FIRO® Assessments
Improve Working Relationships By Understanding Interpersonal Needs
Help People Understand the Gap Between Expressed and Expected Behaviours from Others.
Help improve collaboration and working relationships by using FIRO assessments to highlight people’s need for Involvement, Influence, and Connection with others. Psychometrics Canada offers two assessment options: the FIRO-B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behaviour™) and FIRO Business™ (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation Business™).
Explore Interactions And Interpersonal Relationships Between People
Interpersonal needs drive how people communicate and collaborate. Will Schutz developed the FIRO model at the American Naval Research Laboratory, establishing that team performance depends on how well social needs are met within a group.
Working relationships have unexplained tension…
The problem is not skills or intentions; it’s a mismatch in what each person needs from the relationship that neither can name.
…measure interpersonal needs directly.
FIRO assessments surface the specific needs driving behaviour: how much involvement, influence, and connection each person requires.
People send mixed messages without realizing it…
Someone who initiates collaboration constantly but does not want others to initiate back sends a confusing signal. The gap between expressed and wanted behaviour erodes trust.
…reveal the expressed/wanted gap.
FIRO assessments measure the specific tension between what a person initiates toward others and what they want to receive in return.
Conflict around influence and decision-making recurs…
The same meetings produce the same friction. Three people want to lead, nobody wants to follow, and decisions stall or feel forced. The dynamic repeats because the underlying need is invisible.
…make the Influence dimension visible.
FIRO data explains exactly why decision-making meetings derail. Targeted coaching can address the specific source of tension.
Teams struggle with trust and collaboration…
Trust-building efforts feel shallow when teams do not understand the underlying dynamics.
…build trust on measurable data.
FIRO results give teams a concrete framework for understanding why collaboration breaks down.
Apply FIRO Insights Across Your Organization
Here are some of the main ways FIRO insights can help your organization, team, or clients.
Leadership Development
Leaders use FIRO Business results to understand their impact on direct reports, peers, and superiors. The data surfaces specific behaviour gaps that derail capable leaders, allowing coaches to target the exact source of interpersonal friction rather than addressing symptoms.
Team Development
Organizations can effectively use FIRO instruments during communication workshops and team-building sessions. The short completion time (less than 15 minutes) allows practitioners to integrate data into active sessions. Teams learn to recognize the underlying motivations behind their workplace interactions and reduce tension in a measurable way.
Conflict Management
FIRO assessments explain why conflict happens in the first place. By measuring the gap between expressed and wanted behaviour across Involvement, Influence, and Connection, practitioners can trace recurring interpersonal friction to its root cause rather than mediating surface-level disagreements.
What FIRO Measures: Three Interpersonal Needs
FIRO assessments measure three interpersonal needs across two dimensions: expressed behaviour (what I initiate) and wanted behaviour (what I want from others).
Involvement measures how much an individual interacts with others and how much they want to be interacted with.
Expressed Involvement
The degree to which you initiate contact, invite others to participate, and include people in activities and decisions.
Wanted Involvement
The degree to which you want others to reach out to you, invite you in, and include you in their plans and decisions.
FIRO -B vs. FIRO Business
Is FIRO-B or FIRO Business best for your needs? Both measure the same core dimensions of interpersonal interaction. It comes down to the audience and the language required for your environment. Scroll down for detailed profiles of each instrument.
| Feature | FIRO-B | FIRO Business |
| Primary Use | General & Organizational | Business & Leadership |
| Dimensions | Inclusion, Control, Affection | Involvement, Influence, Connection |
| Items | 54 items | 30 items |
| Completion Time | 15 minutes | 8 minutes |
| Language | English & French | English |
| Format | Online or self-scorable paper | Online |
FIRO Reports Available
Select the report that matches your coaching, team, or leadership development objective.
FIRO-B Profile Report
Basic scores for Inclusion, Control, and Affection. The starting point for individual and team conversations.
FIRO-B Interpretive Report for Organizations
Connects scores to workplace applications like communication, team participation, and working relationships.
FIRO Business Profile Report
Summarizes Involvement, Influence, and Connection needs using workplace language and situations.
How Organizations Use FIRO Insights
B.C. Finance Ministry Uses FIRO-B with MBTI for Leadership Development
Read this story to learn how the Government of B.C. combines FIRO-B with other assessment tools to create individual leadership development plans.
Common Questions About FIRO
When should I use FIRO-B vs. FIRO Business?
Use FIRO-B when you need broader applicability, French language availability, or a self-scorable paper format for live workshops. FIRO-B uses Inclusion, Control, and Affection terminology that works across general and organizational contexts. Use FIRO Business™ when working in executive coaching or leadership development where business-specific language (Involvement, Influence, Connection) resonates better with senior leaders. FIRO Business is faster (8 minutes vs. 15) and has dedicated leadership reports.
What is the difference between FIRO-B and FIRO Business?
Both measure the same core dimensions of interpersonal interaction but use different terminology. FIRO-B uses Inclusion, Control, and Affection (54 items, 15 minutes, English and French). FIRO Business uses Involvement, Influence, and Connection (30 items, 8 minutes, English only). FIRO Business uses professional language better suited to leadership and executive coaching contexts.
Do I need a certification to administer FIRO?
Yes. Both FIRO-B and FIRO Business are Level B instruments. You must hold a licensed certification or a master’s degree in psychology or a related discipline.
What is the difference between “Expressed” and “Wanted”?
Expressed behaviour is what a person initiates toward others. Wanted behaviour is what that person wishes to receive in return. When these two dimensions do not align, teams experience misunderstandings, mixed messages, and recurring friction. The gap between expressed and wanted behaviour is the core insight that FIRO assessments provide.
Can FIRO be combined with MBTI?
Yes. The Leadership Report Using FIRO-B and MBTI Instrument integrates interpersonal needs data with personality type data. This combination is used for leadership development and complex coaching scenarios where both dimensions are relevant.
Is FIRO Business available in French?
FIRO Business™ is currently available in English only. FIRO-B is available in both English and French. For bilingual organizations, the FIRO-B is the recommended instrument.
FIRO Resources
Understand the Interpersonal Needs of Your Team.
Talk to a Psychometrics expert about how FIRO assessments can be integrated into your leadership and team development programs.
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