Client [whiny]: I sent the setup sheet to the logistics people, but it’s
really hard to get them to respond and I’ve had to organize this
whole conference by myself without any support and... (Victim)
Me [resigned]: Look, don’t worry about it, I’ll just rearrange the
room by myself and get the tech set up. And I’ll cook eggs for
everyone. (Rescuer)
Client [frustrated]: This is just typical of prima donna speakers like
you; we’re paying you too much already and you have to have
everything “just so” and then you take over any time you’re not
happy. (Persecutor)
Me [whiny]: I’m just trying to make sure my session’s a good one;
no one understands how hard it is to get a room set up the right
way, and then as soon as you try, everyone hates you. (Victim)
And so it goes.
And it can happen even faster than that. Think of the most
annoying person on your team right now, the one who’s giving you
difficulty even as we speak. Did you notice that in a flash, you
jumped to Persecutor (They make me so mad!), Victim (It’s not
fair, why can’t I get them onto someone else’s team?) and Rescuer
(I’ll just keep trying to do their work for them until they get up to
speed) all at once?
Your Go-to Role
That said, we tend to have a favourite role that we default to most