FUNDAMENTAL RESOURCES | LEADERSHIP & COMMUNICATION
Better communication starts with understanding yourself.
Why do some conversations flow effortlessly, while others become defensive, frustrating or unnecessarily difficult?
Sometimes, it isn't what we're discussing that creates the problem. It's how we're communicating.
Transactional Analysis provides a framework for understanding the different ways we think, feel and respond to others, helping us recognise communication patterns and make more conscious choices about how we interact.
Whether you're managing a team, navigating a difficult conversation or simply curious about your own behaviour, understanding these patterns can help you communicate with greater awareness and intention.
Discover your communication tendencies with Fundamental's free Transactional Analysis assessment.
61 statements. Approximately 10 minutes. Immediate results.
No right or wrong answers. Just an opportunity to understand yourself a little better.
Three ways of thinking. Three ways of responding.
Developed by psychiatrist Eric Berne, Transactional Analysis explores how different patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour influence our interactions with others.
At the centre of the model are three ego states: Parent, Adult and Child.
These aren't fixed personality types or descriptions of someone's age. They're different ways of responding that we may move between depending on the situation, our experiences and the people we're interacting with.
Understanding them provides an opportunity to recognise our responses and consider whether they're helping us achieve the outcome we want.
PARENT
What we've learned.
Our Parent ego state reflects attitudes, expectations and behaviours influenced by authority figures and previous experiences.
It can help us establish standards, provide reassurance, offer guidance and support others.
However, it can also become overly controlling, judgemental or protective.
In the workplace:
"Let me show you how this should be done."
ADULT
What we understand.
Our Adult ego state focuses on the information available to us in the present.
It allows us to examine situations, ask questions, consider options and make informed decisions rather than responding automatically.
It can be particularly useful when navigating disagreement, problem-solving or making difficult decisions.
In the workplace:
"What's happening, what do we know, and what can we do about it?"
CHILD
What we feel.
Our Child ego state reflects emotional responses and patterns influenced by earlier experiences.
It can bring creativity, spontaneity, enthusiasm and curiosity.
It can also influence defensive reactions, resistance or a tendency to seek approval.
In the workplace:
"I've got an idea! What if we tried something different?"
The objective isn't to become permanently 'Adult'. It's to recognise the different states, understand their influence and choose a response appropriate to the situation.
A LITTLE SELF-DISCOVERY
How do you typically respond to the people around you?
We all develop familiar ways of thinking, communicating and reacting.
Some of these patterns help us build effective relationships. Others can create unnecessary tension, particularly when we're under pressure.
Fundamental's free Transactional Analysis assessment is an opportunity to explore your own tendencies and consider how they might influence your interactions with others.
What to expect
61 statements | Approximately 10 minutes | Free | Immediate results
Read each statement and consider how closely it reflects your typical behaviour.
Select either:
Mostly Agree - The statement generally describes how you think, feel or behave.
Mostly Disagree - The statement generally doesn't describe how you think, feel or behave.
Try to answer according to what you typically do, rather than what you believe you should do.
There are no right or wrong answers.
Your results are a starting point, not a label.
Your assessment results provide an indication of the communication tendencies reflected in your responses.
They may help you recognise patterns that feel familiar, identify behaviours you rely on frequently and consider how you respond in different situations.
A higher score in one area doesn't automatically mean that tendency is better or worse than another.
The important question is how effectively you use the different approaches available to you.
Three questions worth asking yourself
01. What feels familiar?
Which results reflect behaviours you recognise in your everyday interactions?
02. What changes under pressure?
Do you respond differently when you're frustrated, challenged or uncertain?
03. What might you do differently?
Are there situations where consciously changing your approach could lead to a more constructive conversation?
This assessment is intended for personal reflection and development. It is not a clinical assessment, diagnosis or measure of professional competence.