The Fundamental Interpersonal Relationships Orientation (FIRO) theory focuses on the link between personal needs, values, emotions and defences and how these impact on all our relationships, both in our personal life and at work.

FIRO helps people to understand how they interpret the world through the medium of their own needs and experiences. By increasing self-awareness it leads to emotions become less disruptive and relationships being more understandable and productive.

FIRO is a philosophy, an approach, a toolkit and a process, all of which can be used wherever human relationships are important. In assessment terms it is based on a set of questionnaires that cover behaviour (Element B), feelings (Element F) and self-concept (Element S). The Element B questionnaire, which is the updated version of FIRO-B^®, concentrates on:

• Inclusion
  Maintaining the right amount of contact with people.
  
  
• Control
  Gaining the right amount of control over people.
  
  
• Openness
  Achieving the right amount of openness (self-disclosure).

It looks at the degree to which a person wants to include, control, and be close to others, and how much other people are perceived to include, control, or be close to that person.