Scene to read · Communication, Empathy
Closest to Owen
You are a student in a four-person capstone design group, and you are the teammate closest to Owen.
At a workbench in the university makerspace during a late capstone build, your teammates Barry and Basma pull you aside while Owen is out getting parts. Both have noticed a strong body odor from Owen during long build sessions. You don't know whether he's aware of it.
The scene
Barry: Can we ask you a favor? It's awkward, and it's about Owen.
Basma: Working beside him for hours is hard because of the smell, honestly.
Barry: You're his closest friend here. It'd land better than a group message would.
Basma: He mentioned he'd moved out suddenly, though. I don't know why.
The two questions
- 1How would you respond to Barry and Basma, and what, if anything, would you say to Owen?
- 2When, if ever, is it better for a sensitive personal comment to come from a friend rather than from the whole group?
What raters look for
- Communication
- Listens first, speaks clearly and respectfully, and adapts the message to the listener.
- Empathy
- Recognizes what others feel and need, and lets that shape the response without losing judgment.
Answer scenarios like this on the real timers
Answer both questions on the clock, and get each one scored 1–9 the way raters score. Your first set is free, no card.
Practice free
