Scene to read · Empathy, Problem solving
Who listens to whom
You are a close friend of both Wilfred and Wilhelmina, and they have asked you for ideas.
On a bench outside the community pool after their swim, longtime friends Wilfred, 60, and Wilhelmina, 30, are talking. For months Wilhelmina has been Wilfred's main support through a rough patch. Today she admitted she is worn out; until now, Wilfred hadn't realized how much those conversations were taking out of her.
The scene
Wilhelmina: I'm tired, Wilfred. Months of calls about your troubles have exhausted me.
Wilfred: That hurts to hear. Could we keep difficult conversations to Sunday calls?
Wilhelmina: I need a break, but scheduled calls make our friendship feel transactional.
Wilfred: I'm afraid I'll stop calling entirely. How can I give you space?
The two questions
- 1What would you suggest to Wilfred and Wilhelmina, and why?
- 2How do you decide when a friendship needs a concrete change and when it just needs honest conversation?
What raters look for
- Empathy
- Recognizes what others feel and need, and lets that shape the response without losing judgment.
- Problem solving
- Gathers facts before acting, considers options and consequences, and chooses a workable next step.
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
