Choose a scenario.
Pick one and write what you think the ideal response would be. We'll score it against a rubric built for that exact moment.
Your closest friend's husband died by suicide three weeks ago. You've texted; she's responded once with 'thank you.' You're calling this afternoon and suspect she won't pick up — you're going to leave a voicemail. You fl…
You're a manager about to deliver layoff news to a direct report in a 15-minute meeting starting in an hour. Her name is Priya. She has been on your team for two years, is a strong performer, and is being let go solely b…
Your older sister Maya's divorce was finalized six months ago, ending a 15-year marriage. You never liked her ex-husband, David — you thought he was controlling and dismissive of her, and you told your partner this many…
Your best friend of 20 years called you yesterday to tell you she was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. The oncologist said about six months. She called you first, before her parents. You cried together on the p…
Your mother retired two weeks ago after 40 years as a nurse at the same hospital. She didn't want to retire — hospital policy required it at 67. She told you on the phone last night that she 'doesn't know who she is with…
Your close friend of 10 years — someone you met at work, whose family you've had over for dinner many times — lost her 8-year-old son Leo to leukemia four days ago. His treatment lasted 18 months. You were at the hospita…
A coworker on your team — not close, but cordial; you've had lunch a handful of times over the two years you've worked together — lost his mother ten days ago to cancer. You're signing a group card that's being passed ar…
Your close friend of 15 years lost her mother four months ago after a 9-year Alzheimer's decline. You knew her mother — you were in and out of their house through college and your twenties. The last three years of her mo…
You are an attending ICU physician. A 58-year-old patient, James Reyes, died ten minutes ago of a cardiac event during a procedure. His wife and adult daughter are in the family room. You have not met them before — he wa…
Your father died last week at 74 of congestive heart failure. Your relationship was complicated. He was difficult — often dismissive of you, absent for long stretches of your childhood, and only in the last three years d…
Your close friend's older brother Matthew died exactly one year ago today. He was hit by a drunk driver while walking home from a bar (he himself wasn't drunk; he'd had two beers over three hours). Your friend has been c…
Your close friend's 13-year-old golden retriever Biscuit died this morning. She had to put him down — kidney failure, nothing more to do. Biscuit was with her through her divorce, through two moves, through her mom's dea…
Your close friend of 12 years miscarried at 18 weeks, two weeks ago. They had told extended family. They had a name: Hannah. You have two kids of your own — you know she is aware of that. You are writing a card, not a te…
Five years ago today, your college roommate Eli died by suicide. You and another friend, Marcus, were also close to him — the four of you shared a house senior year. You and Marcus have drifted; you haven't spoken in abo…
Your grandson, Theo, died last week at age 19 — a rare cardiac arrhythmia no one knew he had. You are 72. You are speaking at his funeral. Your son (Theo's father) asked you to speak. This is not supposed to happen — gra…
Your close friend's older brother Danny died of a fentanyl overdose three weeks ago. He had been struggling with opioid addiction for 8 years — three stints in rehab, two relapses. Your friend has said, openly, that part…
Linda was your friend. She died four months ago of breast cancer after a 2-year illness. Her husband Martin — you know him, you've been to their home many times over 20 years, but he is Linda's person, not yours — is now…
Your best friend of 25 years, Jordan, died last week in a climbing accident — a fall, clean, fast, in a place he had climbed dozens of times. He was 46. He leaves a wife, Nora, and two kids (7 and 10). He lived for climb…
Your close friend was 34 weeks pregnant. This morning she delivered her stillborn daughter Eloise. They had a name. They had a nursery. She texted you the news three hours ago with a single line. You are texting her back…
Your coworker Rajan died one year ago today, of pancreatic cancer, six weeks after diagnosis. You worked on his team for three years but you weren't close. His widow Priya came to a company holiday party once; you've met…
Your father is 70. Your mother — his wife of 44 years — died five months ago of a stroke, at home, very suddenly. You call him every few days but he often doesn't pick up. You're calling this evening and will likely leav…
Your old college friend Mariko died three weeks ago of ovarian cancer. You lost touch with her fifteen years ago — no fight, just lives. But in college and your twenties you were close. Her son Kenji is now 28; you met h…
Your close friend of 10 years — same industry, you've swapped job advice for a decade — just texted you: 'I got laid off this morning. No warning. Walking out with a box of stuff right now.' You're texting back in the ne…
Your close friend owned a small bakery in your neighborhood for 12 years. Last week she closed it permanently — she couldn't afford the new lease, and buying out was not possible. She was not fired, the business was not…
Your close friend's husband was fired two weeks ago for sexual harassment. Multiple claims, company investigation, he's out. She has told you, privately, that she believes the claims are true and she is in the process of…
Your son Aaron (25) was laid off yesterday from his first real job after college — he'd been there 18 months. He called you last night briefly, sounded flat, said he'd call later. He didn't. You are calling him this afte…
Your mentor, David, founded a company that shut down four months ago after 7 years. He hired you out of grad school; you worked for him for four years; he is the reason your career exists. The shutdown was not a scandal…
Your best friend since high school just got confirmation from the surgeon two weeks ago that his knee won't come back enough to play pro soccer — his career is over. He is 29. He has been a pro for 8 years; soccer has be…
Your old grad school friend was denied tenure three months ago after 7 years at her university. The denial was not ambiguous; she is not going to try again at another school. Her academic career is over. She has pivoted…
You are in tech. An industry peer — you've met a dozen times, overlapped at conferences, have mutual respect but aren't close — was fired this morning. The news broke two hours ago and the internet is speculating about w…