Scene to read · Motivation, Empathy
Earned this chair
You are visiting your parents on a Sunday.
Your father Keanu retired last year after forty years as a bus mechanic and now spends most days in the den watching television. Your other father, Shin, worries that he is fading. The three of you are in the den with the television on.
The scene
Shin: The food bank needs Tuesday drivers. I only picked up the form.
Keanu: Forty years I got up at five. I've earned this chair, and I like it.
Shin: You haven't left the house in nine days. That isn't rest.
Keanu: It's my retirement. You're our kid. Do I look unhappy to you?
The two questions
- 1How would you answer Keanu, and what would you say to Shin?
- 2Describe a time you tried to encourage someone to make a change they had not asked for. How did it go?
What raters look for
- Motivation
- Shows genuine, sustained drive and a clear reason for choices, including when work is unglamorous.
- 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
