FIRO Element B >Will Schutz
The american psychologist Will Schutz was born in 1925 and was until his death in 2002 one of the most respected leaders in the field of human relationships. Will Schutz worked for several years at the Esalen Institute in California when he conducted much of his studies around human behaviour in relation to other people. Much of what he discovered has later been used in different forms of leadership development.
He later became president for BConWSA International. His own schooling, Will Schutz spent at University of California in Los Angeles where he also wrote his doctorate. The year of 1958 was a milestone in both his own life and in the life of organisational development around the world. That was the year he presented his theory FIRO – Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation.
The FIRO-theory created by Will Schutz
According to this theory there three dimensions that are required to explain human interaction. They are inclusion, control and openess. Will Schutz later also created FIRO-B ™ which is a tool that measures these three dimensions from a behavioural standpoint.
The theory has also formed the basis for the training called The Human Element, a seminar that is currently being offered on five continents and that deals with different phases in the growth and development of organisations.
Books that Will Shutz has written
Books that Will is author of include FIRO A Three-Dimensional Theory of Interpersonal Behavior (1958), Joy (1967), Profound Simplicity (1979), The Truth Option (1984), Joy: Twenty Years Later (1989) and The Human Element: Productivity, Self-Esteem and the Bottom Line (1994).
Apart from his work at Esalen Will Schutz also served at several other institutions such as Harvard, University of Chicago, University of California and Albert Einstein Medical School. As a consultant he worked with a great number of companies such as Världsbanken, NASA, Coca-Cola, Intel, AT&T, Procter & Gamble and many others.
In conclusion
Will Schutz died on november the 9th 2002 from a stroke and has left behind some of the most used tools and trainings for the development of individuals, groups and organisations.
