LOGAN: Here, I got you another drink.
LOGAN: Whaaaat? There’s no such thing as enough!
LOGAN: You’re gonna make me drink alone? Don’t you want tonight to be fun for us?
LOGAN: There we go!
COACH: Before Jason has a chance to explore, the host of the party Abby walks over to him.
ABBY: Hey, I saw you watching Sara and Logan. Will you come help me talk to them?
JASON: Oh, yeah.
COACH: You decided not to approach Sara and Logan, or to DELEGATE to Abby, but it’s always better to try to intervene than to do nothing.
COACH: Jason and Abby walk over to Logan and Sara.
ABBY: Hey, guys! Hey! Jason! What’s up? Man, I haven’t seen you since Tessa’s birthday. Right, that was so fun! Sara’s friends with my girlfriend Tessa. And I know Logan from a class we took.
LOGAN: Yeah.
ABBY: Logan, how was improv club yesterday? I had to study.
LOGAN: It was good, but we missed you, obviously.
ABBY: Midterms stop for no woman!
JASON: I’m not sure you’re okay right now.
JASON: You just seem kinda drunk.
COACH: By telling Sara you’re not sure she’s okay, it sounds like you think you know her situation better than she does.
JASON: So, Logan, you planning on talking to any more girls tonight, or just Sara? Umm, what’s that supposed to mean? Yeah, what?
ABBY: I think what Jason means is, we know you’re a popular guy, and there are plenty of people who want to catch up with you. I think I saw Blake in the kitchen earlier. Have you talked since he got back from vacation?
LOGAN: No. I guess not.
COACH: By asking if he was going to talk to any other girls, you implied Logan is a player, which offended him and could make him aggressive. Abby showed a better way to DISTRACT Logan.
ABBY: C’mon Logan. Sara’s done talking with you anyway, right Sara? I don’t knooow, am I? Look, I’m good, Abby.
COACH: Telling Logan to leave Sara because she’s done with him can put both Logan and Sara on the defensive.
COACH: Jason and Sara start to explore the party.
JASON: I think you’ve had enough to drink. Annnd what do you mean by that? You’ve just—you’ve been drinking a lot. Yeah? I’m allowed to drink if I want to! It’s been a long frickin’ week.
COACH: By saying “I think you’ve had enough to drink,” you told Sara what she needs. Right now, it’s more important to see how Sara feels.
JASON: Sara, you’re embarrassing yourself. It’s time to go home. C’mon! Tessa can walk you back. You don’t have to find me a walking buddy, mmkay?! I’m fine. I’m just a little tipsyyy.
COACH: When DIRECTLY intervening, try to avoid judging the other person for their choices.
COACH: Abby and Logan start to explore the rest of the party.
LOGAN: Man! I mean, I don’t want to be that guy, but, Sara’s fine. She’s single, right? Sorry, we gotta talk real quick.
LOGAN: Okay.
ABBY: I mean, dude, what do you think you’re doing? What? Sara’s pretty tipsy, and it seemed that you were trying to take advantage of that. Jeez. Yeah, she’s been drinking, but so has everyone else here! I’m not some kinda creep or something!
COACH: By telling Logan he’s in the wrong, you made him defend his actions, when you want him to consider his actions. Instead of criticizing him, it’s better to help him see a different perspective.
ABBY: What I’m trying to say is, trying to hook up with Sara when she’s had too many drinks is manipulative. If she’s not totally aware of what’s happening, you’re taking advantage of her. Don’t you get that?
COACH: Confronting Logan about his choices in a judgmental way doesn’t help him consider his actions.
LOGAN: I mean, I get it, okay?!
ABBY: Yeah. Really?
LOGAN: Whatever, just get off my case, Abby.
LOGAN: Here, I got you another drink.
SARA: Umm, no thanks. I feel like I’ve had enough.
LOGAN: Whaaaat? There’s no such thing as enough!
SARA: I dunno.
LOGAN: You’re gonna make me drink alone? Don’t you want tonight to be fun for us?
SARA: Well, fine.
LOGAN: There we go!
COACH: Jason gets Abby’s attention, and Abby walks over to Jason.
JASON: Hey Abby? Hey Jason, what’s up?
JASON: Can I talk to you for a minute?
ABBY: Sure, what’s going on?
COACH: Abby is the host of the party. By bringing her into the situation, you’re DELEGATING to someone with authority, who may be better friends with one or both of the people you’re concerned about.
JASON: I just feel like Logan is coming on a little strong to Sara.
ABBY: Really? Like how?
JASON: Just a second ago, he got her another drink. She said she’d had enough, and he kept pushing her ’til she took it.
ABBY: Oh, man. Well, I know Logan from improv, but I don’t really know Sara. Do you?
JASON: Yeah, she’s friends with my girlfriend Tessa.
JASON: What do you think we should do?
ABBY: I mean, it might be nothing, but we could go talk to them in case Sara’s feeling uncomfortable.
JASON: Yeah, exactly.
COACH: You DELEGATED to Abby, and asked what approach she wanted to take. This is a great way to enlist her help talking to Sara and Logan.
ABBY: I guess, thanks for bringing this up. C’mon.
COACH: Jason and Abby walk over to Logan and Sara.
ABBY: Hey, guys! Hey! Jason! What’s up? Man, I haven’t seen you since Tessa’s birthday. Right, that was so fun! Sara’s friends with my girlfriend Tessa. And I know Logan from a class we took.
LOGAN: Yeah.
ABBY: Logan, how was improv club yesterday? I had to study.
LOGAN: It was good, but we missed you, obviously.
ABBY: Midterms stop for no woman!
JASON: Have any plans for tonight, Logan? I mean, I’d be down to spend a little more time with Sara. Alright, slooow down, cowboy. Sorry.
ABBY: Hopefully you have room in your schedule to catch up with me and your improv buddies too.
COACH: By asking about Logan’s plans, you found out his intentions for the night, as well as how Sara feels about them.
JASON: Abby, how do you always get so many cool people to come to these things? What can I say, I’m a people person. Probably doesn’t hurt to have a sick karaoke setup, too. Oh, I can’t believe I forgot about that! Wanna do karaoke? We can bring Tessa. Oh my goshhh, that sounds fun. Maybe!
COACH: By floating the idea of checking out the rest of the party, you DISTRACT Sara from her interaction with Logan.
JASON: A bunch of my friends are here tonight, Sara. I’d love to introduce you to them! Really? That sounds pretty cool.
COACH: Offering to introduce her to your friends is a great, natural way to DISTRACT Sara.
SARA: Okay! I’ll go check out the rest of the party, and you can go hang with Abby, ’kay? Sure, but find me later on the dance floor. Just look for the one with the killer moves.
ABBY: Right. Then look next to them, and you’ll find Logan.
COACH: Jason and Sara start to explore the party.
SARA: Ughhh, I’m starting to not feel so great. Do you wanna leave? Noooo! Well, maybe.
JASON: How’re you feeling about what was going down with Logan?
SARA: I meannn, it was fun. He was nice, but then he kept giving me drinks and stuff.
COACH: By DIRECTLY asking Sara about her experience with Logan, you started a conversation about what she might need to stay safe and get home tonight.
JASON: If you want someone to walk home with you, I can ask Tessa if she’s cool to head out. She’s going your way.
COACH: DIRECTLY connecting Sara with a way home helps keep her safe.
SARA: I guess. I might wanna go home soon. I’m kinda starting to remember why I don’t go out much. Parties are exhaaausting! Oh, I definitely understand that feeling!
SARA: Jaybirrrd, I’m really glad you were here to look out for meee. We’ve gotta look out for eachother, riiight? Right. Let’s go find Tessa so you guys can head home.
COACH: Abby and Logan start to explore the rest of the party.
LOGAN: Man! I mean, I don’t want to be that guy, but, Sara’s fine. She’s single, right? Sorry, we gotta talk real quick.
LOGAN: Okay.
ABBY: Logan, I consider you a really good friend, and I care about you a lot. Uh huh, and? I want everyone here tonight, including you, to have fun in a safe way. And we might already be on the same page, but, Sara’s not really in a place to hook up.
LOGAN: Yeah, yeah.
COACH: Starting from your friendship with Logan made this DIRECT encounter a lot easier for him to hear.
ABBY: Why don’t I check with Sara tomorrow, see if she’d be interested in hanging out together soon? Let you two get to know each other better, over brunch or something?
LOGAN: Ooh, yeah! I mean, you know how much I love brunch. Yeah! You guys can talk without all the loud music, eat some pancakes, get to know each other when you’ll both actually remember it. You had me at “pancakes.” But yeah, that does sound pretty good.
COACH: This is a great idea. Just because tonight isn’t the right time doesn’t mean Sara and Logan shouldn’t try to get to know each other some other time. Check in with Sara, too, to see if that’s something she’d want.
LOGAN: I, I get what you’re trying to say. I mean, I wasn’t planning to. Doesn’t matter. Sorry.
ABBY: Just something to think about. Now, c’mon. We have some dancing to do.
LOGAN: Let’s get it.