Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B®) is an instrument that assist organizations with team-building and how to effectively communicate with others.

The FIRO-B® instrument identifies a person's reported need to engage other people and to be engaged by others.  Differences in this interaction need causes conflicts among team members, when their needs are not being met and the members do not have a framework for understanding an individual's different need for inclusion.

The instrument identifies one's need to control others and to have others exercise control over them.  When one encounters someone who has a higher expressed control need than they want then there is a tendency to feel micro managed.  When the supervisor's expressed control need isn't as high as one's want to be controlled there is a tendency to feel abandoned.

The need for openness is extremely important in building relationships, and relationships are the secret to successful networks, so those with low expressed or wanted needs in this dimension have to work at overcoming their innate desire to stay in their comfort zone of close friends. The need for inclusion, control and affection manifest itself in two ways - the need to express, and the need to receive. 

When working in teams, these different needs provide a strong foundation for understanding the interactions that are happening between team members and an opportunity to enhance respect and trust between team members.

FIRO-B® is an excellent tool for team members in a number of areas:  managing behavior and its results; recognition of sources of and solutions to stagnation in communication and conflict; acknowledgment of unique contributions of the individual, which leads to greater appreciation.