasantness of conflict if it ultimately serves to make things better for others. Though
they may not always speak up about how they feel and may get their feelings hurt, they
can be tenacious in their commitment to making sure people get what they need. They
tend to consider the minutia of what people might need to feel satisfied.

An uderstanding of MBTI type can provide insight into individuals’ behavior in conflict. The
FIRO Business assessment enhances that insight by providing current information about
how they are feeling and what their needs are now. As individuals consider the significance
of their function pair in conflict situations, here are some examples of questions they might
ask themselves as they reflect on their FIRO Business™ Profile:

• Do I need time to myself to think about what I am feeling?

• Is this an issue of “winning” or power over the other person?
• Am I concerned about the state of my relationships with the other people involved? Are
my relationships with the other people involved at risk?
• If I take a stand, will someone be disappointed or hurt?
• Do I want to take responsibility for making a decision or suggestion?
• Do I feel secure enough to volunteer my ideas during the negotiation process?

By examining their data on the FIRO Business™ Profile, individuals will be better prepared to
answer all of these questions.

Providing Individual and Group Feedback for Conflict Management

Using the FIRO Business™ Assessment and Profile

The best way for individuals to understand their behavior during conflict is to examine the
need they tend to satisfy first in a relationship. Here’s how they can use FIRO Business™
Profile results to understand their conflict approach:

• For individuals whose highest-scoring need is Involvement. You will want to be in

the know about news, projects, and processes. If people neglect to share such
information with you, you will tend to find it off-putting and upsetting. In order to feel
13 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

satisfied with your level of involvement during a conflict, tell the other parties the kind of
information you need to know and how much contact you will be expecting from them. Be
clear and specific about your intentions to communicate with them as well as the amount
and kind of communication you are expecting from them.
• For individuals whose highest-scoring need is Influence. Think about the
hierarchies that may exist in your relationships with other people involved in the conflict.
The way you understand your position of power in relation to them will determine your
level of comfort in being diplomatic or agreeable. Keep in mind your end goal and try to
listen to the goals of others and what they may need from you. You may be able to get
buy-in from others by providing them with what they need first. Though this may feel like
“giving in,” it is actually a smart negotiating move.
• For individuals whose highest-scoring need is Connection. Think about the
importance of your relationships with those people involved in the conflict. If you trust
them and have a solid appreciation for how they perceive you, you may feel more
comfortable asserting what you need for yourself during a conflict. If you do not share
with them what you need or are looking for as a part of the negotiation, remind yourself
how you will feel afterward if you do not advocate for yourself. While it may seem noble
to be the one to sacrifice for the sake of others, excess sacrifice can leave you feeling
frustrated and resentful.

Suggested Exercise for Coaches to Use with Their Clients

If you are working with a team or other group, have individual members identify their
highestscoring need on their FIRO Business™ Profile and then talk about how that might
inform or influence their willingness to compromise or arrive at an agreeable solution in
a conflict situation. They should also review their lowest-scoring need on the profile and
think about how they would approach conflict differently if that were their highest and most
important need to satisfy first. How would that change their perspective? How would their
approach and behavior change?

CONCLUSION

The FIRO Business assessment and its companion reports—the FIRO Business™ Profile and
the FIRO Business™ Leadership Report—provide valuable information about interpersonal
needs for involvement, influence, and connection. Individuals can use the information
presented to examine their overall needs and how these impact the way they behave
with others for the key business applications discussed above—leadership development,
executive coaching, team building, and conflict management. They can also use insights
gained from the FIRO Business assessment to complement insights gained from the
MBTI assessment for a more complete picture of another individual or team. If they can
understand more about their relationships and what they want from them, they can position
themselves to be more involved in getting their needs met.
14 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

What the FIRO Business line of products offers individuals is greater self-awareness and
insight. Need scores tell, for example, the story of how much involvement they want with
others, whether or not they need to have influence over others to feel important, and the extent
and level of connection they need in order to feel present and engaged in their work. The FIRO
Business™ Profile can help them take steps toward creating more manageable scenarios in
which to be successful. Furthermore, it can help them create strategies based on leadership,
coaching, team building, or conflict applications that challenge them to pay attention to their
needs in the moment—specifically, relating to coworkers, managers, and direct reports;
handling negotiation and conflict; making decisions; and setting priorities. This is the
“presence” Peter Senge speaks about of executives who have had a wildly successful career—
they pay attention to who they are and what they need and are engaged in their everyday
interactions at a level that makes all the difference.

Sarita Bhakuni, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist, trainer, senior organizational development

consultant, and assessment expert based in Chicago, Illinois.With experience in a broad
range of industries, including pharmaceutical, health care, financial services, technology,
retail, automobile, education, and nonprofit, she specializes in creating growth while
managing change for both individuals and organizations. She holds a master’s degree
and doctorate in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in
Chicago, where she is currently a faculty member, and a biomedical bachelor of science
degree from Ohio State University.

As a consultant for CPP, Inc., Dr. Bhakuni designed and delivered programs in conflict,
leadership, diversity empowerment, career development and transition, change and
stress management, effective communication, coaching, team building, and mentoring
for corporations across the country. She is now an independent consultant and a certified
practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), FIRO®, California Psychological
Inventory ™ (CPI™), and Strong Interest Inventory® assessments.
15 USING THE FIRO BUSINESS ™ ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS IN KEY BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

CPP—The People Development People.

At CPP, our only job is to help you be a better people development professional and, in turn, help every
employee flourish. While we’re best known for our products like the Myers-Briggs® assessment, CPP is also a
group of people who can offer you the information, guidance, and support you need.

Your guide to performance.

We offer solutions to help you improve organizational performance and address whatever challenges you
face—from team building, leadership and coaching, and conflict management to career development,
selection, and retention. Perhaps that’s why millions of individuals in more than 100 countries use our
products each year. They include people at Fortune 500 companies and businesses of all sizes, as well as
educators, government agencies, and training and development consultants. Among CPP’s world-renowned
brands are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ® (MBTI®), Strong Interest Inventory ®, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict
Mode Instrument (TKI), FIRO®, CPI 260®, and California Psychological Inventory ™ (CPI™ ) assessments.

Let’s make a difference together. Talk to us today to see how.

800-624-1765 : www.cpp.com : The Myers-Briggs® experts

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Strong Interest Inventory, and the CPP logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of CPP, Inc., in the United States and other
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