Skills Assessment of SB 6-1 (Questions and Answers also in Test Bank).
There are three situations in the test bank, also below, similar to the 10 TA situations in the text.
1. A customer brought a pair of shoes to be resoled. Later she picked them up and left. At home she
realized the shoes were now too tight. She returned to the shoe shop and said, “What’s wrong with
you? Don’t you know how to put new soles on without making the shoe smaller? The shoe repair
person’s possible responds ego states are below. (A) identify each transactional analysis (TA)
response on the R line [SP, CP, A, NC, AC]. (B) Select the best answer for the situation (a-e) on the
S line here ________:
a. “It’s not my fault, and they can’t be redone.
See you later” R _____
b. “I’m sorry it happened. How do you feel about my stretching the shoes so they will fit?” R
_____
c. “You must have been disappointed. They are a real nice pair of shoes. What can I do to make it up
to you?” R ___
d. “If you took better care of your shoes, it wouldn’t have happened.” R _____
e. “That’s funny; it never happened before.” R _____
Answer –
S – b (adult) then c (sympathetic parent).
a. AC
2. The manager assigned an employee a task stating exactly how it should be done. The employee
deliberately ignored the directions and did it his way. The job will not meet the customer’s
standards. The manager tells the employee this in the adult style and the employee possible
responses are below. (A) identify each transactional analysis (TA) ego state response on the R lines
[SP, CP, A, NC, AC]. (B) Select the best answer for the situation (a-e) on the S line here ________:
a. “Sorry about that. I’ll redo it right now so that the customer will accept it. R _____
b. “Don’t blame me. You did not explain the job clearly.” R _____
c. “You must have been disappointed. What can I do to make it up to you?” R _____
d. “It’s not my fault. I thought I did what you asked me to do.” R _____
e. “Gee! Guess I’ll have to try harder next time.” R _____
Answer –
S – a (adult) then c (sympathetic parent).
a. A
3. The manager assigned employees merit raises, which are supposed to be based on performance.
An employee comes to the manager to complain about not getting a higher merit raise. (A) identify
each transactional analysis (TA) ego state response on the R lines [SP, CP, A, NC, AC]. (B) Select
the best answer for the situation (a-e) on the S line here ________:
a. “I wanted to know why I didn’t get a larger merit raise?” R _____
b. “I know it’s a real difficult job being the boss and that it must have been tough determining merit.
However, I think I desired a larger raise.” R _____
c. “You were not fair giving me that merit raise. I’m a better worker than the two people who got
the largest raises?” R _____
d. “It’s your job to give objective and fair merit raises. So why didn’t you do it?” R _____
e. “Bill got a larger merit raise than I did. Will you please explain what Bill does that I don’t so that
I can do better the next round.” R _____
Answer –
S – e (adult) then b (sympathetic parent).
a. NC
SKILL BUILDING EXERCISE, SB-6.2
Assertiveness
Total time (5-30 minutes)
Select the time you want to allocate to this exercise and an option for its use. Option A may take
about 5 minutes, unless students have several questions. Option B will vary with how much
discussion you have on the consequences of each alternative behavior. Option C can go for 30
minutes. Under option C you can have them do more situations at a time, and only do some of them
in groups.
Recommended Answers for Assertiveness (Note that the answers are in the SA Ex 6-2 grid)
a. b. c. d. e.
1. G
P A P G
2. G
G A P P
3. A
Skill Assessment of SB 6-2 (Questions and Answers also in Test Bank)
There are three situations in the test bank, also below, similar to the 10 assertive situations in the
text.
1. You have been asked out on a date by a coworker you are not attracted to. In fact, you don’t really
like the person. Below are possible actions you can take. On the blank line identify each as P
(passive), G (aggressive), or assertive (A). The A answer is considered the most appropriate action.
Thus, use A only once and P and G twice.
_____ a. Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t go out with you.
_____ b. Agree to go out on the date.
_____ c. Don’t ever ask me to go on a date or I’ll have you up on sexual harassment charges.
_____ d. I’m sorry, but you’re not my type.
_____ e. I’m sorry, but I’m busy that night.
Answer –
a. G
b. P
2. Your boss asked you to sweep the floor. It is no part of your job and you have never done it
before. Below are possible actions you can take. On the blank line identify each as P (passive), G
(aggressive), or assertive (A). The A answer is considered the most appropriate action. Thus, use A
only once and P and G twice.
_____ a. Say nothing and sweep the floor.
_____ b. “It’s not part of my job. Shouldn’t someone else do it?”
_____ c. “Do it yourself.”
_____ d. “Are you kidding me? I don’t do floors.”
_____ e. Do it, but complain to your manager’s boss about having to do it.
Answer –
a. P
b. A
3. You have been working closely with a customer to sell a good size order of parts for a week now.
You stopped by today, and the customer told you one of your competitors got the order. On the
blank line identify each action as P (passive), G (aggressive), or assertive (A). The A answer is
considered the most appropriate action. Thus, use A only once and P and G twice.
_____ a. Say nothing and leave.
_____ b. “What? I’ve been working with on this one. How could you do this to me?”
_____ c. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Then leave.
_____ d. “That’s not fair. Don’t expect to see me again.”
_____ e. “Can you please tell me what happened? I thought you were interested in our parts.”
Answer –
a. P
b. G
SKILL BUILDING EXERCISE, SB-6.3
Using the XYZ Conflict Model
Total time (5-20 minutes)
Select the time you want to allocate to this exercise and an option for its use. Option A may take
about 5 minutes, unless students have several questions. Option B will vary with how much
discussion you have on the consequences of each alternative behavior. Option C can go for 20
minutes. Under option C you can have them do more situations at a time, and only do some of them
in groups.
Possible Answers (You or your students may have better options) A couple of key points to remind
students of:
Maintain ownership, it’s your problem, not the other person’s.
You don’t give advice during the XYZ statement, you let the other person respond, the person may have a
good solution.
1. A coworker has asked you to go out after work for the second time. The first time you gave an excuse for not
being able to go, but you really don’t want to go out with this person. What would you say?
X This is the second time you have asked me out.
2. A coworker keeps coming to your work areas to socialize. You have been talking as long as the person wants
to. But, it is affecting getting your work done and you have had to stay late. What would you say?
X When you come and talk for long periods,
3. A coworker has been taking it easy and not been doing his or her share of the work on your two person
assignment. You have had to do more than your share, and you don’t want it to continue. What would you say?
X You haven’t been doing your share of the work.
4. A coworker has continued to interrupt another coworker friend of yours as he or she speaks. It is upsetting
you, and you have decided to talk to the interrupter privately about it. What would you say?
X I can’t help but notice that you have interrupted Chris speaking.
5. A coworker is playing music loud for the third time. You don’t like the music and it affects your ability to
concentrate. You haven’t said anything but you plan to now. What would you say?
X You’re playing your music kind of loud.
Skills Assessment of SB 6-3 in combined with SB 6-4, as it requires an XYZ statement.
SKILL BUILDING EXERCISE, SB-6.4
Initiating Conflict Resolution
Total time (30-50 minutes)
To keep the exercise to 30 minutes use groups of two rather than three. The responder can also be
the evaluator.
Recommended approximate time for a 50 minute period.
8:00 Procedure 1 3 minutes
8:03 ” 2 13 “
8:16 ” 3 13 “
8:29 ” 4 13 “
8:42 Application 3 “
8:45 Conclusion and/
or sharing 5 “
8:50
Times vary from class to class, my classes usually finish in 35-40 minutes. I have time to show
video module 6 Initiating Conflict Resolution, if I keep the discussion short (total time about 10
minutes).
Give them more time for procedures 2-4 if they need it, and have the application done out of class;
and/or cut the conclusion and sharing times.
Skills Assessment of SB 6-4 (Questions and Answers also in Test Bank)
I tell students that they will be given a conflict situation. They will have to list the three steps of the initiating
conflict resolution model, but they need only make the planned opening XYZ statement because you can only
plan the opening then respond to the other person. I go over an example format using a student example conflict.
You may read the instructions from the test questions below to the class.
1. Initiating Conflict Resolution. You have been bringing in snack food and drinks and putting them in the
refrigerator at work. Your coworker Chris has been taking them without asking. You don’t think it’s fair for Chris
to take your food and drinks.
Instructions: Write the first step in the initiating conflict resolution model, followed by what you plan to
say to Chris as your XYZ statement. Be sure to label the X, Y, and Z parts of the statement. Then, list Steps 2
and 3 without any statement following the steps.
Answer –
Step 1. Plan to maintain ownership of the problem using the XYZ model.
Step 2. Implement your plan persistently.
2. Initiating Conflict Resolution. You and your coworker Chris clean up the work area, which is divided in two
sections, about once a week. The machine section is always dirtier and takes more work and time to clean. It
seems as though Chris always makes sure you get the machine section to clean, which you don’t think is fair.
Instructions: Write the first step in the initiating conflict resolution model, followed by what you plan to
say to Chris as your XYZ statement. Be sure to label the X, Y, and Z parts of the statement. Then, list Steps 2
and 3 without any statement following the steps.
Answer –
Step 1. Plan to maintain ownership of the problem using the XYZ model.
Step 2. Implement your plan persistently.
3. Initiating Conflict Resolution. Your roommate Chris is home earlier than you are so you eat your own food at
different times. For the past week every night Chris has not cleaned up. Dirty dishes are left in the sink, and pots
are left on the stove. You have to clean the pots before you can cook. You don’t think it’s fair to have to clean up
before you can cook.
Instructions: Write the first step in the initiating conflict resolution model, followed by what you plan to
say to Chris as your XYZ statement. Be sure to label the X, Y, and Z parts of the statement. Then, list Steps 2
and 3 without any statement following the steps.
Answer-
Step 1. Plan to maintain ownership of the problem using the XYZ model.
Step 2. Implement your plan persistently.
I include one test question worth about 7-10 points on exams. I generally give half credit for listing
the steps and half credit for the XYZ statement.